Choosing a nursery: a parent’s 10-point checklist

1. Check the Ofsted grade — and read the actual report

The headline grade (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) is the start, not the answer. Read the most recent report itself — it’s usually 3–6 pages. Look for:

• When the last inspection was. A 5-year-old "Outstanding" tells you less than a year-old "Good".
• The "what does the setting do well" section. Specifics beat generalities. "Staff sing with children every day" is more meaningful than "staff are nurturing".
• The "what does the setting need to do to improve" section. Even Outstanding settings get areas to improve. Are they significant (safeguarding, curriculum) or minor (paperwork)?
• Quotes from parents and children. Inspectors include direct quotes — they’re a window into the day-to-day culture.

2. Ask about staff turnover and the key person system

Settled children means settled staff. Ask: "How long have your room leaders been here?" and "How many of the team in my child’s room are the same as a year ago?"

• High turnover (more than a third of staff churning each year) is a meaningful red flag.
• Ask how the key person system works. Every child should have a named key person who tracks their development, learns their preferences and is the main link to you.
• What happens if the key person is off sick or leaves? Good settings have a buddy key person ready.

3. Check the staff-to-child ratios in practice

The statutory minimums in England are: 1:3 for under-2s, 1:5 for 2-year-olds, 1:8 for 3- and 4-year-olds. Many settings choose to run a richer ratio for under-2s.

What to actually observe

• Count the adults and children in each room during your visit.
• Are staff with the children (down on the floor, eye-level, talking) or monitoring from the side?
• During lunch and nappy change — the highest-pressure moments — is anyone clearly stretched?

4. Understand the settling-in policy in detail

Good settings build settling around your child, not a fixed timetable. Ask what their default plan looks like — typically 2–3 short visits with a parent, then a short stay alone, then a longer one — and ask what they do if your child finds it harder.

Push back if the answer is "they all settle in by day three". They don’t.

5. Get the full fee schedule in writing

Headline session prices can hide a lot. Ask for a written breakdown including:

• Hourly or session rate by age band.
• Consumables charge (nappies, sun cream, meals).
• Fees during holidays and bank holidays.
• Notice period to end your place and any deposit/registration fees.
• How funded hours work in practice — stretched across 52 weeks or term-time only.
• Whether they accept Tax-Free Childcare or vouchers.

6. Look at the food

Food is where culture shows. Ask to see a current menu, ask who plans it (an in-house cook beats reheated catering), and ask how they handle:

• Allergies and intolerances — especially nut, dairy and egg.
• Cultural and religious preferences.
• Refusal — do staff pressure children to eat or follow a "trust the child" approach?
• Snacks — are they fresh fruit and water, or sweet biscuits and juice?

7. Check the outdoor space

Children should get at least one significant outdoor session per day, even in wet weather. Visit the garden and ask:

• Is there free-flow access (children can go in and out at will) or is outdoor time scheduled?
• What’s the weather rule? Many good settings borrow Forest School wisdom — "there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes".
• Is the garden interesting? Mud kitchens, growing beds, climbing equipment, water trays all suggest real outdoor learning.

8. Ask about the curriculum (in plain English)

Every English nursery must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, but how they bring it to life varies hugely. Ask:

• How do you decide what activities to plan? (Should mention "following children’s interests" and "next steps".)
• How do you share my child’s progress with me? (Look for regular conversations, not just a glossy app.)
• What does a typical day look like for a child of my child’s age?

9. Check the safeguarding basics

You’re entitled to ask, and any setting worth choosing will be glad you did:

• Who is the designated safeguarding lead? When were they last trained?
• What’s the policy for collection — password, ID, who can collect?
• How do you manage illness and exclusion? Especially relevant for sickness and Calpol policies.
• How is medication stored, administered and recorded?

10. Trust the smell test (and your gut)

Walk through with your senses open. What does it smell like, sound like, look like? Are children:

• Engaged and at ease — not sitting silent at tables, not running wild?
• Being spoken to by name and at their eye level?
• Allowed to make mess and clean it up?
• Treated kindly when something goes wrong?

If something feels off and you can’t put your finger on it, that is data. Visit a second time, unannounced, and see if the feeling changes.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to find a brilliant nursery?

Search every Ofsted-registered setting in the UK — by postcode, age group, funded hours and more.

About this guide & sources

Every numerical claim in this guide is sourced from UK government, NHS or recognised charity publications. We re-check each source on the article’s review date.

1. Ofsted — Early years inspection handbook (retrieved 2026-05-11)
2. GOV.UK — Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (retrieved 2026-05-11)

Keep reading