Pros
Occasional free food, lovely manager when I started working there (we now have a new manager), children were fantastic and well behaved. Parents very friendly. Nice area to work in with a lovely garden. I had good days and bad days, like any job, but there were often more bad or neutral than good. I often felt like I wasn't good enough or that I was just a spare pair of hands. There were a lot of toys and activities for the children to do.
Cons
I had one excellent manager who left recently and although I am relocating, I don't think I would have stayed much longer regardless. Very toxic workplace, staff are constantly insulting every other staff member behind each others back. Not a friendly workplace. Low pay. Some of the building needs a lot of work. No staff toilets or proper staff room. Office for manager is very small and cramped and not suitable. Dirty hallways with dusty surroundings. Children are very well cared for, well fed and key workers are good at what they do. Level 3 staff and higher have a superiority complex rather than being professional to everyone. Unqualified, temp, bank and agency staff, even level 2's are treated very poorly. The people who care about their work are gems, but only to the children and parents and aren't particularly nice to work with (other than my old manager). Would always recommend the nursery to prospective children's families - but never to anyone who wanted to work there. Often felt sad at this workplace and left out, like I was easily somewhat replaceable. When I left no one said goodbye. And yet, when my manager was there she said everyone, particularly herself 'loved me' and was 'very grateful for me' so I have mixed messages all over and mixed feelings about Partou. Some of the training was great and I've learnt a lot during my time here, but it has put me off working in a nursery again.
