Guest Blog by Sarah Billingham, Confident Kids
Even the thought of looking for a nursery for your child can be a little daunting. The choice can be overwhelming and if you haven’t crossed a nursery threshold since you were a child yourself, how are you supposed to know what you are looking for?
We would all love to take a sneaky look a couple of years into the future to be reassured that the nursery we choose is absolutely the right choice. Short of the crystal ball, the best thing you can do is arm yourself with the right information to make an informed decision.
Great architecture doesn’t mean great education
We wouldn’t advise our kids to choose a spouse based solely on the house they live in (I hope!). Absolutely, nurseries should make the best of what they have and create safe and engaging spaces for learning, but people place far too much emphasis on facilities, making this the deciding factor. Great facilities are the cherry on the cake. The biggest influence on your child’s education will be in the quality of the teaching and the learning opportunities the staff create. Don’t stake it all on that great sensory room that your child might only access for 30 minutes a week.
Environment
The learning environment is an important part of a positive learning experience. Calm environments tend to work best to support attention and listening for little ones. If you have a master escape artist, it will be important to check how secure the nursery perimeter is, whilst for another child access to a quiet space to reset could be key. When you are visiting the nursery, take note of how calm and organised transition times are, when children are moving to the playground or from the lunch table into carpet time. Some nursery corridors closely resemble Clapham Junction at rush hour.
Interaction is everything!
My number one top tip when visiting nurseries is to observe the interactions. The way the staff interact with the children and parents and the way the children engage with each other. This gives the greatest insight into quality. Great learning comes from strong relationships. Every moment is a teachable moment and engagement is essential for learning. You may spot something go awry whilst you are visiting a nursery – that’s ok, happens to the best of us. The key is in how the adults interact in these moments and support the children in their care.
It Takes a Village
Supporting children in overcoming barriers to learning is a team effort. How will the nursery be working in partnership with you to make important decisions about your child and keep you feeling like you are in touch with their day-to-day learning?
If the glass slipper fits
Getting the right nursery for your child is about ‘best fit’. Nowhere will be totally perfect, so focus on the things that you feel are most important for your child. Take the opinions of others, as well as Ofsted reports, with a pinch of salt. What is right for someone else’s child or what another parent prioritises might be different. Ofsted inspections can give a great window into the inner workings of a nursery, but are often just a snapshot of what was seen on the day and may be a little historic. There will be plenty of people with ‘expert’ opinions. Listening to the experiences of others can be helpful but be confident in making your own choice based on what you feel is important for your child - you know them best. You need to get a feel for the place and take a moment to think – could I picture my child here?
Sometimes you have to trust your gut feeling!
About the Author
Sarah Billingham is a specialist teacher and runs Confident Kids, a unique Early Years service. She equips parents with expert knowledge and the practical tools they need to offer their little people the very best early language support they can.
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