How do I find the right nursery for my child?

Where should I start when looking for a nursery?

There are likely to be several nurseries within a reasonable distance of your home or workplace, so the first step is deciding what matters most to your family.

Location is a useful starting point, particularly if you'll be dropping off and collecting your child around work commitments. However, it's worth looking a little further afield too, especially if a nursery offers something particularly special.

Consider the practical requirements first:

• Location: Is it convenient for home, work or your daily commute?

• Opening hours: Can you drop off and collect your child at suitable times?

• Availability: Does the nursery have spaces for your child's age and preferred days?

• Cost: What are the fees, what's included and can you use funded childcare hours?

• Sessions: Does it offer full days, half days, term-time or year-round care?

• Age range: Can your child start at their current age, and how long can they stay?

Once you've narrowed down the options, you can begin looking more closely at the quality of the nursery, its approach to childcare and what makes it different.

What is the best website for finding nurseries near me?

One of the most useful resources for parents is daynurseries.co.uk, a directory that brings together thousands of nurseries across the UK.

You can search by location, explore nurseries on a map and refine your results according to your family's needs. Filters include the age of your child, session length, opening hours and whether you need term-time or year-round childcare.

You can also compare nursery review scores, read feedback from parents and see information about the setting, including its size and available facilities.

It's an excellent way to discover nurseries you might otherwise have overlooked, particularly if you're new to an area.

The website also has a helpful Nursery Advice section, covering everything from choosing a nursery and understanding childcare funding to preparing your child for their first day.

How important are nursery reviews and ratings?

Reviews from other parents can provide valuable insight into what a nursery is really like.

Rather than looking only at the overall score, take time to read what parents actually say. Do they consistently mention caring staff, good communication, happy children and a welcoming atmosphere? Are parents pleased with their child's development and the experiences they're receiving?

Pay attention to how many reviews a nursery has received and how recent they are. A consistently high rating across a substantial number of reviews can be particularly reassuring.

Google Reviews and daynurseries.co.uk are both useful starting points. Recommendations from friends, family members and other local parents can also help.

It's worth remembering that every child and family is different, so another parent's experience should help inform your decision rather than make it for you.

Should I check a nursery's Ofsted report and awards?

Absolutely. Inspection reports provide an independent assessment of a nursery's provision and can highlight important aspects of its quality, leadership and safeguarding.

In England, you can search for nursery inspection reports through the Ofsted website. Look at the findings, the date of the inspection and any areas identified for improvement.

Awards can also help you identify nurseries that have been recognised for their achievements. For example, daynurseries.co.uk runs annual Top 20 Nursery Awards, recognising highly rated nurseries across different regions of the UK based on parent reviews.

We're particularly grateful that The Mount Nursery was named one of the Top 20 Nurseries in Yorkshire & The Humber in 2026, thanks to the wonderful feedback we've received from our parents.

Recognition like this can offer additional reassurance, but it's still important to visit and decide whether the nursery is right for your own child.

What should I look for when visiting a nursery?

You can learn an enormous amount from a nursery's website, photographs and reviews, but visiting in person is often where the decision really begins to take shape.

Pay attention to the atmosphere when you arrive. Does it feel welcoming? Are the children happy, engaged and enjoying themselves? Do staff seem genuinely interested in the children, speaking to them warmly and responding to their needs?

Look at the environment too. Are there interesting activities, books, creative resources and opportunities for outdoor play? Does the nursery encourage children to explore, ask questions and try new things?

Perhaps most importantly, watch how staff interact with the children. A beautiful building and impressive facilities are wonderful, but it's the people who make a nursery feel special.

Ask about daily routines, meals, naps, settling-in arrangements, staff qualifications and how the nursery keeps parents informed about their child's day.

And give yourself time to explore. A good nursery should be delighted to show you around and answer your questions.

How will I know if my child likes the nursery?

If your child is old enough, watch how they respond to their surroundings. Do they show an interest in the activities? Are they curious about what's happening? Do they seem comfortable interacting with the staff?

For babies and younger children, their responses may be less obvious, but you can still observe how staff approach them, how they respond to unfamiliar faces and whether the environment seems calm and nurturing.

Of course, some children are naturally shy or take time to settle into new surroundings. A child clinging to their parent during a first visit doesn't necessarily mean the nursery is wrong for them.

What's more important is how the staff respond. Do they show patience, understanding and a genuine interest in helping your child feel comfortable?

Should I trust my gut feeling when choosing a nursery?

Yes. After considering the practicalities, reading the reviews and visiting a few nurseries, your own instincts can play an important part.

Sometimes you walk into a nursery and immediately feel comfortable. The staff are welcoming, the children seem happy and you can picture your own child enjoying their time there.

Other times, everything might look wonderful on paper, but something doesn't quite feel right.

Trusting your instincts doesn't mean ignoring the facts. It means considering how you feel alongside the information you've gathered.

You're choosing people who may spend a considerable amount of time caring for your child during some of their most important developmental years. Feeling confident in those people matters enormously.

Should I consider a nursery attached to a school?

If you're already thinking about your child's education beyond nursery, it's worth considering a nursery that's part of a primary or prep school.

One of the biggest advantages is continuity. Children may be able to progress directly into Reception in familiar surroundings, with established friendships and a school community they already know.

At The Mount, many of our nursery children continue into Reception and through our independent prep school. For these families, nursery is the beginning of a much longer journey, with the same commitment to care, confidence and an extraordinary childhood.

You may also be pleasantly surprised by the cost of independent education. Depending on your current nursery fees and childcare funding, prep school fees can sometimes be closer to nursery costs than you might expect.