Spot Hidden Fees: Nursery Open Day Questions UK Parents Need

The nursery open day questions that matter most cover four areas: who your child’s key person will be, how safeguarding works day to day, what a typical routine looks like, and what everything actually costs in writing. Ask these first, then use the answers to judge tone and confidence, not just content. Everything below groups the detail by theme so you can walk in with a plan and walk out with a real comparison.

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TL;DR:

• Asking about staff-to-child ratios and key person continuity helps determine how well your child’s needs will be met on a typical day.
• Confirming the daily routine details, including snack times, nap management, and activity balance, provides insight into the child’s actual experience.
• Verifying safeguarding procedures, collection policies, and medication administration ensures safety measures are clear and confidently implemented.
• Reviewing written fee schedules and understanding funded hour policies prevent disputes and clarify long-term costs and session options.
• Comparing Ofsted reports and staff stability across nurseries helps identify stable settings that align with your child’s needs and your practical requirements.

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Table of Contents

• Nursery open day questions to ask, grouped by theme
• What to look for during the tour
• Questions about costs, funding and session patterns
• Comparing open days and making the decision
• How Sunflower Nursery approaches open days
• Book a tour or trial session with Sunflower Nursery
• Sources
• FAQ

Nursery open day questions to ask, grouped by theme

A nursery visit tends to move fast. Staff greet you, show you a room or two, and hope the atmosphere speaks for itself. It often does, but atmosphere alone won’t tell you whether ratios hold up on a Friday afternoon or whether the fee sheet has hidden extras. Work through these six themes and you’ll leave with answers you can actually compare.

1. Staff and leadership. Ask who will be your child’s key person, how long the room leader has worked there, and what the staff-to-child ratio looks like on a normal day rather than an open day. Continuity matters more than most parents expect: a key person who knows your child’s routines and comfort habits changes how quickly a child settles. Ask directly what happens if that key person is off sick or on leave, since staff turnover and continuity are two of the strongest predictors of a smooth settling-in period.

2. Daily routine and learning. Ask for a typical day broken down by age group, not a generic brochure timetable. You want specifics: when snack happens, how nap times are managed for younger children, and how much of the day is free play versus adult-led activity. Ask how the setting delivers the EYFS curriculum in practice, because “we follow the EYFS” is a policy statement, not evidence of what your child will spend Tuesday afternoon doing.

3. Health, safety and safeguarding. Ask who the designated safeguarding lead is and whether they’re on site during your child’s usual hours. Ask what the collection procedure looks like, including passwords for unfamiliar pick-ups, and how medication is logged and administered. A confident, specific answer here beats a vague reassurance every time, and it’s worth pushing gently if the first answer feels rehearsed.

4. Food and dietary needs. Ask to see the current week’s menu rather than a laminated sample, and ask who actually prepares the food. Then ask how allergies are managed in practice: is there a separate preparation area, how is cross-contamination avoided, and how are allergy details communicated to every staff member who might supervise your child, not just the key person.

5. Settling-in and communication. Ask whether the setting offers stay-and-play sessions before enrolment and how many settling visits are included before a full day begins. Ask how progress is shared, whether that’s a digital journal, a physical diary, or verbal handover at pickup, and how often you’ll get a proper update beyond nappy counts and nap times.

6. Practical logistics and fees. Ask for a written fee breakdown covering session prices, notice periods, and what happens with funded hours. Confirm whether 15 or 30 funded hours run term-time only or stretch across the year, and whether taking funded hours affects your place on a waiting list.

What to look for during the tour

What staff say and what you observe should line up. If they don’t, trust what you see.

• Watch how staff respond when a child cries, asks for help, or wants attention mid-conversation with you. A rushed or irritated response tells you more than any brochure.
• Listen for staff using children’s actual names rather than generic terms like “sweetheart” for everyone in the room; it’s a small but telling sign of genuine familiarity.
• Check that resources are age-appropriate, surfaces are clean without smelling of fresh bleach everywhere (a sign of last-minute scrubbing), and outdoor space is genuinely accessible, not locked or unused.
• Look for safeguarding signals in the environment itself: a locked or monitored entrance, a visible medication log, and a clearly displayed collection policy near reception.
• Notice the pace of lunch or snack time. Calm and social is good; chaotic with staff visibly stretched is a pattern worth asking about directly.

Pro Tip: If you can, arrange a return visit during a stay-and-play session rather than relying only on the formal open day tour. Open days are performances. A stay-and-play session shows you the setting on an ordinary Tuesday.

