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AIBU?

To be worried about dd going to nursery

15 replies

callmewhatever · 07/02/2014 22:52

We registered dd (2) with our local nursery. They called my dw today to advise that my dd could start nursery in Jan 2015 - december baby, so will be a month past her 3rd birthday. They said that she will be youngest in group but won't move on in August and will continue through to following August then progress to primary school, where I believe she will be one of oldest in class. AIBU to be worried that she will feel a little intimidated by a group of older children, then be older than children when she stays on? Sorry for long post, seems all so real that she's growing up now that we are discussing it. How do you let your lo go?

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WorraLiberty · 07/02/2014 22:59

YABU a bit

It's understandable to be worried, but I think some parents of August babies panic when they hear the words 'youngest in class'.

They completely forget that there'll also be April/May/June/July babies, so the age gap won't be too vast.

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WorraLiberty · 07/02/2014 23:00

By that I mean there will be loads of kids in between the oldest and youngest.

And staff are experienced at grouping kids together suitably.

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Littlefish · 07/02/2014 23:00

I'm a nursery teacher and we have children who join each term, the term after their 3rd birthday. I'm pretty sure that our younger children don't feel intimidated by the older ones, in fact, the younger ones love playing with "big" children, and the older children love helping the younger ones settle in.

What will happen if you decide not to take the place? Will you be able to get a place for the September, meaning that she will do 3 terms in nursery before starting school?

Have you been to have a look around the nursery? Is it a place where you think your dd would be happy and thrive?

You're right that she will be one of the older children in her year at school (if you are in England).

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callmewhatever · 07/02/2014 23:14

I know I am being a bit unreasonable, dd will probably love it and enjoys playing and mixing with other children.

We are in Scotland, dw accepted the place, its in our village, so perfect and sure it is a really good nursery. Just being an overly worried parent .

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AlbertoFrog · 07/02/2014 23:22

Also in Scotland.

DS got a funded place at nursery the month after his 3rd birthday however we decided to pay for 2 days a week for a few months prior to his start date to let him get used to the situation gradually.

We worried for nothing. DS loved nursery from day 1 and now bolts in without a backward glance. I know I should feel sad when he forgets to kiss me goodbye but he's having so much fun that I'm just pleased he's happy.

Hope your DD loves it too. Good luck.

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LifeIsForTheLiving · 07/02/2014 23:33

AIBU to be worried that she will feel a little intimidated by a group of older children, then be older than children when she stays on?

But won't ALL the children in her class be staying on?

This is how it is in dc's school. They both joined nursery (a pm class) when they were 3 (Jan for dc1 and April for dc2). Then you continue that class until July.

In the September after, they begun their full year of nursery...but the class was exactly the same, because all the children in the 'younger' nursery class who were 3 moved up together.

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Littlefish · 07/02/2014 23:38

I have children from two different school years in my nursery.

The children who started Nursery in September 2013 do 3 terms in Nursery and then go to school in September 2014.

But:

The children who started Nursery in January 2014 do 5 terms in Nursery and then go to school in September 2015

The children who start school in April 2014 do 4 terms in Nursery and then go to school in September 2015

All these children would be in the same nursery group, but the children who started in September would go up to school a whole year before those who start in January or April.

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callmewhatever · 07/02/2014 23:41

Maybe I am just being a div then . The way I understood it was that she would join in Jan then in August the class moves on to primary 1 whilst dd stays on on nursery with a new class then moves on to primary the following August.

Maybe better clarify with dw .

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LifeIsForTheLiving · 07/02/2014 23:44

I suppose if it's a mixed nursery class like the pp mentioned (spanning two year groups), some children will be leaving the nursery to move up before your dc.

Don't forget though, your dc is highly unlikely to be the only one in her yeargroup in that nursery class - so some children will be leaving, but plenty more will be staying and she will be with some of the same children all the way through school, they'll all move up to P1 together.

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SpagBolgs · 07/02/2014 23:51

It will be fine for the first few days she may be upset but then she will enjoy it.

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CrohnicallyTingling · 08/02/2014 08:26

Our nursery (where i work) works a bit like this, we have children joining through the year just after their 3rd birthdays. Then in September around half the children (those that are now 4) move up to school and the younger half stay for another year.

There will be other children joining at the same time as your daughter, they will be joined at Easter by slightly younger children, and they will stay on together at nursery for the next year.

The staff will have experience of this and will be skilled at making sure the younger (or smaller) children aren't intimidated by the older or bigger children. And your daughter will enjoy being one of the oldest in her second year at nursery, she will be able to do little jobs for the teachers and help the younger ones settle in.

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17leftfeet · 08/02/2014 08:36

Dd1 started nursery 3 days after she turned 3

We went for a visit a week before her 3rd birthday and the only time she got upset was when I said it was time to leave

Some of her friends left to go to school in September and she was a bit upset but soon made new friends as 3/4 year olds do

I was really grateful for almost a full year extra of nursery especially as we had the option of mornings/afternoons or 2.5 days per week -saved me a fortune!

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Lucylouby · 08/02/2014 09:47

Your dd will be the youngest until Easter, when more children join, but I would think there would be other children born in December and others born in November, October and September, so although she is the youngest, she will only be the youngest by days/weeks. When she starts school, she will be in the oldest third of the class, which I think is a good position to be in.

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Lucylouby · 08/02/2014 09:49

Another thing, your daughter is actually luckier than a summer born as she gets more preschool funding. An August born child only gets three terms funded, a December birthday means you get 5 terms funded. All the parents pay the same amount into the system, but get differing amounts back out of it. So you get the better end of the deal.