I'm not sure whether to send my dd to preschool or not. She is 3.5 and will start reception next september. My eldest was august born and really benefited from preschool but my youngest is totally different. I am self employed and it will cost beyond the 15 free hours when I could put this money towards other important things. Is pre school worth the cost? The preschool has limited space and only has a september intake. It is attached to a school we are considering for her to attend and all the other preschools which are state run are either full or didn't impress, but then I wasn't really happy with the assumption of this one that she was some kind of academic blank slate either, though I assume that is generally the approach everywhere i.e "wow you can count to 5..." when they didn't ask her to count any higher so how could she express her knowledge outside of their expectations for her? In which case how can they tailor their education to her if they never really test what she is capable of? Frankly I think they should care what she is able to do now as if a child WANTS to learn then let it learn! Especially if they want her in there for 3 full days! Some children really do mature sooner and get bored of playing with playdoh all day...especially autumn born girls. This preschool requires a minimum of 3 full days which seems a lot of fun mummy and child 1 on 1 time to miss out on, especially if pre school isn't actually more than just childcare I don't really need and I still need to stretch her at home but in less time. I'm not sure the benefits are huge and worry preschool might even be detrimental in her case. I feel fortunate that I have been able to configure my life around the children rather than working out of the house 5 days a week and want to make the most of that too.
She had a stay and play, she enjoyed it, but she said she would rather stay at home, I'm sure she would be happy enough either way though. She has classes she attends and forest school etc now but I would probably like to broaden her circle of friends. I would also like some time to myself to focus on work just not 3 full days, that only leaves two inflexible days together!
I'm am worried about her making friends as she usually only seeks out older children to play with but she will be one of the oldest. I worry that developmentally and interpersonally she might backslide out of boredom and from conformism and discouragement at preschool as it is less academically focused and differentiated than reception with no mingling of the two classes. I'm worried she will not be stimulated and might end up amongst peers that are (mostly) not yet at her developmental level, although hopefully there will be one or two in the class that are also ahead?
Dd has taught herself by see and do to write phonetically, she sounds put the words and then writes down the letters she hears, but some words she knows from sight and spells correctly (and forms letters and numbers to 100 mostly correctly from watching her older siblings), has known the alphabet for over a year, including capitals, and their phonetic associations (though she does sometimes get b and d confused lol). She can write her name (and sound it out verbally), knows colours, shapes, the days of the week, she can tell the hours on the clock, she can count to 100, could count 20 sheep randomly placed in a field. She can do simple addition and subtraction in her head. She creates models that clearly represent the objects and concepts she claims and draws 3d scenes and things that a detailed and recognisable i.e tractors, people, etc. She is, in a completley unjudgemental 3 year old way, aware that quite a few others her age can't do this yet which could lead to self consciousness or deliberately trying to fit in at preschool, when she should have a skies the limit approach to learning, not a herd mentality.
She asked me if she needed to pack a pencil case for school...she seems to think she is going to be actually learning like her older siblings. Frankly she would be ready for reception this year as she looks, talks and acts like an older child. I'm not rushing that of course as I value the flexibility of not being in a rigid school environment, although in scotland where I grew up it was normal to go up or down a year and take highers and go to university a year early and not considered detrimental or strange like it is in england. As for soft skills she is already well mannered and has great concentration etc, I can take her anywhere and know she'll (mostly) be well behaved. She communicates very well, is very articulate for her age etc, her motor skills are excellent both fine and gross, she can climb like a monkey, so the soft skills are already there. She has siblings so learns a lot from interacting with them, especially conflict resolution!
At home we can have days out when we want and go outside in all weathers (do they generally get enough vitamin d in the summer at preschool, they aren't always inside or smothered in sun cream at all times so they don't get their 20 minutes a day?) and play what she wants and learn academically at her individual level without having to conform to the class average or eyfs expectations. I'm not a conformist myself, I found school a bit boring and stiffling and consequently I now hugely value individuality and creativity alongside classical academic rigour and achievement, and may yet decide on flexi schooling from reception, I don't want her wedged into a mould starting at age 3.5 as I did see some of that with my older children and chose a free school for them.
As it is optional and is a record that goes with her both mentally and on paper, I'm not keen on hearing in her nursery reports that 'she can count to 10' or her saying 'I can't do x because I'm too little', this is the start of low aspirations education imo, even would be standard stuff for my other children at that age. I'd be tempted to pull her out and still have to pay a terms fees! It is such an expensive gamble.
There are no other preschools near that tick all the boxes of quality provision and two days a week so either we move (drastic and a bit late for that!) send her, or keep her home until she attends reception which means she misses out completley on the one thing preschool can give her which is greater independance from me a couple of days a week. I do regret not moving sooner somewhere with more suitable school and preschool choice. This preschool does guarantee us a place in this particular school. Stay or go or move?
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Preschool education
Able 3 year old: Preschool 3 days a week or stay at home?
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Ihavepixies · 28/08/2020 03:17
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