Is preschool necessary?

[Daphnedolittle]

Hi All,

My DS is 2.5 and has been going to a childminder 3 full days a week since he was 13 months old.
He took ages to settle but now loves it there and is thriving. She has 6 children in total and runs it with her husband, so he has lots of social interaction. He attends toddler group and music group each week with her. He also does loads of activities and is very well stimulated there.
He is quite bright, knows his alphabet and can count to 20, and speaks in full sentences so I'm not concerned with his development.

Anyway I'm now starting to feel the pressure to organise a preschool place for him as the waiting lists round here are huge.
He currently does long days 7.30 - 6 which would be hard to manage at a preschool. My childminder doesn't do pick ups and drop offs so that's not an option.
Also, he took so long to settle I worry about moving him to preschool then moving him again to start school.

Basically what I am asking is will he be disadvantaged if he doesn't go to preschool? Or am I worrying over nothing?

Many thanks in advance

In your situation I would only be tempted if the pre school was attached to the actual school he will be attending. If that was the case and the children get to know the school and join in some school activities, then it can be worth it in terms of helping them settle into school life.
If it would just be a random pre school then I’m not sure there would be any advantage.

Thanks Missy that's useful to know.

If your DC is with the childminder while you're at work then I'd leave them where they are with her. Especially if she doesn't do pick ups!

I put my boys in at preschool/nursery attached to their school when they were both 3 because I was working part time at the time and able to take them myself. Although now I'm having to get a childminder to pick up my youngest! Going to nursery/preschool doesn't guarantee your DC a place in reception at the school (round here anyway!).

So personally I'd avoid moving DC just now and waiting until reception.

Cm- I have had children move to nursery, split pre school and mine and some have stayed with me .

I would say all have done well at school. I would say one shy boy parents moved to nursery as they thought he needed to get used to a bigger group before school.

So I think look at what your Ds needs .

Thanks for all your views.
DS is quite shy, not overly so but is definitely on the more reserved side.
My only concern with the CM really is that she might have younger children to look after by the time he is 3 and she can't tailor activities specific to his age group like a pre-school can.

Only you can see what your CM is able to offer. My mindees stay with me until they school. I make sure they are challenged and mix with children their own age.

I always say, if a child is going to struggle with a large setting when they're 4/5, then why put them through it any earlier.

Why don't you arrange a meeting with your CM and see what their plans are for the future development of your DC.

Going to pre-school when nearly age 4, so for the year before they go to school, is fine. I have cared for several children who have had three sessions a week at pre-school only in the year before starting school.

Do what you feel is right for your child. Some are much better being with someone on a 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 ratio rather than being in a larger group setting like pre-school.

These comments are very helpful thank you. Particularly useful to hear from other CMs and I will speak to my CM about her plan for him if he was to stay till school age.
It's a good point about if a large setting is difficult at age 4 ot 5 why do it any earlier, I hadn't thought of it like that. I don't want him to have to go through repeated upheavel if it's not necessary.

Definitely talk to your cm as suggested. People have a very old fashioned idea of child-minding settings and most who say children need to move to nursery don't really understand and often have no experience of what modern good child-minding can be like.
I've had parents move to nursery at 3 (school) and found that children went backwards as they were kept to the less independent children level 3 families in 2 schools pulled them out with complaints like x no longer writes their name as school write it for everyone, y has forgotten how to put their coat on, I have children who could cut rough shapes before starting who now can't hold a pair of scissors.

Thanks for the useful suggestions everyone. I spoke to my CM who said very similar things to you Jannier.
She has reassured me that her setting is a great place for DS to stay so I think I will keep him there till he starts school.