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Education

scottish pre-school system

21 replies

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:05

do the children go to pre-school during the school holidays?

its just that my 3yr old dd goes to a private playgroup just now, and she could carry on there until she is 5 (and therefore starting primary) or she could go to the pre-school at the primary.

the private playgroup just now is through funded places, and the have told me she is guaranteed 4 funded places next year.

the children there attend all through the school holidays, although as its the school holidays you have to pay

i cant decide what to do!

i have noticed that most children DO go to the pre-school at the primary, and i would rather she mixed with her peers, in preparation for primary

but i wont know if she has a place at the pre-school til april, and the playgroup need to know by the end of the month!

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scotlou · 10/02/2006 14:15

pre-school at a Scottish primary is term time only - and usually it is only 5 2.5 hour sessions per week. My dd attend a private day nursery (she's 3.5) and is entitled to a funded place - but you only get the funding during school term time.

tassis · 10/02/2006 14:16

The preschool nursery at the primary school will prbably just be for 2.5 hours a day in school term time. If you use a private nursery, the voucher will entitle you to 2.5 hours a day off what you'd otherwise pay. But only in term time.

Apparetnly some private nurseries work out what the discount would be for the year and subtract that from what you'd otherwise pay per year and then divide it by 12 for your monthly bill. Rather than charge you differently in school holdiays.

Does that make any sense? Not sure it answers your question.

Ds is 3 in April and I'm waiting to see if he's got into the nursery attached to school. Really hope so, if not will have to find a playgroup...

katiemum · 10/02/2006 14:20

The local pre-school to us in Edinburgh has no holiday cover but I have come across one or two that do.
My DD, 3, goes to a private nursery most of the week but also to a playgroup (not preschool as not funded) that is "attached" to the primary school she will go to in Edinburgh. We felt it would be good if she mixed with some of her future school class as well - not all those at the playgroup will go to the primary school but quite a few. The playgroup officially runs in line with school terms but often also opens for half terms and some of the holidays - eg one week of Easter it is open the other it is not, and is open next week over school half term. DD couldn't go if it wasn't open this much as I work ft. There is a preschool she could attend, and had a place at but I have deferred it, but it has no holiday/half term cover at all.
Not sure if any of this helps though with your dilemma.

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:21

yes

just now she goes to the private nursery 2.5hrs a day 5 days a week, all funded, but its open during the holidays so we pay for the holidays
(all 3 yr olds round here get funding, dd1 is 3)
she has been offered a place for next year at the nursery, but i keep thinking the pre-school which is located within the primary will be better because her peers will be there, she will get to know the school etc etc, but if she goes there she will not have it during the holidays!

im just trying to decide which is best

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nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:23

im a sahm so i dont need her to go for any reason, just cos she likes it!

and how do you fill the gaping school holidays?

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katiemum · 10/02/2006 14:24

Could you mix and match so she does 2/3 days at the primary school one and the other 2/3 days at the private one so she still has some holiday sessions, albeit you pay extra for them? DD really enjoys doing both.

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:26

no, i cant do that as the nursery will have given that place to another child

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nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:26

but i will ask, i never thought of that, thanks

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Fimbo · 10/02/2006 14:26

NP I know I live in England, but in dd's case there wasn't a place for her at the school nursery because it was over subscribed and we have just moved down here, I was forced to leave her at a private playgroup where she was the only girl of her age (the rest were boys) and she was bored stiff, whereas if she had got into the school nursery she would have had plenty of choice of who to play with! The school nursery also seemed to "bring them on" more so than the private one. I would choose a school nursery imo. But that is only my opinion and others may have different experiences.

katiemum · 10/02/2006 14:29

Nailpolish - are there two sessions at either the preschool or nursery - ie am and pm? She could do am in one and pm at the other and thus only one in the holidays?

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:29

THANK YOU fimbo

thats what i needed to hear

i can imagine all the friends she has made moving to the school, and dd1 getting left behind, with a bunch of 3 yr olds when she is 4

ok ive decided now to wait and see if she gets into the school (but i wont know that til april and the nursery need to know by the end of the month!) so fingers crossed she gets a place at the school

phew i never realised what a battle this was!

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nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:30

katie mum, i couldnt afford to pay extra for the sessions at the nursery, its really just one or the other im afraid

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nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:31

i think my main worry is what to do in the holidays, but ill cross that bridge when i come to it!

what DO you do in the holidays btw??

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tassis · 10/02/2006 14:35

Hadn't realised you were a SAHM nailpolish and I assumed you needed the private nurseries for the holidays/longer hours.

obviously it's your decision, but if I were you'd I'd visit the school one and see if it seems decent. You can request online that you're sent the care commission reports (if you can't access them online). school nurseries do do a fair bit to ease the transition into school and as you say it's largely the same peer group, which would be a good reason to switch. That she's settled and happy is a good reason to stay put!! i wouldn't worry about the holidays - i'm sure you could fix up play dates etc, the council might run events and you could put the money you'd othewise be spending on nursery towards great day trips...

Fimbo · 10/02/2006 14:35

My toddler group stays open in the holidays so we usually go there, dd is the only 7 year old but she enjoys running round playing with her brother and the other littlies. We go to friend's houses on the other days. I always make dh have a couple of days off during holidays (aside from 2 weeks in the summer). And on the jealousy front you do live right next to the beach!

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:46

thanks everyone for helping me decide

the school holidays just seem so looooooooooong, but there are plenty of things to do, i agree, most of it weather-dependant though

AND i will save a bit of cash

thanks again!

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tassis · 10/02/2006 14:48

You'll have to start another thread nearer a holdaiy of lovely holdiay activities and good day trips in Scotland!

The schools here are off for 8 weeks this summer which does sound like an eternity...

gscrym · 10/02/2006 14:53

You might find that there are other kids at playschool who'll go to the same school.

nailpolish · 10/02/2006 14:57

i hope so gscrym, shes made very good friends at her playgroup

8 WEEKS???? OMG! i think its only 6 here because we have 'tattie holidays' in october lol

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hannahsaunt · 10/02/2006 21:08

Nailpolish - presumably the other children in playgroup will go to school somewhere too so she may well still be with children with whom she will be come primary school. Visiting always helps because you can see for yourself and have the opportunity to ask all your questions.

SalJxx · 11/02/2006 22:19

My DS1 went to a private nursery from around his second birthday until it was time to start school. No-one from his nursery went to the same school as him and there was only one girl he knew in his class and he settled in no problem. In fact on the first day of school the only tears were from me.
Also from what I've heard of our local nursery DS1 has a much better pre school education at his nursery than the other kids in his class.

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