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What to look for:

This goes further than simply asking about staff turnover. A nursery may have a large team but still have significant staff movement. Ask whether departures have been typical — for example, maternity leave or people moving on in their careers — or whether there has been a pattern of people leaving.

You are trying to understand whether your child is likely to have a stable team around them.

What to look for:

A nursery that regularly relies on agency staff may be experiencing difficulties with recruitment or staff retention. That doesn't automatically mean there is a problem — there can be legitimate reasons for temporary cover — but it's worth asking how often agency staff are used and why.

A good answer should give you a clear picture of the stability of the team. I'd also ask how familiar agency staff are with the children, routines and safeguarding procedures.

What to look for:

This is an uncomfortable question, but safeguarding is one of the most important responsibilities of any early years setting. Don't expect a nursery to disclose confidential information about individuals, but pay attention to how openly and confidently they explain their procedures.

You want to hear that concerns are taken seriously, recorded and acted upon, with clear procedures for reporting and escalating concerns where necessary. A strong safeguarding culture is not one where nobody ever raises a concern; it is one where people feel able to raise concerns and leaders respond appropriately.

What to look for:

This is another good way to understand how stable and consistent the setting really is.

Ask whether children are moved between rooms, whether familiar staff cover absences, whether agency workers are brought in and how the nursery maintains children's routines and relationships.

The answer can tell you a lot about how the setting balances staffing requirements with children's need for consistency.

What to look for:

Lunch and staff breaks can be a challenging point in the nursery day because staff still need to maintain appropriate supervision while colleagues take their breaks. Ask how the nursery plans for this and whether additional staff, managers or other suitable practitioners provide cover.

You're not simply checking whether staff get breaks — they should. You're looking at whether the nursery has enough staffing capacity to manage breaks without putting pressure on the children or leaving the remaining staff stretched. Ofsted's guidance makes clear that staffing arrangements should focus on what it is like to be a child in the setting, not simply whether a headcount technically meets the ratio.

What to look for:

Many nurseries use apps to share photographs, observations and updates with parents, and these can be useful. But ask how much time practitioners actually spend using them while they are supposed to be caring for the children.

Look around the room as well as listening to the answer. Are practitioners engaged with the children, or are they regularly looking at tablets or phones to record observations, take photographs or complete administrative tasks?

There is a balance to be found. Digital devices can support assessment and communication with parents, but current early years guidance says their use should be proportionate and should not involve prolonged breaks from interaction with children. It also emphasises that screens should not replace high-quality educator–child interaction.

There is another consideration too: what are the adults modelling for children? If we want young children to develop healthy relationships with technology, it is worth thinking about the example the adults around them are setting. A nursery that prioritises face-to-face interaction, conversation and play should be able to explain how it keeps digital administration from getting in the way of those things.

What to look for:

Listen for more than simply "we have a key-person system".

Ask how staff learn about children's interests, personalities, development, routines and family circumstances, and how that knowledge influences their day-to-day interactions.

You want to get a sense that children are genuinely known by the adults caring for them rather than simply being one of a group.

What to look for:

Don't just listen for a list of activities. Ask yourself what proportion of the day is spent playing, exploring, talking with adults, being outdoors, eating, resting and moving between routines.

I'd be interested in whether children have time to follow their own interests or whether much of the day is directed by adults.

What to look for:

Listen for an individual approach rather than a rigid settling-in process. How do staff respond when a child is upset? Do they build a relationship with the child and work with the parents, or is the emphasis simply on getting the child to stop crying?

The key-person relationship is particularly important in helping young children develop security and trust.

What to look for:

This can tell you a surprising amount about how a nursery approaches outdoor learning and play.

Ask whether outdoor play continues throughout the year or whether it is mainly dependent on the weather. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing — children can enjoy being outside in cold and wet conditions when they are appropriately dressed and the activity is suitable.

I'd want to hear that outdoor play is a normal part of the day rather than something that happens only when the sun is shining.

What to look for:

The important thing here isn't simply the nursery's policy. Listen to the language they use when describing the child who has bitten.

Biting can be a normal part of some young children's development, particularly when they don't yet have the language or emotional regulation to express themselves in other ways. I'd look for a calm, compassionate response that considers why the behaviour happened, supports both children and looks for ways to reduce the likelihood of it happening again.

Be wary of language that sounds judgemental, punitive or shaming. How adults talk about children when describing challenging behaviour can tell you a lot about the culture of a setting.

What to look for:

This is a useful question because it reveals how a nursery thinks about children's individual needs and mealtimes.

I'd want to hear that children aren't simply expected to eat what is put in front of them or left hungry if they don't. Ask how staff respond when a child doesn't like a meal, is reluctant to eat or has changing preferences.

Look for an approach that is calm and supportive, encourages children to try foods without pressure and makes sure children have appropriate opportunities to eat and drink. Current EYFS nutrition guidance requires providers who provide meals, snacks and drinks to offer healthy, balanced and nutritious food, subject to the framework's requirements and any applicable exceptions.