Private vs school nursery for SEND child

[Shaz123456789]

Hi, my 3 YO is currently attending a private day nursery (school hours), he has special education needs (language delay, social and communication). He has got a place at a school nursery (he will be attending this school the following year). Even though the private nursery is amazing with him; i am thinking of moving him due to the transition process for when he starts school. Please can people share their experience of sending their child with special needs from private to school nursery?
thank you

If your child, and you, are so happy there, and there are no reasons to move ie: logistics or better timings, then leave him where he is

If it is right for him now keep him there and apply for ehcp from there

100% move to the school nursery. You will have access to a qualified teacher SENCO to help with getting the right support.

It's very hard to know what is best for someone else's family. Our child was at a pre school associated to the school they then went to. This definitely helped get everything ready for the EHCP application as soon as they started school. If the nursery can help start documenting the support your child needs with an EHCP application in mind then great. If not I'd probably explore that point with the school nursery.

Well it's either transition now or transition later. Personally I'd stick with where you are as you know it's working well. I should though say that I'm biased as I'm involved in the running of a pre-school which does brilliant work with many SEND children who wouldn't cope with school nursery. And in my experience, @mummyuptheriver, being a qualified teacher doesn't make them better at dealing with SEND for nursery-age children, someone trained in early years often has better experience and knowledge at this age (though there's also some great qualified teachers who are brilliant with them).

It doesn't and I know there are great EYFS practitioners, I am biased too as an ex-SENCO! It's more if you need an EHCP that SENCO's will know how to record evidence in a way that meets the often opaque and infuriating criteria. So likely you will be able to get one sooner. However, it's all a bit as long as piece of string because it does depend on the needs of the child, the quality of the school and the quality of the nursery.

My 3 year old DD has been in a private nursery for 1 year. Even though she’s happy there, the setting is very chaotic and I don’t think it’s actually benefiting her. Come September she’ll be going to a nursery school where she’ll have a 1:1 TA.

I already applied for the EHCP myself last year September so don’t think it’s only the SENCO at the nursery who can do it for you. I think it’s a good idea to get them into the term only routine as they’ll be starting school next year. My DD is non verbal but when we visited the nursery school, she seemed really comfortable there.

I can’t tell you my experience of how it’s been as she hasn’t started yet but you’re definitely not the only mum of a SEN child who’s in this position🤞

Which nursery has the more experienced SENCo? Which nursery is more likely to be successful in applying for an EHCP (if that's the route you're taking)?

Thank you so much everyone for your replies. His current private nursery does not have an ‘in-house’ SENDco, its someone from the council that comes to the nursery every few months to observe him and provide targets for the nursery to work with him, she is really good and has 18yrs SENDco experience. On the hand the school nursery has their own sendco. I think both would be happy to support with an EHCP as he is currently on a my support plan. However i do think school would try to speed things a little as they would want the funding and targets to be in place for when he starts reception the following year.
i agree that he would need to face the transition now or later but i feel the sooner the better. Also it would mean the reception school teachers will be aware off his needs and how to support him as he will have spent a year in the nursery.
I actually spoke to the school nursery today and they said it would be good for him as we continue a very similar routine from nursery to reception school to make the transition easier.