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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that, actually, children start school at age 4 in Wales, the same as England?

77 replies

YWurri · 02/01/2017 20:46

We have friends in Wales who have small children. When they're still only two years old, they start going on about how they can't believe their baby is starting school soon. They say kids have to start SCHOOL age 3 there, so have always believed it.

Have looked into it, and no, they can start preschool/nursery the term after their 3rd birthday (around 10hrs a week for free), but compulsory school age is the term after a child turns 5, though most start the Sept after they turn 4.

I only had a quick Google and found these

citizens advice

British council

I've spoken to them and tried to say it's not school they're starting, but PRE School, and that their child doesn't HAVE to go (8.45am - 11am Mon-Fri, term time only) but they're having none of it.

Is it normal in Wales to think this? Or are my mates unusual?

OP posts:

Welshwabbit · 02/01/2017 21:19

I went to primary school in Wales 30+ years ago and started nursery (which was part of my primary school and never known as pre-school) the term I turned 4. I believe it's still the same in my area. I don't think it was compulsory but in practice everyone went.

HeCantBeSerious · 02/01/2017 21:20

My children started full time at Welsh medium school (nursery class) at 3 (they turned 4 in the autumn term. It's been the norm in this area for over 60 years.

They now go part time at 3 and full time at 4 but that only changed this year.

Luckyme2 · 02/01/2017 21:21

Yes they started 9-3 5 days a week when they were 3 (in the term they were due to turn 4). Applications had to be made to the local Council about a year beforehand. Previous posters are correct though that it's not compulsory until they're 5 but it didn't cross our minds to be honest so off they went (little uniforms and everything!) Thet loved it! It's completely the norm round here but other local authorities could do things differently. They'll stay in that school till year 6. There's reception 1, reception 2 then Years 1-6. Although it's like preschool I suppose in what they do during the day they're totally part of the school from day one, including assemblies and play time (with years 1 and 2 - the infants).

longdiling · 02/01/2017 21:21

In my nieces and nephew's school they did indeed call the nursery class 'reception'. They had reception 1 and reception 2 with one class being made up of nursery age kids and the others reception age kids.

user1477282676 · 02/01/2017 21:23

Oh it always annoys me when people say "Oooh, Bobby's starting school!" and it's obviously pre-school/nursery!

Cwtchythings · 02/01/2017 21:23

I'm in South Wales. In my county it has been the norm since I was a kid for every school to have a full-time nursery class which takes kids the term after they turn 3. So effectively when a child starts nursery at 3, they are at school full time, and at the school they will continue through to yr 6. I have two end of August babies that were full time at their school, in school uniform, the week after they turned 3! Obviously it isn't compulsory, as you have correctly pointed out. It is the norm though.

minesapintofwine · 02/01/2017 21:24

I'm in Wales.

My dts went to nursery school (nursery classroom within the school building, they wear uniform and integrate with the rest of school, everyone seems to know it as school) the term after their third birthday (called rising threes) and started full time the following school year, still at aged three. Different schools are different in that respect though.

They are now in reception aged 4, turn 5 next month. As far as I know it is not compulsory until then.

We call it school as it's easier but I know it's nursery really.

minesapintofwine · 02/01/2017 21:27

Sorry half days the term after turning 3. I.e they were 3 in the Feb. Went half days Easter to Summer. Started full time in September of that year (turned 4 the following Feb)

Notagainmun · 02/01/2017 21:27

You are correct OP but it is rarely referred to as preschool as it is often part of the primary school and the children wear the same uniforms. Younger children often go to Cylch Meithrin which is a type of preschool but the term after the third birthday. The majority of children attend the school nursery ad soon as they are old enough but it is not compulsory.

minesapintofwine · 02/01/2017 21:30

I believe if they are going into a school building whether nursery, reception, year 5, compulsory etc then they are going to school. So a 3 year old going into the school building that they will be in for the next few years IS 'starting school'.

Original poster

YWurri · 02/01/2017 21:30

Thanks for all the comments and information - it's really helped! I can see now why they say "school", if that's what it's always been called and everyone else calls it that. Also seems more fitting if it's actually attached to a primary school and they share a playground/uniform/assemblies etc

I honestly didn't know some kids go to preschool for free 9-3 Mon-Fri when they 3yrs old. Must save parents a fortune in childcare costs! And you lot get free prescriptions !

