Nursery AND pre-school?

[bryony77]

DD is 2.6 and has been at a brilliant nursery since she was just 1; I work part-time, 3 days a week and she goes to nursery for these full days (8 - 5.30). I am expecting DC2 and so am planning on her going for an extra morning (8-1) once a week so that I have a bit of time on my own to rest and catch up on other things.

There is a good pre-school in our village which DD could attend from the Autumn; it won't suit us for the full time as they only do 'short' mornings, but is it worth her going here just for the extra half day?

She's not great in unfamiliar surroundings, so I don't want her to be unsettled by going somewhere for just a few hours a week but other friends have said it's good for them to get used to different environments/ teaching styles and will also be an opportunity to meet more of the kids she'll be going to primary school with.

Any experience of doing this or advice on what's the best option?

thanks

[tulip27]

I used pre school and nursery with my dd and ds. They went to pre school 2 mornings a wk 9 til 1130 and then nursery 1 full day and one half day. Unfortunatly it worked ok for my dd but my ds became really unsettled so after 5 months when pre school changed to full days I left nursery. He found it all too much and began hating nurserey. He was always quieter than his younger sister but I do feel that he now has issues surrounding being left which he previously didn't have. In my personal opinion based on our experience I would say stick to one setting only if you can.
Hope it works out ok.

[purepurple]

I would wonder if it was worth the hassle settling her into another setting for just half a day.
She will probably find it hard to settle in when doing just the morning, and as you are due to have another DC, she might find it doubly difficult.
If you are happy with the nursery, then it might be best to stick to what she knows and is comfortable with.
Don't rock the boat!
FWIW, the pre-school will be following the same framework as the nursery, the EYFS, so she wouldn't be learning anything different at the pre-school.
My DC started at school not knowing anybody, as we had just moved. It didn't affect her in the least.