Keeping 3yr old at home from school nursery for a morning

[MrsPringles]

Donning my hard hat just to be on the safe side!

DS was 3 at the very end of August, just started nursery school 5 mornings per week (had previously been at a private nursery 2 full days a week) He gets picked up by a childminder 3 times per week and stays with her til 6 (other kids there and other pick ups so no chance to sleep) and then the other 2 days I am at home and collect him from school.

He is exhausted. Ridiculously exhausted. Comes home and sleeps for 3 hours, pretty much wakes up for an hour or so play before dinner and is back in bed for bedtime at 6.30

I am so tempted to let him have a day off (well 3 hours as it's just the morning) next week to catch up, weekends we have the boring jobs we need to do and then my days off are gone by him sleeping.

So AIBU to keep him at home one morning next week? He's just 3 and it's nursery school.

Because school nurseries do it differently.

Of course you can. I did this lots of times with all of my summer burns. I even specifically chose a private nursery instead of a school nursery for this reason. They had longer sessions 3 days a week and 2 off. I asked on visiting if we could choose our house and they said there would never be any pressure to come in each session and to use them like a crèche.

Even if you kept him off every week for one day, it wouldn't jeopardise your chance of getting a school place would it? I'm happy to be corrected but I thought schools based places on criteria such as distance,siblings at the school, etc.

If you feel it's in his best interests to keep him off one day a week then do that. He's your little boy, do what's best for him, not what the nursery says he 'should' be doing.

Your day sounds lovely, do similar every week if you want to. You'll never get this time back.

I'm interested to know what a pre-school

Preschool is early years education before a child is in full time school. So from the term after turning 3 until the September before before turning 5.

I also consider "preschool" to describe an age range, rather than an educational/childcare setting. Similar kind of word to "toddlerhood".

Those that haven't accessed a nursery which forms part of a primary or infant school will find the concept alien compared to private nurseries. They are run very differently to private nurseries, with the main aim of (play based) education rather than childcare.

School based nurseries are staffed by fully qualified teachers (assisted by teaching assistants) and will be required to adhere to school policy, including attendance. Because they are not there for the purpose of flexible childcare, school nurseries operate as 5 sessions per week of either mornings or afternoons, at set times (which are usually based around the timings of the school day)

Not quite fate, the preschools here are set up for 3+ for play based education rather than childcare. But you can choose sessions/days. Usually only within 9-3 Or 9-1.

It would be the equivalent you'd use the term after you turn 3 if you don't need a nursery for childcare.

Is it really true that schools statistics on attendance apply to nurseries attached to schools, that's crazy? Many years ago my then tiny dd started school at 4 and a half and used to spend most afternoons asleep in the "Home corner". It was her class teacher who suggested that I keep her at home on Fridays for the 1st 6 months as she was so tired and full time school wasn't compulsory till they reached 5.

the preschools here are set up for 3+ for play based education rather than childcare. But you can choose sessions/days. Usually only within 9-3 Or 9-1.

I would call that a playgroup, a paid-for childcare playgroup.

Evidently there is a degree of local colloquial language confuconfusing matters.

Nothing is compulsory and attendance percentages don't kick in until the term after their fifth birthday. That is the compulsory school starting age in England and Wales.

No, it isn't true hjublen. The school may be including children below compulsory school age in attendance stats but they shouldn't be. Some children won't count in attendance stats until year 1. I sent my dd to Reception 2-3 days a week. It's a parental right. Sometimes the school aren't aware of the law though

This is ridiculous and I'm one who is happy for my DCs to go full time from day 1 in Reception.

When he starts in Reception until he's compulsory school age you are under absolutely no obligation to send him at all - let alone full time - and they can't take your place away.
It's crazy that they can do that in nursery but different rules I suppose.

Do what you think is best for your child.

I did this a few times the first few months my ds started pre-school nursery. He found it exhausting, but he's been there 10 months now and much more settled.