Pre-school and nursery difference / options

[OliveBlue]

My local pre-school take children from age 2. All the (decent and highly rated) local nurseries are full until my daughter will be 2 anyway...

What are the main differences between nurseries and pre-schools?

I know staff ratios are different. But I really can't see many other differences.

I also assume that children attend pre-school from September normally? So the September following their 2nd birthday (or 3rd as I know a lot are only from age 3). Rather than nursery where they could attend from a younger age...

Any advice on differences welcome! Thank you 😊

Preschool is for education and socialisation whereas nursery is for childcare, although of course they do the other things as well!

But if you need to rely on it as childcare I'd go with a nursery. If you're doing it more for the social benefits I'd go with a preschool.

Or visit both and see which you like t the staff, ethos, facilities best.

If you know which primary school you want to apply to and there is a preschool attached to that, that can be very useful as DC will be moving up with several children they already know which can be helpful for them if they feel anxious about the change.

Usually the biggest difference is opening hours! Preschool may only be 9-3 term time Vs Nursery is 8-6 50 weeks a year for example.
Sometimes they are just names (my DDs attended two places in the same chain... One called X nursery and the other Y preschool and they were the same set up in two towns. Both took children 3 months to 5 years. Similar fees.)

Ratio is the same at two I believe... 1:4. At 3 it depends on qualifications.

The main difference round here is the hours - preschool is school hours or less. But they will take them from their birthday, you don't have to wait until the following term unless you are waiting for funding.

Thank you all so far! That makes sense. Yes I think the opening hours are different.

I'm not reliant on it and like the idea that she will be so local and it's attached to the school I'd like her to go to (walking distance in the village) everything else a drive away.

Just arranged to visit the pre-school next week!