To wonder when nursery and pre-school started being called "school"?

[RedskyThisNight]

As per title really. There seems to be an increasing number of threads where the OP talks about their DC going to "school" so responders naturally assume that the child is at "school" for 9-3 type hours, is at least age 4 and goes there every day. Only for the OP to reveal later that their DC is only 2/3 and actually goes to nursery/pre-school which quite often fundamentally changes the answers.

When and why did this change in terminology happen?

Nursery attatched to a school? So they are going to school?

Uniform at pre school

Mine both just wore joggers/leggings and t shirts.

When I was at school in the 1960s it was just school. No nursery, the first intake was the baby class.

My mum is in her late 50s and always asks my children if they enjoy school
They get confused (only 3 and 4) and correct her saying no we go to nursery 😆 she's always called it school despite them not attending a school!
I went to the same nursery as my children but she said it was called play group back then 🤨

Why does it matter to you? Odd thing to make into a conundrum. School nursery isn't really school but it's on school grounds so that may be why people call it that.

It's weird and annoying.
It's nursery or pre-school until they are turning 5.

Areas vary. Reception IS school here, but we dont tend to have nurserys attached. "Going to big school" and school transfer all happen at 4 with visits to school etc, school uniform at 4.

Preschools and nurseries are seperate. Most no uniform, a few with optional nursery jumpers. Toddler groups and kids groups run up til they start school, preschool gym etc.

Where I used to live nursery year year was very much part of school and patent and toddler groups etc tended to stop at 3!!! I could understand in that system why they might call it school.

Id personally try to avoid "school" with a teacher/uniform at 3. There's usually a lower ratio of staff and its more of a "teacher " relationship, might be brought into assemblies etc. I prefer the informal preschool setting we had. However I'm aware thats huge sweeping generalisations!

@Abraxan

What is a daycare centre compared to a nursery?

Not sure I've heard anyone use the term daycare centre.

In the UK registered childcare providers have to follow the EYFS so a nursery whether solely a nursery, nursery class of a state school, nursery class of a prep school or even a childminder isn't "daycare".

Redwingsboots

I am aware of the whole eyfs etc but another poster talked about day care and I was curious as to what they meant as it's not a term I've heard used in the U.K.

That's weird - I've never heard that around here (Derbyshire). It's always nursery or pre-school till Reception.

Surely the confusion arises where a child starts in the nursery class of a primary school at age 3, and is very much a part of that school - attending some assemblies, sharing playgrounds and lunch hall, wearing the uniform?

It's school in my area. They start at age 3 and go from 9-3 and wear the same school uniform that the rest of the school wear. Things like the Christmas concert and school trips are not separate, they mix in with the rest of the school to do these activities and there's no distinction between the 3 year olds and the rest of the school, they come under one umbrella and are treated the same. Lunch is eaten in the same place and at the same time as well. It was exactly the same 30+ years ago when I went, we always said school not nursery.

Id personally try to avoid "school" with a teacher/uniform at 3. There's usually a lower ratio of staff and its more of a "teacher " relationship

I used to think this, until my siblings kids attended a school nursery class. Mine attended an outstanding preschool. Siblings kids were MUCH better prepared academically, the stuff my kids school had to cover in the first part of reception had already been done in nursery class at their school and they really hit the ground running.

As a former early years teacher, I can't help but think it's at least partly related to reducing play-based learning in favour of more academic, at a younger age. Which I personally don't agree with, so it's one of the many reasons I don't teach any more.

@Mrsjayy it’s called pre-prep in private schools. lots of the children at that age won’t go into the main school and go to state at reception age. Private schools/nursery take vouchers too so it’s no different to any other nursery.

If the 20 or so children in my child’s pre-prep only 4 went into the school itself.

Never heard people referencing it as school. It’s always nursery or pre-school in my circle. Starting school would most definitely be taken to mean starting reception.

We say ‘school’ for our 4 year old who is technically in the pre-school class just for mornings. BUT the nursery and reception class is together in one big EYFS classroom and they all have to wear uniform etc so to all intents and purposes it is definitely school. They came home and told me they could figure out sums using subitition this week so they are definitely learning not just playing!

Creme exactly, in contrast to OfstedOffred above I didn't think they need to be ahead academically or "hit the ground running" at reception age. That's what reception is for and I saw the change when year 1 reduced play based learning too. I prefer all the experiential learning when small and I don't think early academics does any favours particularly.

@Hospedia

I guess people call it school because nursery/preschool isn't childcare, it's early years education with its own curriculum. A lot of nurseries/preschools are based on school premises too, I know with my DC when they were in the nursery class I said they went to XXXXX School.

This.

Creme this thread supports that exactly! The uniforms and mixing with reception leads more towards that. The structure..

Our preschool was awesome with lots of nursery workers who played with the kids and had so much fun.

I didn't think they need to be ahead academically or "hit the ground running" at reception age. That's what reception is for and I saw the change when year 1 reduced play based learning too. I prefer all the experiential learning when small and I don't think early academics does any favours particularly.

It was a play based curriculum but there is a reason teachers are degree educated and paid more than nursery nurses. They did a better job at embedding phonics and preparing the children as learners. Honestly, I would have said as you but I am a complete convert having seen that all the children in my extended family who've attended school nursery classes with qualified teachers, have done consistently better academically, right up to the end of ks1. And they are happy kids who love school.

Tbh right to the end of ks2 too.

I dunno
I have a friend and her and her mum (dc’s granny) always talked to and about him going to ‘school’ when it was nursery.
It always struck me as a weird and a little patronising (if that’s possible to a 2-3 yo 😆) like oh you’re going to “school” tomorrow aren’t you, little dc
Also takes something away from the transitok to actual school

But each to their own

@Iamkmackered1979

Mine did childminder, private nursery, (older 2) younger 2 did playgroup nursery aged 3-4 then school nursery 4-5 then school

School is school you start at 4 1/2 - 5 years old. Anything else is childminder/nursery

Agree.

@lucylucyapplejuicy

I notice this too and think it's annoying. To me school starts in reception. Anything before that isn't school

Agree I have noticed it a lot recently. They seem to mean from when they start preschool. I can't get my mum to understand that I can't apply for my DD school place yet. She keeps telling me one of her friends grandchildren who is similar age 'already goes to school.'