How to choose the right nursery for your child

Photo: Kensington Wade Nursery

Starting nursery is a huge first step in any child’s educational journey. It might be the first time your child has been away from home or their family – and making sure they are settled, happy and in the right early-years setting is key. So what are the key things to look out for when choosing the best nursery for your child, and what are the different types of learning framework, style and nursery ethos to bear in mind?

The first thing you’ll need to decide is the teaching and learning method best suited to your child. These are the most widely found styles of nursery in the UK.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) nurseries
In the UK, the most common nursery framework is EYFS. These follow a teaching and learning approach set by the government, and promote a very child-centred ethos. Children are loosely guided and observed by their teachers, and encouraged to learn through play and creative imagination. There’s also a strong emphasis on developing communication skills. EYFS nursery settings closely mirror a mainstream pre-prep setting, and are therefore considered very good preparation for easing a child into a more formal educational setting when the time comes.

Montessori nurseries
Montessori nurseries follow a similarly child-centred approach to EYFS, but there is a much greater emphasis on child-directed and self-led activities. Children are encouraged to explore and learn on their own, making their own decisions, choosing what activities they’d like to do and what toys they’d like to play with, and developing at their own pace. It’s a great way to encourage independence from a very young age, as teachers tend to keep more of a distance but are on hand to observe and track progress.

Reggio Emilia nurseries
Reggio Emilia nurseries put great emphasis on discovery-based learning, lending them many similarities to the Montessori approach. Curiosity, creativity and communication are key, with a big focus on the community of the classroom and plenty of teamwork and problem-solving. The learning journey itself is considered far more important than the outcome, and the teacher’s role is to observe and understand how a child learns, which in turn helps them to tailor activities and resources to each child.

Steiner nurseries
The main aim of a Steiner nursery is to uncover a child’s enthusiasm for knowledge, regardless of their ability. Teachers play an important leadership role, and there’s plenty of storytelling, imagination and free creative play. The Steiner approach is a very holistic one, and a child’s mental and physical development is considered as important as their academic development.

There are also a few more nuances to bear in mind, including:

Nurseries linked to pre-prep schools
Children can start nursery at as young as a few months old, but when choosing the right early-years setting for your child, it’s always worth thinking ahead to their future educational journey. More and more prep schools now have an on-site nursery too – and in many cases, a nursery place can be a shoo-in for a spot in Reception. If you’ve already got your heart set on a specific prep school for your child, starting them off in the nursery can be the perfect first step.

Take Beaudesert Park Nursery, which sits adjacent to the main prep-school site. Nursery children play and learn in their own wonderful standalone area, but have access to all of the main school’s facilities, meaning they’re treated to judo and ballet in its performing arts centre, enjoy PE lessons on the Astro and even get to pop into the prep’s art and D&T rooms. No surprise, then, that almost every single nursery pupil makes the easy move up to Reception and then on to the prep school when they reach Year 3.

It's a similar story at Brambletye in Sussex. The nursery here is an integral part of the pre-prep department, meaning that even the youngest children join in with assemblies, plays and concerts – and they’re all part of the brilliantly strong house system from day one. When the time comes to move up, the transition is a breeze.

Choosing a nursery linked to a pre-prep can pay off if you’ve got your eye on a heavily oversubscribed school. Once boys have snagged a place at Dulwich Prep London’s nursery, they can stay at the school all the way through to 13, making the easy move across to the main school campus when they reach Year 1.

Bilingual nurseries
Some nurseries offer a far more specialised provision. It’s well known that the younger a child starts to learn a language, the easier it is for them to absorb it – and if you’re looking to raise your child speaking more than just their native tongue, a bilingual nursery is a good place to start.

Kensington Wade Nursery offers a 50/50 immersive model, meaning children spend half their day being addressed and taught in English, and the other half in Chinese. This approach helps young learners develop greater linguistic awareness, a better understanding of their native language and gives a real boost to their self-esteem.

‘Being bilingual has a profound effect on the brain and provides many social, academic and, later on in life, economic advantages, as well as increased cognitive development, and cross-cultural appreciation,’ says the school. If children move on to the prep school and stay until the end of Year 6, the expectation is that they’ll be able to read and write Chinese fluently.

L'École des Petits follows a similar model. Children are taught in a bilingual environment that borrows the best bits from the French and British educational models, and puts an appreciation of cultural heritage front and centre. When children turn six, they are given priority entry to L’École de Battersea, giving them the opportunity to continue their bilingual education right until the end of prep school.

Ethos decided, it’s then time to start looking around the nurseries on your shortlist. So what are the most important things to bear in mind?

Environment. Choose a nursery that you feel comfortable in. What was the welcome like? Are the staff friendly and approachable? Did you warm to the head? Is there any outside space – and if not, are staff creative about getting children out and about for a blast of fresh air each day?

Location. Even if your child is going to nursery for only a morning or afternoon session, it’s a long time for them to be away from home. Choose a nursery that is nearby, and ideally one you can walk or scoot too to avoid hours spent in the car each day. And the closer you are to home, the greater chance you have of making new friends who live locally, which makes playdates a whole lot easier too.

Reputation. Always do your research and look at a nursery's Ofsted report. It’s also worth asking how qualified the teachers are. Nursery staff don’t strictly need to be fully qualified, but it’s a real bonus if they are.

Most importantly, trust your gut. In general, a great nursery will stand out on its own – and if you get a good feeling about it, it’s highly likely that will rub off on your child too.

Good luck, and if you need more advice, visit our nurseries guide to read our reviews of the best nurseries across the UK, or get in touch with our parent advisory service to book a call with our dedicated, experienced nurseries adviser.

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How to choose the right nursery for your child

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