.. to put my children into two different settings?

[NannaNoodleman]

What are people's thoughts on accessing two settings for their children? (ie a nursery and a preschool).

My children currently attend a nursery while I'm at work (8:30-4:30). I want them to start at the local preschool as they will being going to the attached primary. Unfortunately the preschool only does half days (finishes at 1).
I asked if their nursery could take them for the afternoon session (1-4:30) and the manager had a bit of a go at me about it.

I was wondering if this really was such a bizarre idea.

I, sort of, did this with both of mine.
We could access 2.5 days (as in, 2 full days, plus a half day wednesday) at school.
So, the did the school run with them 2 days a week, and I negotiated a funny lunch break on a Wednesday to shuffle my child then (nursery did the other school run that day).
Personally, I think it was good for the kids, and they came on loads that year. But who is to say how much they would have cone on if they had been FT in nursery.

It probably won't matter what you do. We've done various combinations of this with three kids, and by the time they are a month or so into the reception class it all works out.

My youngest is this age now and we're leaving her in the nursery full time because it is easier for me (if a bit more expensive). My oldest did a mixed placement, my middle child went to pre-school plus wrap around and it's all fine.

The mixed placement was the biggest faff. I wouldn't bother because it carriers a high mental load for me to keep track of two placements. It sounds like it might be easier for you.

She'll be a bit pissed off because you're basically pulling your child out of her setting and basically putting him in the 'competition'. They're both businesses at the end of the day and some people may see it as cheeky to expect them to work around someone they're in direct competition with. Maybe she feels like you're not happy with her setting in some way for you to be taking him out in preference for them. That's all it will be.
I'm a childminder and I often get parents asking me to pick a child up from nursery when they could access the funding through me. It doesn't actually bother me because I see the benefit in a child attending that setting before school but a lot of childcarers will get a bit offended as they can provide the same service as the other setting.

Especially the 2 year old, she isn't "gifted" but she is very bright for her age and I think a more school -ish environment would be better suited to her.
No child gifted or otherwise needs a school like environment at 2, they learn through play. Having said that they will both follow the same curriculum so no point doing two settings.

My DD's nursery bend over backwards to help parents who want to do this, to settle the child into school from attending the pre-school half time. Lots of children in her pre-school room at nursery attend their own future primary school pre-school in term time and then come back to the private nursery in school holidays. One does Tue-Thur at school pre-school, and full days Monday and Friday at DD's nursery.

I don't think there's anything so unusual about the suggestion that should make her do a duck-arse face.

In my experience, going to a preschool attached to the primary school that you will be going to makes settling in a lot easier.

If you can make the mixed settings work, I think it’s fine. Ignore the nursery manager - she’s probably only thinking about losing the money, and not what is best for you as a family .

There is nothing wrong with splitting between two places but to be honest, your proposed set up sound like it could be difficult.

I think it's a big ask of a neighbour to do the pick up/drop off thing at 1pm each day - basically, they can't really go out far during term time if they do that. They may well get fed up. Or, what if they need a doctor's appointment and can't make it to nursery/they are unwell/something comes up in their own family etc. Obviously, it may not but you never know.

My son didn't go to the preschool where he goes to school due to a bizarre arrangement of children having to be picked up at 12, taken home for lunch and dropped off again at 1pm He has just finished reception and it didn't make any difference to him at all that he had been somewhere else.

For the sake of 1 and 2 years, I'll leave them at nursery - perhaps ask if your daughter can move up to the last room if she isn't being challenged.

Do what you think is best for your children. I will have 3 children in different schools from September. My eldest is extremely academic and got into one of the top schools in the country by winning a place through the entrance exams. My middle child is clever but has no chance of getting in really, but we managed to get her into the best school in our catchment area (and there are quite a few). Unfortunate this school doesn’t have a nursery so in September my youngest is starting nursery in a different (but no where near as good) primary school, where he’ll be until he’s old enough to start the different school with his older sister. Given that he’s missed the cut off date with his birthday by just 5 days, that means I will have 3 children in 3 different schools for 2 years. For those saying it’s unnecessary ‘faff’, providing my children with the best possible education is worth the ‘faff’ to me

Very rare to find a childminder or nursery who will do that here in London as it is unlikely they will find a child with complementary hours.

Unless you are offering to pay for the full day at nursery, they are basically only getting paid for afternoons but will unlikely be able to find space child for mornings only.

Unless they already offer afternoon only sessions anyway?

Having done the afternoons only at preschool it really does screw up your day so I think you might find your neighbor will get fed up of it very quickly.

As others have said she will have been pissed off that she’ll be losing money from you, we had similar with our childminder.

