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Original poster

What age do you think is appropriate for pre school?

28 replies

Slightlyneuroricnat · 08/01/2014 21:41

I have a daughter starting nursery school in september at nearly 4.
I am considering sending my youngest to pre school ( 2 years 10 months ) to spend some time with my eldest.
I'd only do it once or twice a week in comparison to my eldest who will be going 5 afternoons at the school
Thanks for any advice

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PortofinoRevisited · 08/01/2014 21:44

Well I am in Belgium and dd started FT aged 2,5 as do 99% of Belgian children. I know this is not for everyone, but appropriate - heck, you do what works for your family.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 08/01/2014 21:45

Depends on the child. DS1 and DS2 were ready for preschool before they were 3, DD and DS3 weren't ready until they were over 3.

JoinTheDots · 08/01/2014 21:45

Well, our pre-school take them from 2 and 3/4, but I did not think my DD was ready until she was 3. Each child is different and all that, I would think (if you have a choice, many don't) keeping it to 2 sessions at that age will be a good introduction, which you can build on as and when your younger child seems ready. If they hate it though, or the settling in sessions go badly, you can always try again in a couple of months.

rockybalboa · 08/01/2014 21:46

No idea, both my DC went to nursery from 8 months old when I went back to work. My sisters and I never went to any sort of nursery or pre school because my mum didn't work. Different strokes for different folks, do what feels right for you and your kids based on their personalities.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 08/01/2014 21:54

Pre school at 4 years for my kids. But I am in Scotland- children start school at 5 here.

Thesimplethings · 08/01/2014 21:55

Dc1 started playgroup at 2.7 he now goes to nursery, he started the term after his first birthday age 3.4. Dc2 attends playgroup at the same school. He started a few days after his 2nd birthday. Obviously he doesn't get 15 hours free so we pay for it.

They were both ready and love going. I'm a sahm and as much as I miss them it has done then the world of good. A structured early years foundation is, in my experience a good thing. Both dc and I benefit from it.

Original poster
Slightlyneuroricnat · 08/01/2014 21:57

Thanks
My youngest is ahead of where my eldest was at this age without a doubt
But she is also far more sensitive and clingy and this is my worry

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morethanpotatoprints · 08/01/2014 21:59

half term before they start school, if at all.
just my opinion though.

ilovepowerhoop · 08/01/2014 22:05

they dont necessarily start school at 5 in Scotland, it depends when their birthday is. Both dd and ds went to nursery the term after the were 3 when they got their free hours. They then started school when they were 4y 9m and 4y 10m respectively (we are in Scotland)

Original poster
Slightlyneuroricnat · 08/01/2014 22:08

More than
Do you think that's enough time for a child having never been away from their mum?

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ilovepowerhoop · 08/01/2014 22:16

It was good for mine to go at 3 and it also gave me a chance to do things for me e.g. gym classes, shopping in peace, etc

Original poster
Slightlyneuroricnat · 08/01/2014 22:20

I wouldn't be using it to do things for myself, just to have time with my eldest like I'll have with my youngest

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TheArticFunky · 08/01/2014 22:23

Mine both started at 2.5 which was just the right age. If funds had allowed I may have sent ds1 at 2 as he was more than ready.

ilovepowerhoop · 08/01/2014 22:24

did you not spend time on your own with your older child before your younger child was born? I dont understand your point. I though you wanted to send them both to nursery at the same time - are you planning on sending one in the am and one in the pm?

Original poster
Slightlyneuroricnat · 08/01/2014 22:32

Yeah but only for 10 months so long before she was walking and talking and being a toddler.
My eldest will be at the school nursery 12-3 5 days a week, I was considering putting my youngest in 2 days a week 9-12 to have 6 hours a week of 1 on 1 time with my eldest

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ilovepowerhoop · 08/01/2014 22:35

whatever works for you really - there are no right or wrong answers.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 09/01/2014 06:53

ilovepowerhoop "they dont necessarily start school at 5 in Scotland, it depends when their birthday is. Both dd and ds went to nursery the term after the were 3 when they got their free hours. They then started school when they were 4y 9m and 4y 10m respectively (we are in Scotland)"

With respect I quoted 5 years as a rule of thumb in Scotland as that is the average age of school start.
With only one intake a year the earliest a child can start school is 4 years and six months, the latest age is 5 years and 5 months.
Deferring is a popular option which also means a child may not start school until a few months even after that.
My son was 5 years and 9 months when he started in P1, having had one year of free nursery before that.
Many parents with younger children choose to wait another year.

ilovepowerhoop · 09/01/2014 07:14

regardless of whether they start school at 4 or 5 in Scotland they are still entitled to free nursery hours ftom the term after they turn 3. (or depending where their birthday falls, in our area they start the day after they are 3 but in Scotland we still only get 12.5 hours, not 15)

atthestrokeoftwelve · 09/01/2014 07:18

Of course, I agree, but it is optional. Some of us don't want to use all or any of the entitlement.

ilovepowerhoop · 09/01/2014 07:19

also, only January and February children have an automatic right to defer with other children needing specific reasons so I know of very few children who have gone to school a year later. Both dd and ds have children in their classes with Jan/Feb birthdays who are the youngest in their year.

Ragwort · 09/01/2014 07:23

Surely it depends totally on the child and the family circumstances? There is no 'right or wrong' answer.

My DS went just after his 2nd birthday - he is an only child, I believed he benefited from being with other children and different adults; I actively encouraged him to be independent and to be able to interact with other people ie: not to be clingly and dependent on his parents (not that he ever was Grin). I didn't need 'child care' as such but I believe it was very good for him - and there is nothing wrong with a parent needing a break Smile.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 09/01/2014 07:33

It's a little more complex than this though.

All parents have the right to defer any Sept to Feb born child, what is not automatic for the Sept-Dec born children is the automatic right to a second year of nursery funding for an older child who has reached "school age". If a child does not start nursery until four and a half and take only one year then it is not an issue.
Our school head was very supportive of deferement and it was very common in the school, almost no winter babies went to school at 4.

Overall the deferement rate in Scotland is 17% for children, with 50% of children having Jan/Feb birthdays being deferred.

Thesimplethings · 09/01/2014 07:37

Forgot to say my 3 year old does 3 hours in the morning and 2 year old does 2.5 hours 3 mornings a week. Just enough time for me to do the boring jobs around the house and shopping. We are then free to do nice things in the afternoons and have a full fridge and tidy house. Plus dc2 has me to himself two mornings a week. Dc1 has his mummy time when dc2 naps.

Works for us, but every family is different

atthestrokeoftwelve · 09/01/2014 07:40

Ragwort I agree- depends on circumstance.
My children were close in age, we live in a rural copmmunity full of wonderful things to do and see. My 3 year olds attended playgroup ( with me ) three mornings a week, helped out at our naighbours farm regularly, including helpng at lambing time. We attended dance and sing alongs at the library, always had lots of friends to visit and bake for when they came too. Our local music group had tots singing groups as did the library in out local town. There were tadpoles to watch, runaway chickens to catch, deer and badgers to feed in the garden. Life was too busy to fit in nursery while they were every young!

Original poster
Slightlyneuroricnat · 09/01/2014 08:14

Thankyou
The school nursery will be beneficial to my eldest I think as I'd like her to get to know the setting before being there come next year between 9-3
I'm just aware that my younger will haver completely to herself for 15 hours a week and my eldest ( obviously apart from her first 10 months ) will never have that again

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