Parents who call it a "Private Nursery"

[BeepyBoo]

Something I've noticed that is mildly amusing - I don't understand why some parents feel the need to mention that their kid goes to a "Private Nursery".

I understand that some nurseries may be more council funded and have lower fees perhaps, but, around here Mums use the term "Private Nursery" to point out that their kid goes to the Montessori Nursery in the village, rather than the (also full fee paying) alternative nursery in the village that just has slightly shorter hours but considered not as posh. The latter has no special council funding, and the usual funded hours can be used at both.

I'm guessing this is just a snobby, show-off thing that make is sound posh (a bit like using the term "the Private School") rather than using the actual name of the nursery. Usually "The Private Nursery" is said in a rather smug way too. I don't really get what a Private Nursery is?? Aren't they all if you are paying the usual high fees? Fees all similar for nurseries round here.

@BeepyBoo

OK, the other nursery is not run by the council or a school! So I don't get what the difference is? The prices are very similar.

The other nursery was originally set up by parents, 40 years ago. It then developed into an independent business. It was the only nursery in the village. Then a Montessouri company (chain) bought a nursery next to it, and it seemed a bit posher and nicer, so people started calling that "The Private Nursery". But in reality, they are both the same kind of thing. The other nursery is not school or council funded.

That's what the difference will be.

The parent led nursery will have been "the nursery" and then when the new one opened it'll have been "The private nursery".

It sticks in a community.

I'm currently chair of a playscheme that was run by parents when I was a child. Despite us having a considerably better OFSTED rating we're still the "Community playscheme" (It hasn't been the name for over 20 years) and the one run by the nursery chain is the "Professional playscheme" when anyone talks about it locally.

My DCs went to a "private nursery" as day care because I worked. 2/3s of the class went to the school nursery. Unfortunately it remains relevant years later because the friendship groups remain focused around that split because of the mothers' social networks reinforcing the children's friendships.

I'd probably describe a non-school, free nursery as pre-school but it's not applicable to my neighbourhood.

Yes private nursery is a perfectly normal non smug term to mean not a school nursery. Means it's open longer hours too.

private nursery to me just means one that doesn't conform to school term times and is open all year round and stays open till late.