OP posts:

adagio · 02/01/2017 21:33

In Cardiff it's 2.5h a day either morning or afternoon sessions, 5 days a week term time only. It's attached to school, got a uniform, one 5 mins parents evening a term if that (so nothing like private nursery feedback!), and most kids go (so peer pressure element). Certainly the private nursery I was using has almost no children age 3+ so you sort of have to use it, or switch to a private school. As it's only a couple of hours a day I am paying full day rates to a childminder to wrap around, so not really any childcare cost savings!! My dd loves it though and is learning to write as well as play - it feels much more structured and more school like than private nursery did.

It does feel like she is growing up so fast - but having not experienced the English model I'm not sure if that js just a mothers feeling. It's also noticeable that toilet accidents are whispered about to the carer in the queue at pick up - it feels much more frowned on than at old private nursery where frankly it was very matter of fact and open. It's like they expect one hell of a lot more from the kids in terms of hygiene and social - I think partly because most (all?) local schools here the teachers shuffle each year so may have had eg 8 year olds last year but 3year olds this year.

Many are also full each September so don't have space for a January and April intake - so we ended up starting the September after turning 3 instead of the term after.

WeatherwaxOrOgg · 02/01/2017 21:35

Almost all nursery classes are attached to Primary Schools around here, maybe that is causing the confusion

This is almost certainly why they're confused - I reckon most people refer to it as school in Wales, so they just don't realise.

You could phone the actual school and ask them as a 'prospective parent' couldn't you? Just say you wondered if it was compulsory, but I'll bet it's not.

JJBum's post sounds pretty sure as well and looks like she works in education in Wales.

HeCantBeSerious · 02/01/2017 21:35

I honestly didn't know some kids go to preschool for free 9-3 Mon-Fri when they 3yrs old. Must save parents a fortune in childcare costs! And you lot get free prescriptions

All of the arguments against reducing it to part time here were around childcare. Most couldn't distinguish between education and childcare.

HeCantBeSerious · 02/01/2017 21:35

Much longer NHS waiting times here because of free prescriptions.

Akire · 02/01/2017 21:36

Its not always term they turn 4 either. 40y ago I stated week after I turned 3, August baby!

julesnbump · 02/01/2017 21:36

I live in South Wales and everyone refers to the 3 year funding places as school as they are attached to the school, wear uniform etc. My son was 3 last march and started afternoon sessions the day after his 3rd birthday until the July, and in September he started the morning session where he'll be until July, then he'll go up to Reception for full days in September. As he's in the morning session at the moment he goes to breakfast club, the weekly assembly and they often join the reception class some days for a hour or two.

smileymam · 02/01/2017 21:37

My children both turned 3 in the august and started in the nursery of their school full time in the September. We are in South Wales and it is completely normal for children to go to school at 3 here.

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 02/01/2017 21:38

My friend lives in the Rhondda and her dd started school full time the term after her third birthday.
My niece in West Wales was the same
Mine started when they were four rising five
We are in Cardiff

BestIsWest · 02/01/2017 21:38

Does this only happen in Wales then?

I started 'school' in the nursery class of my primary just after turning 3 50 years ago and so did my DCs in their turn.

I had assumed it was the norm throughout the UK.

lalalalyra · 02/01/2017 21:40

It could be that there is pressure to send full time which makes it feel like school, and could be misinterpreted that way. The pre-school my DD goes too (in a school, but not in Wales) have a strict policy that if a child misses too many days they lose their place. A lot of people seem to view it as meaning pre-school is compulsory.

Chwaraeteg · 02/01/2017 21:40

I grew up in the South Wales valleys in the 80's / 90's. Everyone there went to 'nursery school' full time the September after they were three. This was always part of a primary school and the Nursery would wear uniform etc. It wasn't compulsory but a lot of people actually didn't / don't know that (I think these days they actually only offer half days).

I have a 3 year old and I'm living in England. I've only just got my head around the whole preschool / private nursery - reception -school business here. It's been very confusing. I've had my mother shouting at me for not enrolling my child in school!

DragonMamma · 02/01/2017 21:43

I haven't RTFT but in my county in South Wales, it has always been full time from 3/term after 3, depending on the school. I started school the day of my 3rd birthday and both of my DC did, the term after their 3rd birthday.

DC2 was the last year of this though and they have changed to half days until 4, which caused uproar. I think it's now only Bridgend which still does full time from 3, although I could be wrong!

minesapintofwine · 02/01/2017 21:45

Dragon I live in the Rhymney Valley and full time from 3 is offered in a lot of (but not all) schools here.

minesapintofwine · 02/01/2017 21:47

Oh and Dragon do you live in the Rhondda by any chance? I remember the uproar!

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