Concerns about son's nursery

Christie_L

I realise I might be over-reacting here, so would appreciate other parents viewpoints.

I recently enrolled my 2 year old son in a pre-school (private, paid-for, but on a primary school premises). This costs £9.50 per session of 9am-12pm, and I chose this as it's cheaper than the private day nursery he used to attend (which was £22.50 per morning).

Today I dropped him off on only his second day there, and he wasn't acknowledged by the staff at all. It was a case of all the other mothers & staff were stood in the nursery area chatting, and kids (including mine) left to go off and get on with it. There was no register, no acknowledgement whatsoever.

I wasn't happy about leaving DS - what if he wandered off/hurt himself - would they notice/care? So I went & found the manager and told her that I thought that was unacceptable and that I would take him home/withdraw him if it happened again.

She said 'oh ok we'll get the staff together and have a meeting about it'. I thought that was a little flippant considering that if they didn't even know he was there, anyone could just turn up and take him away with them and they'd be non the wiser (over-reacting I know).

Is this normal for these types of pre-school environments? I'm used to an entirely different type of treatment by by son's previous nursery, where you had to ring a bell and wait for a member of staff to come let you in / welcome the child. I know that you get what you pay for though..

Nicky xx

gill_81uk

That doesn't sound right to me - my Mum spent many years working in a preschool (not a private one) and at least one, usually more of the 'aunties' would be a or near the door greeting the children and parents. The children would then be free to run off and play in the same room until the door was locked and register was taken

Indie_Kid

This doesn't sound right to me. When I did a work placement (3 years ago) we always greeted the children and their parents.

HalfPint

My ds (3) attends pre-school and I must say that it can be very busy in the morning at drop off time and at least one member of staff will acknowledge me or my son with a general "morning" type of thing. Also, there is a member of staff who "mans" the door into pre-school, making sure no one unknown comes in and that no children leave unaccompanied by their parent/staff member. The main door is also manned and a subtle register is taken as the parents leave. By subtle I mean they tick of the kids names as the parent leave..they don't physically ask "are you here?" lol)

It may be they have something like this in operation but you may not have noticed. Have a quiet word, ask them what their procedures are. I'd watch over the next few days for those procedures in action, and observe how your lo settles. If after all that you still have worries/concerns and they aren't resolved I'd move.

I was very lucky to get into our pre-school..they have a long waiting list and were awarded an "outstanding" by ofsted...my son is very happy there.

Trust your instincts on this one.

hth & you get it resolved.

HP x

winnie81

Thats not right at all! My 4 have all been in different nursery's/playgroups both private Montessori Nurserys and Council Charity run playgroups and that has never happened nor have I heard that happening anywhere else either.

I would've been very very angry and would be reconsidering leaving my child in there care basic common sense seems to be lacking with them All children should be acknowledged in some way as well as parents and to leave my child like that would not fill me with confidence in the care they will provide once I have left. In the private nursery my DD goes too there are 2 doors/bells and a remote locking system the staff have to open for every parent and child so everyone is greeted individually before the register when parents leave and in the Council run playgroup my elder 2 went to every morning the Playgroup leader would stand in the door and welcome everyone before a full register was taken again when the parents leave.

I hope you manage to sort this out as thats really not on

misgrace

Whether its a private or school nursery there should be a register for the parents and staff to sign the children in or out, god knows what could happen, how would they know if little kylie had come in and went out on her own?, there is no record of the child there, for that alone I would be very worried.

Do you know if the Nursery is Ofsted checked?, as they would not accept that.

RLH33

This is not right and the pre-school would be heavily criticised for such behaviour in their OFSTED inspection. There should be a member of staff to 'welcome' the child to the setting as they enter and also some form of handover of responsibility from yourself to the setting for the care of the child, which would probably be the same thing. Security of the children should be paramount with a member of staff on the door ensuring that no children 'escape' or are taken out without their knowledge.

shayward

My wife used to work in a nursery and agrees that this does not sound right. They always had some-one on door duty to greet the parents and kids as they arrived and keep an eye on who was coming and going.

claireac

I wouldn't be at all happy with that either!!

Dd 3 is at playschool, and they have to pick up their name label and put it in the post box when they go in. All the staff are grouped around the door seeing if they want to play, show them something, get some breakfast (they provide toast & crumpets) or to help if a little one is upset about their parent going.

Have you checked their Ofsted? For the outcome and to see when it was done.

Caroline73_2

At my son's nursery (open at 8:15) they write the time the child arrives on the register sheet, and then they have a 'good morning register' at 9am which I think is just preparation for school really.

onlyroz

No that doesn't seem right for a nursery. My daughter is always handed over to a member of staff when I arrive. It's a different matter for schools, where you can just push the child through the door after a quick bye-bye, but I think a nursery-age child should be properly welcomed and accounted for because they *could* just wander off and get lost without anyone noticing.