Ten questions to ask when you visit a preschool

Choosing a preschool is easier when you visit on an ordinary weekday morning and ask plain questions. Whether you are looking at Little Banyan or anywhere else in Vizag, these are the ten we would ask.

How many children are in a group, and how many adults are with them? For two- and three-year-olds, one adult to eight children or fewer is a comfortable ratio. What does a typical day look like, hour by hour, and how much of it is outdoors? Where do the children play when it rains? How do teachers settle a child who cries at drop-off, and can a parent stay for the first few days?

Who helps with toilets and changing, and are those areas clean and child-sized? Who can pick up a child, and how is that checked? What happens if a child is unwell or hurt during the day, and how are parents told? What do children eat, and is food cooked on site? How do teachers tell parents about their child’s day? And how long have the teachers worked here? A school where staff stay for years is usually a settled one.

Watch as much as you listen. Do the children look busy and relaxed? Do teachers kneel to speak to them at their eye level? Are the walls covered with children’s own messy art, rather than identical printed sheets? Our visiting hours are 10 to 11.30 am on any weekday, and you are welcome to stay for circle time.