The opening of Purple Panda Nursery in Norbury, Croydon North, will be taking place soon. It will have a baby unit, day nursery and preschool caring for children aged 0- 5 years old. The nursery is located on Norbury Crescent where there are also two other nurseries, so competition is inevitable as parents will have more choices of where to enrol their children. However, there will be advantages for the nursery regarding location; for example, it is on the main road so it will be noticed by passers-by.
It will open from 07:30 till 19:30, perfect for parents who need to get to work early or finish work late. On the nursery’s website it states that the staff will take the children out for different activities, for example, trips to the library and trips to gardens. The nursery has a playground and garden, so the children can play outside. The nursery will also provide the children with meals, such as pasta bake, and snacks, for example, fruit and crackers.
I asked J. Albert, a mother of three, what she looked for when visiting nurseries. She said, “Well, I wanted my children to be in a safe environment, just like other mothers, I looked for friendly staff, the way in which the staff interacted with the children. I looked at the staff to child ratio, often; I also had a look at the opportunities the nurseries provided for children to take part in stimulating activities”.
It could be argued that there are enough nurseries and preschools in Croydon North, and that there will be no difference between this nursery and the rest. Well, there is really only one way to find out, we have to wait and see.