Questions about costs, funding and session patterns

Fees are where good intentions on both sides go wrong, mostly because nobody wrote anything down.

1. Ask for the full written schedule. Request session prices, what’s included (meals, nappies, trips), any deposit required, and the notice period for leaving. A written fee schedule prevents the kind of dispute that surfaces three months in, when you’re told an outing “wasn’t covered.”

2. Ask how funded hours actually work. Confirm whether the 15 or 30 hours run term-time only, how top-up fees are billed alongside funded hours, and whether using funded hours limits which sessions you can book.

3. Ask about payment methods and refunds. Check whether the setting accepts Tax-Free Childcare, childcare vouchers, or only standing order, and what the policy is for a missed session due to illness.

4. Ask what counts as an extra. Uniform, outings, consumables like nappies or wipes, and late collection charges should all be listed separately, not buried in a headline session price.

Comparing open days and making the decision

Use the same set of questions at every setting and write down the answers word for word, not your impression of them; this approach helps avoid the common pitfalls noted in Your tuition centre’s website is losing the parents you want most. Impressions fade after the third visit; verbatim notes don’t.

• Rank safeguarding, staff continuity, and a clear written fee schedule as non-negotiables before you even weigh up softer factors like hours or how nice the entrance hall looks.
• Pull up the latest Ofsted report for each nursery and read the detail rather than the headline grade; a recent, specific “good” with strong safeguarding notes often tells you more than an “outstanding” from several years ago.
• Compare your notes on staff turnover and key person continuity across settings, since this is one of the clearest indicators of day-to-day stability.
• Weigh practical fit (hours, cost, proximity and routine) against how your child actually responded during any stay-and-play visit. A setting that ticks every policy box but leaves your toddler clinging to your leg the whole time deserves a second look, not automatic rejection, but not automatic dismissal either.

How Sunflower Nursery approaches open days

Open days at this nursery typically include a guided tour, a conversation with your child’s likely key person, and where timing allows, a stay-and-play session so you can watch real interactions rather than take our word for them. Parents are shown current menus, given clear session information, and can ask about the EYFS approach directly with room staff. The nursery operates across multiple sites in the local area, and every setting works within the same local authority compliance framework and parent communication standards.

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Book a tour or trial session with Sunflower Nursery

Reading this checklist is useful, but nothing replaces walking through the door and asking these questions yourself. The nursery runs open days across its local area settings where you can meet your child’s likely key person, see a real daily routine in action, and ask about EYFS delivery, meals, and settling-in plans directly.

You can review our childcare offering and see how sessions, dietary support, and settling-in work in practice, or check the fees, registration, and collection policy details before you visit, including the one-off registration fee and the per-minute late collection charge, both listed in writing so there are no surprises later. If you’re comparing session types, our half day and free session options page covers what’s currently available. Book a tour, ask every question on this checklist, and see for yourself whether the answers match what you observe on the day.

Sources

• Ofsted – About
• Nursery tour questions: 12 to ask in Scotland | EduSCOT
• Choosing a nursery: the 10-point parent checklist | Nursery Advice

FAQ

What questions should I ask a nursery in the UK?

Focus on staff continuity and ratios, safeguarding leads and collection procedures, a typical daily routine, food and allergy handling, and a written fee breakdown. These themes cover what EduSCOT’s practical nursery checklist recommends parents ask during a visit.

What happens at a nursery open day?

Most open days include a guided tour of the rooms and outdoor space, a chance to meet staff including the likely key person, and sometimes a stay-and-play session where your child can explore while you observe interactions. Booking ahead for stay-and-play sessions is often required, since they tend to run during term time only.

What questions will I be asked at a nursery interview?

Staff usually ask about your child’s routines, comfort habits, any allergies or medical needs, and your working pattern to confirm session times. They may also ask what you’re hoping your child gains from nursery, so it helps to think through your priorities before the visit.

How do I compare nurseries after visiting several?

Use the same question list at each setting, write down answers verbatim, and check the latest Ofsted report for each one rather than relying on a headline grade. Weigh non-negotiables like safeguarding and staff continuity first, then softer factors like hours and your child’s reaction.

Does Sunflower Nursery offer trial or stay-and-play sessions?

Yes, Thesunflowernursery offers settling-in sessions and, where scheduling allows, stay-and-play visits at its Ilford and South Woodford settings. Current session details and fees are available through the Thesunflowernursery site.

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