The difference in a day nursey and a pre school playgroup?

[Nbg]

Thats the choice I have for dd when she turns 3 in October.

The day nursery doesn't state what ages it caters for but is open all year including school hols and before school.

The pre school is attached to the local infant and primary school but is just open session times, like morning and afternoon.

Not sure which one to go for and I'm a bit confused now. Whats the difference?

[SqueakyCat]

I've used both.
They are designed to serve different purposes:
a day nursery is intended to provide day-care for children while their parents work. Obviously they also offer early-years education, and cover the foundation curriculum (or they wouldn't get the funding).
A preschool (or playschool or various other terms) offering sessions is intended to provide early-years education. Obviously, the fact that you get some 'childcare' out of it enables some parents to work / shop etc.
In my view (and clearly this is a generalisation to which there are many exceptions) they each do best what their primary intention is. So if it is just early educaion you are after, then it is likely to be best provided in the preschool. The preschool may also have an advantage of links with the school, helping your DD settle in there.

The day nursery may be open longer, but the funded sessions will be term time only, so either you'd pay extra to send her through the summer, or she may find it disruptive to stop for school holidays while the other children keep on going. Also, would she be a little out of things going for short sessions while others are there for full days?

I would chose the preschool. However, in your case the preschool may be awful and the day nursery super, so GO AND VISIT THEM.

[Nbg]

Thanks

I've called the local pre school and they've said that if we go asap to fill in an application she can have a place for september.

Tbh I think pre-school will be better rather than a nursery. I'll be at home with a newborn by then anyway so the hours thing isn't a problem, plus it will get her into the swing of things for school which is also the same place.

[katyp]

Like Sueakycat says, they are different things really though I do know the odd person who uses a day nursery instead of a pre-school (they don't work so don't need it for that reason.) Round here a day nursery costs around £50 per day (less the govt funding). A pre-school costs nothing or a couple of quid a day top-up if the session is longer than 2.5 hours. Is your dd likely to go to the local school? If so, it would be good for continuity to send her to the pre-school.

I've not encountered a pre-school attached to a school before (apart from the nurseries they can go to from 3.5). Most pre-schools here are privately run and have better staff/children ratios than school nurseries. You really need to find out a bit more about your local one I think.

[nailpolish]

hi nbg

my 3 and a half yr old dd goes to a nursery/playgroup what ever you wish to call it just now on a funded place (2.5 hrs a day 5 days a week)

there are children from age 1 and up, some go all day some part time.

they are open all year, and i pay for the school holidays. (£5 a 2.5 hr session)

they have been excellent, dd can even write her name , they do great projects etc

after the summer holidays i have decided to take dd to the pre-school (which is attached to the local primary) even though i really like the playgroup. because it is part of the primary school i think itll be good because she will get to know what its like in the playground (although she wont get the full run of the playground) and they teach the children how to line up etc outside the classrooms. and they have a fabulous curriculum. i have told dd she is "starting school" and she is very excited

most of her peers will be going to the pre-school also which i think is very important for her

the only downside is she wont be going during the school holidays, as there isnt an option for that

hth

[Nbg]

Yes it's attached to the local infant and primary which she will go to.

NP, that sounds fab, using the playground and the lining up.


God, I think it's going to break my heart when she finally does go.

[nailpolish]

i well up just thinking about it now

i cant WAIT though, ill be so excited for her

youll be the same, a mixture of emotions, crying with pride and sadness at the same time!

when i think of her 'lining up' - how grown up is that?!

[nailpolish]

your dd is a year younger than mine though

dd1 here is 4 in october

[nailpolish]

backpedalling here - what age does proper school start where you are?

here they go to playgroup for a year (as my dd is now) then pre-school for a year, then start proper primary 1 age 5 (or the year they are 5 approx)

[Nbg]

Well I'm not sure as we're moving there but from talking to her she said she could start pre school in september (she's 3 in Oct) so come Jan 2008 She'll start Infant school.

Aren't they there until 7 or have I got that totally wrong?

[nailpolish]

its different here nbg

from age 5-12 primary school

age 12-16/17/18 high school

[fatbetty]

My ds1 will be 3.5 this autumn when he will start preschool/playgroup. We have applied for two different schools and don't know which one to go for. One is the local school's nursery which runs 2.5 hr a day for 5 days and the other is a playgroup which we choose how many days he goes there (again, for 2.5 hr a day). Which is the better option. He doesn't go to nursery now and I feel like going from nothing to going 5 days a week is a lot, but I do like the idea that the nursery continues into the school. But at the playgroup, he just seemed to fit in right away when we visited.

[GDG]

Ds2 is 4 is November - from September he will go the school nursery (1ish to 3.30ish I think) and he will go to a private pre-school in the mornings (not every day though).
I really like that he will be in the school environment and the nursery class is right next to reception so they join together to do things - they are a full part of the school so when they start reception, the hall, the playground etc is familiar to them. As are the reception teachers.