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2 years at same pre-school advice

10 replies

lozwp · 08/02/2013 11:17

Hi there, my little girl will spend 2 years at pre-school as her birthday is in October and I have some concerns about this. Has anyone else been in the same position - or does anyone work in a pre-school and is able to comment?

She is half-way through her first year and we always said we would move her onto a different setting for the 2nd year as we thought the same setting for another year wouldn't be stimulating enough. However, now it is coming to deciding about what to do, we are getting anxious about making the right decision by her.

My reasons for keeping her there: The pre-school she is at is good, although there are as normal I'm sure, things that bug us a bit about it; She has settled really well and loves going; Half of her friends are summer babies so will go to school this September, but the rest will stay at the same pre-school as they are a good few months younger; and the staff seem nice enough.

So it has a lot going for it, but I'm just concerned that she will end up doing the same things twice. We were thinking a different environment would keep things interesting for her, but then again, the current pre-school know what she has done and perhaps will be able to better differentiate things next year??? I feel less confident about the latter as I have spoken to a couple of parents who sent their children there for 2 years and they got bored and frustrated.

I know I should speak to the pre-school about it, and I will, but it would be good to hear other people's experiences of this problem - or who works in a pre-school and can comment on how things should be different next year.

Many thanks, two confused parents!

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CheeseStrawWars · 08/02/2013 13:11

For my kids, change is unsettling more than stimulating. My daughter will have been at preschool for two years when she goes up to 'big school', and the way she plays has changed as she's got older. So she's not got bored. Example, when she was two she'd build towers and knock them down, now she builds houses and villages and has complex stories involving characters doing stuff. As long as she's happy and attached to the keyworker at the setting, and settled with her friends, I personally wouldn't shift her.

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Ineedmorepatience · 09/02/2013 18:13

The preschool i work in keeps some of the children for 2 years and we love it, we get to watch the children grow and gain in confidence. We offer them different experiences and they do things like giving out fruit and choosing activities, all things to make them feel more grown up and to encourage their independence.

I left my Dd3 in the same preschool for 2 yrs and it was definitely a good thing for her.

You have to go with your gut instinct though, maybe you should go and look at some other preschools in case you find an amazing one

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lozwp · 15/02/2013 15:18

Thank you both very much for your thoughts! It's good to hear some positives. I think we will look at some others, but also speak to DD keyworker to see what they say about how they deal with such situations and take it from there.

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piprabbit · 15/02/2013 15:22

Children can find it a really big boost to their self-esteem being the 'big one' who knows how things work and who can help and support other children.
They may be repeating similar activities - but they will get a whole different set of learning experiences from them if they are 12 months older than the previous time they tried the activity.

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insancerre · 16/02/2013 11:04

I don't see any point moving her. Reception classes follow the same curriculum anyway, the EYFS.

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needtogetoffsofa · 16/02/2013 11:51

i work in a pre-school and we differentiate the activities to meet the age/stage of the children. The older children do a variety of activities that the little ones do not; PE in the hall, using the computer suite, attend sessions in reception class, do formal registration sessions etc. None of our children get bored!!

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OrganixAddict · 16/02/2013 12:01

My dd spent 2 years in the pre school room at her nursery (having been there from 6 months old). She loved being the oldest, got to try loads of extra things and managed (with no direct 'teaching') to learn to read fluently by about Easter of her second year. Obviously all settings are different, but if your dd is happy there and you are happy with it, i think she will get plenty out of it. Plus a move this year will mean change 2 years in a row for her to deal with, depends on child but for mine a year consolidating & gaining confidence felt right, rather than trying to move her on.

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SandStorm · 16/02/2013 12:06

The pre-school will have plenty of experience of having children for two years and will be more than geared up to cater for their needs. I don't think this is a problem at all. The last thing they will want (if they're any good) is a group of bored children.

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Wishihadabs · 16/02/2013 12:14

Agree with what others have said. Dd was at the school's nursery for 8 terms in total. She went to school knowing g all her letters and numbers up to 20. She absolutely loved it, in her final term would ask to go even if I had the day off .

We had the same think with some going into 'reception a year earlier, however our school has lots of links across the early years , so she still saw her friends. Now in year 1 she is about halfway through the year 2 curriculum.