to not know which nursery to choose

[bonzaii]

ds has been attending a private nursery from 2 years he is now 3 and half and i decided that it was time to get him into the local school nursery... i was abit worried about ds and his development and the nursery doing very little so applied to the local school, he got his place then started making improvements.

he has a place for september in the local school but ever since he visited all he as gone on about is nursery, he misses nursery, had wet beds ever since and a few accidents which isn't him among other stuff... he does have a few problems around routine and with his behaviour so i knew any change may affect him badly but hes been really bad about this and i'm just thinking i've made a massive mistake pulling him out of his nursery that he loved, hes just started making progress and i'm worried its going to set him back and hes not guaranteed a place in the reception class either.

AIBU to ask his old nursery see if they have a place in september and move him back or should i perservere wth school? last thing at night he is asking about nursery :( he can do another 12months there so he may be more ready in a years time?

I remember some educationist friends talking about this. Their firm (if private) view was that a child would always catch up with their peers if kept at nursery for another year but that forcing them to go to school when not ready could do them harm. Different children need different things at times.

thanks. i'm really really tied, i'm going to write a pro's and con's list, the school is a fantastic school and in the long run if he goes there i know he wont get a better education but i just feel im making the wrong decision no matter where he goes... rung hv and conversation just made me think even more its so so hard deciding

Bonzaii

Let's be clear. You are talking about a place at a nursery school (so, nor Reception) vs time in your old nursery (childcare setting). The nursery school, while attached to a primary school, has no bearing on whether he will get a place in the Reception class for 2013 entry. It is entirely possible to return your son to his previous nursery (if there is space) and him to be allocated a place in the school's Reception class for Sept 2013, alongside his peers.

I'm sure the school is great in the long run, but that is not the issue. The question is, should he spend his pre-Reception year at the old nursery or the nursery school class attached to the school you hope (but don't know) that he will go to (which - sorry - but would then be more change to deal with).

I'm keeping DD1 at her nursery, not least because we don't know where she might end up for primary school in (she starts Sept 2013 like your DS). There is no easy answer, but no harm in asking your old nursery if they have space. Could he split his time between the two or defer until, say, January?