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Original poster

Nursery/ pre school

18 replies

DitheringDaisy · 11/05/2018 16:47

DH and I need to make a decision about DS’s preschool. He currently goes to a private nursery 3 days a week while I work.
He has been offered a FT place at the local pre-school.
If we take the pre- school place we will have to find childcare for before and after school and of course holidays.
DH is dead set on the pre-school.
BUT he does no nursery runs and has already said he can’t take time off for either the October half term or Christmas.

It is being left to me to arrange the childcare for the days I work - there is a breakfast club and an after school club but they will have kids from 3-11 in them. DS has just turned 3. He seems too small to be in the big hall with them all Sad
Plus the pre school is about a mile out of my way (walking) so adds an hour on to the day.

Private nursery runs 51 weeks of the year and although he will still have long days at least he is in the same room with the same staff. It is next to my work and DS loves it there.

DH argues that the cost of pre school is cheaper but I argue that this is offset by the breakfast and after school clubs and the need to cover holidays.
Nursery will be about £400 a month with the funded hours and pre school will be £60 a week (to pay for breakfast club, lunch and after school club) plus about £50 a day for holiday club 8-6 (he will need to do 3 days a week for at least 6/7 weeks of the holidays).

If it were up to me I would keep him in nursery until he starts reception next September but DH wants the pre school as it is cheaper and we want to send DS to the attached school so he thinks it is better he moves now and makes friends.

WWYD?

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 11/05/2018 16:52

Keep him at the nursery.

Auntyirene · 11/05/2018 16:53

Nursery given that everything seems to be falling on you. It seems it will make your life easier if he is at nursery.

StellaWouldYouTakeMeHome · 11/05/2018 16:54

I’d stay at the nursery. Being at the attached nursery is no guarantee he’ll get into the school. If it’s a good nursery it should prepare him well enough for school that it shouldn’t be necessary to uproot him

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dementedpixie · 11/05/2018 16:55

I'd keep him at the nursery too especially if your dh is unable to help with any preschool runs. It will be very disruptive for your ds to change plus he will then be in a different place during holidays and will have the upheaval of before and after school clubs.

angelopal · 11/05/2018 16:58

I would keep him at the nursery. If DH wants him to go to preschool then I would leave him to sort out the childcare.

My DD is in private nursery and will stay there until school. Ideally I would have wanted her to go to the school preschool but logistically it would be a pain and will be hard enough when she is in school next year.

Jackiebrambles · 11/05/2018 17:02

Nursery too!

My dd will be 3 soon and dh and I have had the same conversation. We are sticking with nursery because the longer hours are so much easier and the options for wrap around for a 3 year old are more tricky.

We have a boy in school already so we are already having to ‘deal’ with school holidays, but, holiday clubs won’t take a child so young so that’s an issue.

So we are sticking with nursery until she starts reception.

Our pre school is excellent but it’s very much ‘mini’ reception. Not very ‘cuddly’ like her nursery is. She’s so little still so I’d rather her stay where she is as well for that reason.

Pythonesque · 11/05/2018 17:15

Can you keep him in the private nursery 3 days a week and add 2 days at the preschool? I'd price up holiday care carefully and present your husband with the figures, along with financial estimates of how your work day will be affected by the extra travel distance ...

Fatted · 11/05/2018 17:18

If you have to fit it in around working, keep him at nursery.

I had the same dilemma with my 3YO. He's at nursery 2.5 hours a day now. If he goes to pre school, he only gets 2.5 hours per day. If he stays at nursery, he would get 30 hours free a week. We've opted for pre school purely because I work evenings currently and I can do the school runs etc. If I was working days, he'd be staying at nursery.

None of the schools local to us accept the pre schoolers for breakfast club or after school clubs. So double check they're eligible for that before you decide. Also, going to pre school doesn't guarantee a place in reception, this is what happened to DS1 last year, he still ended up moving into a new class in reception after switching schools.

BackforGood · 11/05/2018 17:24

I'd keep him at the Nursery too.
It will make no difference whatsoever to the dc as they start Reception, who attended the attached Pre-school and who didn't. 'Friendships' are very fluid at this age.
It would be daft to add that walking time on to your day x 2, every day, when there is no need, before he starts school, and, as you say he is fairly little yet t be in the wrap around care. I would also double check if the wrap around care does take them that little - not all do.

Frazzled2207 · 11/05/2018 19:31

We've had a similar dilemma recently and ds will be staying in Nursery for practical reasons. Also with the 30 hours funding will actually be cheaper (term time) than having to go to breakfast and after school club.

He's happy there too.

Kidssendingmenuts · 11/05/2018 21:45

Keep him at nursery! I got offered the same with my daughter and decided to keep her where she was settled and happy as she would of been very young as she is an August baby! Best thing I did and she is ready and willing for starting school
In September x

MonsterKidz · 12/05/2018 02:21

Stay with the nursery.

You only have one more year till he’s off to school. Make the move then.

AntiHop · 12/05/2018 02:23

Nursery

infertilitybitch · 12/05/2018 02:38

Stay at the nursery.

I sent mine to one attatched to the school for 2 years thinking it would help him settle into reception knowing the teachers, the school etc. Despite being there, having many friends go to reception with him from nursery it took him as long as every other kid to settle in, they all took as long whether had been in that nursery or another and within 2 weeks when his birthday party hit and I did whole class invite it was clear they'd all become just as good friends whether there 5 mins or 2 years. He'd also forgotten those who didn't go to reception and went on to other schools who he'd been good friends with over the summer holiday.

Do what's convenient. Will make no difference to your child in the end

Original poster
DitheringDaisy · 12/05/2018 09:53

Thanks all - pretty unanimous Grin

Now to convince DH.....

OP posts:
ISeeTheLight · 12/05/2018 09:55

Just check the admission policy for the school. DD goes to the nursery attached to the primary school, who changed their policy that children attending nursery get priority. Other schools in the area here have done the same.

WomblerOfWimbledon · 12/05/2018 10:05

Your DH can make the decision if he is willing to deal with the admin and drops/pick ups etc.

Totally agree in your circumstances that nursery is the right choice.

Frazzled2207 · 12/05/2018 10:22

Having access to easy childcare in the hols for another year or so is very valuable

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