When you are looking for great care for your precious child, you want the best, you want somewhere your child would be safe, well catered for and nurtured right. Here are a few things to look out for:
- Licensed and certified: You will need to find out if the school is registered as a business with Corporate affairs. Is the School registered and approved by the government and regularly inspected? This way you are sure the School has at least a minimum requirement to provide Quality service.
- Secured environment: How safe is the School? From the entrance of the building to the classroom, how easy or difficult is it to gain access? Is every visitor asked to sign in before gaining access to the building? Is the building CCTV protected? A School will ensure that the children are well secured and strangers cannot gain access to the building easily.
- Ask for a reference: Ask around for reference. Go online and look for reviews. If the School comes highly recommended then it is likely to be a good fit
- Schedule a tour and meet with the owner: Visit the School to look round. Meet with the owner and see if the School’s vision is similar to the vision you have for your child. Observe and see how the children are engaged with activities and how the teachers relate with the children.
- A low child to staff ratio and well-trained staff: Try and find out how many children are in each room. Speak with the staff in the room to see how qualified they are to look after your child. It is recommended by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework that infants have a ratio of 1 staff : 3 babies, 1 staff: 4 babies in the toddler group, and preschoolers 1 staff: 8 preschoolers.
- Cleanliness: How clean is the environment. Are the classrooms clean, are the toilets clean, are the rooms free from clutter. A quality School will ensure its environment is clean, the toys are cleaned regularly, the environment smells nice as well.
- Curriculum and plan: What is the plan like daily for the children, how are they taught, how does learning occur. A quality program will have a daily schedule planned around the children’s interest, fun, and interesting activities planned and provided for the children.
- Flexibility (Full day sessions or half days): Does the School cater to your needs if you work long hours?
- Feedback: How often does the School communicate with Parents and through what means? A good School will keep Parents informed of what is going on with their children and the School. Communication with Parents should be done daily using technology, like emails.
- Play: Are there opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors? Are there toys, resources for the children to explore. Do the children interact well with one another while playing
- Trial session: Set up a trial to see if they are the best fit for your little one and ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions.
12. Trust your instinct: Most importantly go with the choice of School you are most comfortable with.
When you are deciding on the School for your child, we invite you to schedule a tour around Twinkly Tots. Twinkly Tots is a School of quality, founded by an Early years educator with over 10 years of experience teaching both in Nigeria and Abroad. We provide a well-prepared environment, activities, and resources to develop well-grounded 21st-century children.