Can a childminder be as good as a nursery?

[Fiona2011231]

Could you pls advise?

My son has been at a nursery since last year and he is nearly four now. At the moment I'm not very happy about the nursery, as almost all teachers have gone and the new ones do not seem very friendly.

I'm thinking about the childminder choice. However, do they follow the same teaching programme like a nursery? Can you child play and learn enough from a childminder to prepare for the reception class?

Thank you.

My personal opinion is that a childminder is better than a nursery, closer bond, home setting, one carer etc. but depends on what your looking for really.

Childminders do also follow the same educational goals as nurseries however.

We have to follow the EYFS, the same as a nursery does. All childminders and the quality of their provision differ as do nurseries. You may find that a childminder has a less structured environment, although the opportunities for learning through play are increased as interesting outings are easier to organise with only a handful of children. We have adaptive planning instead of a more rigid plan to adhere to.
That said, all of the children I have looked after have entered nursery, not reception, knowing how to recognise and write their names, numbers up to 20, letters, shapes, colours, how to make a tasty cupcake and how to race snails.
It's as much your job, if not more, as it is the nursery's to prepare your child for school.

if your child is nearly 4 then I think a more structured nursery would be better. I have always had a CM for both my DC which IMO is miles better than a nursery. But DS2 who is 3 will be going to a school nursery in September which will really suit him. For younger children the only viable option is a CM, but for older children a nursery is good

Thank you for all your advice. Apart from the teachers' issue, I think of my child's shyness. So somehow I suppose a good childminder, based on Ofsted report, may be suitable.

Of course, now is May, so if I move, then there will be two or three months to go before my child enters the reception class. However, as I'm not satisfied about the nursery, I am thinking about a childminder.

I think a childminder can be better than a nursery. the children in my care learn through life. Today we have learned about the weather and the effect it has on the world, we have also learnt a lot about mini beasts and their environments. we have recognised numbers and number order. we have also counted and added 'one more'. we have socialised with children of the same age but also some of different ages and also spoken to adults and asked and answered questions confidently. we have also developed our fine and gross motor skills oh and learned about self care.
how have we done this? by going on a nature trail in the park.
there are probably a million and one other things we learned today, colours, shapes etc etc and lots more to be learned tomorrow.

I may have a less formal qay of learning than a nursery but the children who leave my care do generally leave me to start reception with a good knowledge of letters and sounds, are able to count to 20 and sometimes beyond, count backwards from 10, identify shapes and colour and just have a general knowledge about the world
around them. They also tend to have a fabulous imagination brought on through free play (imo). my eldest 2 children didn't seem to have this and I always wonder now if this is because they were at nursery from 1yr old and their play was always more structured.
sorry for the long post x

What about a childminder for the childcare element and a preschool to prepare for Reception?

just read your 2nd post and wondering if it isn't a lot of disruption to your child moving him now only to move him again in september. could you not resolve your issues with nursery. I suppose if the childminder will be caring for your child before/after school and during the school holidays it would be fine but if not I would think carefully x

Yes, disruption is what I fear. I would hope a childminder would be suitable enough so that we can ask for her assistance next year, too. In that way, I think it would help the child settle.

I'll try to talk to a few childminders tomorrow to have a feeling of what they are doing.

I am a CM, preparing 2 children to go off to school in September. I have followed EYFS, same as the local nurseries and pre schools. They can make friends with strangers, find their names, hang their coats on pegs, put paintings in their drawer, join in with story time, eat with a knife and fork, get dressed, run, jump and climb and understand what a register is.

I'm hoping they will be just as ready as all their peers who come from nurseries (or home).

Yes a childminder can be as good as a nursery. (Better sometimes IMO).

If you need a CM for wraparound care when your DC starts school I would go and see a few and you might be able to start in the Summer holidays so that your DC is used to going and doesn't have to make the change to two new places at the same time.