A preschool tour is a sales meeting. Your job is to convert it into an inspection. Ask these, in roughly this order, and pay attention to how questions are answered, not just what is said.
About the people (ask these first, they matter most)
- "How many children in this class, and how many adults stay in the room for the whole session?" Then count heads yourself during the tour. Look for 1:8 to 1:10 for under-fours.
- "How long have the current teachers been with you?" Teacher tenure is the single best proxy for school quality. Three-plus years is excellent; a fresh face every term is a warning.
- "What qualification and training do teachers have, and what ongoing training happens?"
- "Who owns this centre, and are they here daily?"
About the day
- "Walk me through a normal Tuesday, hour by hour." Specific answers (circle time, free play, snack, story, outdoor slot) mean a real program. Adjective answers ("holistic, activity-based learning!") mean a brochure.
- "How much outdoor or physical play per day, and where?" Go see the space.
- "How do you handle a child who cries, bites, or refuses to participate?" You are listening for patience and method, not punishment.
- "How is toilet training handled, and who takes children to the washroom?"
About safety and communication
- "What is your gate and pickup policy?" ID cards for named adults is the right answer. Watch pickup time if you can.
- "Is there CCTV, can parents view it, and how long is footage kept?"
- "Who on staff is first-aid trained, and what happens when a child is hurt or runs a fever?"
- "How will I know what my child did today?" Daily app updates, a diary, photos, weekly notes, anything systematic beats "just ask at the gate".
About money (ask last, in writing)
- "Give me the all-inclusive annual figure": tuition, admission fee, kit, uniform, transport, annual day. In writing.
- "What was last year's fee hike, and what is the refund and withdrawal policy?"
The two checks no brochure survives
Visit during a working session, not after hours, and watch how teachers speak to children when they think no one is observing. Then talk to two current parents at pickup time. Five unscripted minutes with them outranks the entire tour.