Personally I don’t think it’s worth putting your eldest into preschool until they’re 3, I’m not sure of the benefit beforehand if they’re settled where they are. Leave it until next year maybe and revisit options as I do agree it makes transition so much easier if they’ve been to preschool.

My kids went to pre-school and a childminder from 2 and when they were nearly ready for school did three full days a week at the pre-school (9am - 3.30pm).

I felt before then that going to day nursery FT or pre-school for full days was too much and that they were better just kicking back at the childminders for some of the day which was as close to being at home with me as it could be. In the summer holidays when we weren't off with them they had full days with the CM and used to have lovely days out to the beach, and have an absolute whale of a time.

My eldest did two settings - Preschool attached to school only offered 3 hr sessions (which she did 2 days a week) and i still needed full day care one day a week. She was absolutely fine. My youngest is set to do the same in September.

I think preschool especially one that is attached to the child’s future school are brilliant for school readiness, the school staff get to know your children. The preschool occasionally mixes with the reception class, so DD was comfortable with her reception teacher before she started.

DDs preschool was full time, but I know plenty of families which use two setting, so the child can attend preschool. No big deal.

Raphael34 .

That was me who said "faff." I also have 3 kids in three different schools. The older kids are exceptionally good at school. I can say with 100% confidence that their success at secondary school is in no way dependent on where they spent the day at age 2. We had a couple of good options, and in each case chose the placement that allowed us the most stress-free home life.

I can understand your reasons but it sounds like a farce and I reckon your neighbour would end up getting tired of it every day.

You can just picture the AIBU happening a few months down the line: AIBU not to take my neighbour’s children from pre-school to nursery every day?

I'm not sure your nursery is as nice as you think it is.

No parent should feel that their two year old has outgrown their nursery provision. A decent early years practitioner would be looking for opportunities to support her interests, encourage exploration and experimentation and extend her learning. In a good preschool and reception class the majority of the learning will be play-based and child-led.

I would not expect an early years practitioner to be snippy with a parent who wanted to change their hours or to suggest, even by their tone, that it wasn't in the best interests of the child unless there was a good reason. She is a professional and her personal feelings about it should be kept to herself.

I don't think a two year old would get much out of moving to pre-school provision unless the provision they are moving from is poor. It's great for them to get to know some of their classmates before starting school but that only needs to happen in the last term or two.

I would be more concerned to address why you think your child needs a change of scene at this age.

Plenty of kids in my local area attend playschool for 2 hours in the morning and then go straight over to the nursery. The playschool is only a stones throw away from the nursey so nursey staff will also offer to pick them up too. I don't understand why the manager would have a go at you for this. It makes no sense. I'm sure you aren't the only who would want to split the time between the two places. You will still using they're service.

I think two settings would be fine but I would be very very hesitant about relying on a neighbour to do all the pick ups - that is a massive ask! To me that outweighs the benefits you've outlined.

Sorry, got side tracked by the neighbour... I wouldn't be concerned about the neighbour doing the pick ups (she runs the local handy lady business and doing pick up/drop offs are part of her job - she takes some of the old ladies shopping and to GP appts etc - she has all the insurances - we live rurally) it's not a neighbourly favour it'll be a job and if there are days she can't do it there are plenty of other options.

TBH the nursery has been a bit negative about DD. She can be mischievous and needs to be occupied/challenged. I don't think she's suited to a nursery baby room. I think she'd do really well in a preschool setting. She needs things to do to occupy her.

The nursery is small and I don't think they are challenging her so she gets bored - I might be wrong, she might just be a naughty child!!

My eldest is 3, he'll start school 2020. Youngest is 2 1/2, she'll start school in 2021.

Sorry trying to answer questions while cooking dinner...

I just want to emphasise again, we live in a rural location, a tiny village with a really strong sense of community. There's one preschool. There's no childminders. This one nursery isn't a village nursery but is rural.

I'm not moving them because I believe it'll produce a couple of geniuses. I just think at their developmental stages, they need a bit of a change and a new challenge.

I don't think DD being 'bright' at 2 means she'll be exceptional at school. She's just bright for a two year old and she'll likely be a fairly standard 5 year old. ... but right now, being a bright 2 year old means she gets bored and I want her to be happy and not getting into trouble.

Totally normal where I live. It’s what most children do here. So much so that nurseries often do a pick up service from local schools, as do childminders.

My kids went to school Nursery for 2 years and were getting a bit bored. They were teddy to move up when all their friends left. Having said, the biggest are snippy because they'll be losing income. You wouldn't be allowed to do those hours where I work, but if it works out then odd go for it. More stimulation will be great.

I did this. Totally normal to mix school nursery with private nursery catering for working hours.

I'm surprised at there being no childminders. I live in a small village and found one who lives on the same street. There are several in the village itself and dozens within two to three miles.