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Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum.

Nurseries

please let me bore you with my nursery dilemma - 'daycare' vs 'academic' nursery

14 replies

geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 12:22

because dh won't talk about it anymore

ds is nearly 3 so has another 2 years of nursery left. Since he was a baby he has been going to our local, lovely little nursery that my two older ones also went to. the nursery was, until August, based within a converted farmhouse belonging to the owners set in vast amounts of land, with a stream etc, the children had tractor rides and so on.
Unfortunately the owners have sold their house and the nursery has moved to a village 15 min away. It only has a smallish tarmaced play area now and is on a main road. Parking is a nightmare. They've also upped their prices considerably - by 20% all of a sudden.I was when I saw the bill as I'd not received the letter about it.
The care at the nursery is generally good, ds is happy there.

Now - I've looked my options, and am considering the nursery at a local prep school - set in fab grounds, it also has it's own indoor swimming pool and the children have weekly swimming there, it's closer to home and works out cheaper overall. It's very academic though - they have a drama group, even for the 2 yr olds (WTF?), on the upside at least the nursery teachers are all genuine teachers and well-qualified, not just 16 yr old school leavers like at the current one.
They only take potty-trained children, which is a bit of a problem at the moment....
Also, they're not flexible at all (I presume, didn't dare to ask!) - at ds's current nursery they're always happy to swap days around and don't mind if i'm running late.

I don't know what to do. I've got to know the owners/managers of ds's current nursery so well, I feel dreadful at the thought of taking him out of there. (Mad, I know)
I'm also uncertain about the academic focus at the other place. But the children all seemed very happy and interested in what they were doing....

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geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 12:23

its, not 'it's'

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Marina · 15/09/2006 12:31

Are you sure about the academic focus geekgrrl? I only ask because we had a similar issue (stick with current nursery, which had recently changed emphasis - not premises) or go for the rather formal-seeming environment of the nursery school attached to ds's private primary.
We switched her to the school nursery in the end. Dd does "do" PE and music once a week but it is already clear this is just rolling around the floor and having slightly different fun in a different part of the school.
Am guessing ds is your first so you don't have the child-already-at-the-school convenience factor.
Have you any firm view about whether you want ds to progress from the nursery to the school proper?
Does entrance to the school itself depend on an "academic" assessment? I only ask this because tbh we didn't want that kind of approach for the dc's so our chosen school is not selective in this way and therefore really not "academic excellence by hook or by crook" oriented.
HTH. Even though we were overall concerned about supervision levels at dd's old nursery, the staff there were very kind to us and her, and it was a sad day when we took her out. But we parted very amiably and she has an open invite to go back.

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geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 12:39

hiya Marina, ds is my third, my older two are at a different school but the hours fit in well. He would go to state school afterwards, not stay at the prep school.

I know what you mean re. the academic focus. to be honest, I think you're right, and I do have misgivings about the quality of actual 'teaching' at his current nursery - I mean, some of these girls are only 16 and have barely scraped through their GCSEs... The manager told me last month that they find it hard to recruit good-quality staff.

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sorrell · 15/09/2006 12:42

I found when my dd went from private nursery to school nursery the quality of the interaction was such a huge improvement I was really stunned. Just a million times better. More planning, more thinking about what would really interest the children etc. Not 'academic' in the least in the sense of pushing children, just giving them really interesting things to do while playing.

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edam · 15/09/2006 12:46

I wouldn't worry too much about academic stuff for a 3yo. Anyway, all daycare nurseries have to follow the Ofsted 'curriculum' (I remember Birth to 3 matters, can't remember what comes next).

Really bad that they've upped their bills so much without informing you. And new location is clearly not as good. I'd be happy to move ds in those circs, tbh - yes, it's a big deal moving but only in the short-term, I'd bet your ds would settle down fast.

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geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 12:49

thanks, this is my gut instinct too really. I'm just a complete wimp and dread telling them that he's leaving, after having had children there for 6 years.
Just got to get him potty-trained now. The prep school nursery would like him to start after half-term if poss. Finding this potty training business a real challenge (my other two are girls and were much better at it, even the one with SN).

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lemonaid · 15/09/2006 12:50

I would move him. I know you feel dreadful about 'betraying' the current owners, but they are the ones who moved their nursery to a less suitable site and put up their prices. If they hadn't done those things then the thought of moving your DS would never even have crossed your mind.

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fairyjay · 15/09/2006 12:53

My two both went to the nursery attached to a local prep. school. Ds started at 2 yr. 10 mths. and dd at 2 yr. 4 mths.

We found that they had the facilities of the school which were really beneficial (swimming, sports ground etc.), whilst in a nursery environment. It also made the transition into 'proper' school much more straightforward.

Have a word with them about the flexibility you need - at the end of the day, the school is still a business, and needs customers.

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Marina · 15/09/2006 12:54

Tbh educational background of the lovely nursery nurses at old nursery was a factor. They were too overworked to give story-time the focus it needed for starters, and overwork again meant that when we got the diary they are supposed to keep charting early years milestones, it was not up to date or accurate.
Kindness goes a long way of course, and they were champion cuddlers. But as Sorrell says, judging by how dd talks of her new days now, she was getting bored in her old setting. We don't want her being taught to read or anything daft like that at this age, but her days are patently better paced and structured.
Even if a transfer is not on the cards to the school proper, I'd give it a serious look.

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batters · 15/09/2006 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 13:20

well... I don't really need the flexibility, no. It was just one of those nice things IYKWIM.
I can live without really. And this other place will be opening a daycare nursery after christmas, which I suppose would provide the flexibility should I need it.

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LunarSea · 15/09/2006 14:08

ds's nursery had weekly sessions with a dance/drama teacher - just meant they got to dress up and learned actions to a few songs, plus a small show twice a year. Not academic at all really.

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nurseryvoice · 15/09/2006 15:30

i am a bit concerned about 16 year olds at the nursery??? did you know staff who are under 17 cannot be included in the adult child ratios????
this is ofsted rules.
or were all the 16 year olds extra to requirements?

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geekgrrl · 15/09/2006 15:48

nurseryvoice, sorry, that was a flippant remark rather than a factual statement. I don't know how old the girls who work there are, but several are teenagers.