Is pre school worth it?

[littlebopeep1991]

My little boy is 18 months old, after a very unsettled start with nursery he is now happily settled with a childminder.

He’s a June birthday so will be young in his school class and I want to do everything I can to help his transition to go well. My concern is is the upheaval into a new setting worth the benefit he will get of going to pre school for just two days a week?

I’d say yes
all my kids did a mix of a childminder then at 3 some sessions in the pre school.
it gave them an opportunity to see what that sort of routine would be like and it was at the local primary so got them familiar with the setting and they got a buddy from the infants level to have as an older friend when they moved up
I thought it was worth it and when they started reception the kids who’d been to pre school were happy and just strolled in and definately found it easier than then others and for that alone I’d agree with you for a couple of sessions a week.

He's one, he doesnt need prepping for school just yet. Leave him to grow and theive where he is. That will be the best prep you could ask for.

Sorry I should have clarified. This is for when he would be 2 years 9 months/ 3. He will start school just after he turns 4.

we have to decide now as there spaces are all booking up for that time.

That’s really interesting Thankyou. Yes the place I’m looking at is connected to the primary school and they go for regular library and play visits there. Assume he’d also have a lot more friends already heading into the school

What does your childminder do? As a cm i go out do forest school, library story sessions with 4 other cms so around 15 to 17 children. We have group meals after toddler group, at song time the children request songs, join in actions and build up to being able to stand at the front (around 8 adults and 20 plus children) to sing a song. They meet all the prep for school objectives....self care, listening skills, independence, turn taking, seperation from main carer, seeking help from other familiar adults etc. all mine stay with me to reception no nursery and never have an issue. If you stay in, dont mix and dont encourage independence it might be an issue.

not Sure what you mean by pre school ?

my sons school had a nursery and all the kids who attended the school nursery did not have to do the settling in week which was a gigantic pain in the arse to organise as it was one hour on the first day two hours second day and so on we had to fly mil over too do pickups so wished we had him in the school nursery to avoid that and his smooth transition

He will xhange a lot by the time he's 3, and may be ready for more than a childminder. My personal experience at 3 they got bored with toddler groups etc as everyone else was at preschool so the other children were all younger.

I always suggest preschool for the year before they start school. You don't need to uproot him aged 2.

The days he goes to her he goes to a small toddler group which from what she tells me its mostly attended by other childminders so it’s always the same children and adults there. Then the other day she usually takes them out, often to a soft play that also does a toddler craft/activity session too.

Yes I do find it tends to be more younger children at the toddler groups I tend to take him to. I think that’s definitely something to think about

My daughter was with a CM until she was 3.5 (March birthday) then went to preschool for a year before school. It was the preschool at an independent school and very much like reception, which she was absolutely ready for, I don’t think all kids would be. But most preschools aren’t as formal as that.

I think with the 30 free hours from 9 months I think the number of children who haven’t done any nursery/preschool before 3 will be very low in future.

Do you mean pre school in a school itself? If so then I’d say it depends on the child, my eldest stayed at his nursery (although they had a pre school age room) until he started school and was fine but was very social. My youngest is the opposite and I put him in a school nursery when he was 3 for 2.5 days a week. I think it really helped him with starting school as he was already familiar with the building and some teachers/children.

Thats odd mine has mainly 3 and 4 year olds ive run it for 28 years very few babies

I’m a CM and echo this. It’s perfectly possible to prepare a child for school and being around that many children via childminder. But not all childminders will facilitate it to the same extent

I think it depends on what you need. My daughter is August birthday and had to move her from childminder to school nursery at age 3.5 (Jan). It was a really big upheaval because she had to go to before school club, nursery and afterschool club 3 days a week. That was a big difference to a long day childminder (8.30-4.30) 3 days a week when they had some down time and even a nap. It was very intense. However if you are thinking just preschool 9-3 I think it would be fine.

Depends on the childminder. Some do all the prep for school. Some recommend attending a pre school. Some do both.

Ive found fewer people changing to a school nursery nowadays they dont fit so well with work needs so majority continue with the setting they started with.