Confused by preschool. Please help!

[Louisee82]

Hi all,
Just looking for some info & hoping I don't come across thick but I've never done all this before. My son is 3 end of september. He is currently with a childminder a few sessions a week & we do lots of activities too but I would like him to go to preschool as I feel as an only child too he will get used to the school type environment. He Can be quite shy at first when meeting new people/kids for first time so think it'll help socially too. Because of his age when can he start preschool ie will it be January intake? I haven't put his name down for anything yet as we weren't sure if we would have to move due to partners job. Anyway in terms of preschool/nurseries/ when will he actually start school? I'm so confused, no idea why i can't get my head round it. Thanks in advance xx

[AppleMagic]

When you start will depend on the individual preschool but he should receive the 15hrs funding from January.

[user1463996941]

It is always the term after they become 3. My eldest is a September child and was 3 last year and she started in the January term

[PrincessPlod]

Most around by me will take them 2.5yrs but 15 hrs free hrs start from the term after their 3rd birthday

[TeaBelle]

As apple has said, you can choose to start him whenever, obviously in liaison with the pre-school about space. Each provision will have individual policies

[Onsera3]

In my borough the blanket policy is only September intake in the school nurseries. You can very rarely find one with a Jan intake. But I understand that elsewhere this isn't the case.

As your child won't be 3 til September he won't be starting Reception until Sept 2018 and will be one of the oldest in the class.