How safe are preschools?

[beckyyl]

Hi all

Just looking for some opinions and if there's any pre school teachers that have any advice that'd be great!

My 2 year old is meant to be starting pre school in January, and with the latest figures and the news I just don't know if I'm worrying over nothing or if I should postpone him starting.

I'm also pregnant, had a few complications so classed as a high risk pregnancy (almost in my 3rd trimester). So obviously covid is the last thing I want to catch! But also I don't want to punish my 2 year old by having even longer with hardly any interaction with other children because I feel so guilty he's hardly done anything this year and he's such a sociable toddler I know he will love pre school!

How safe are pre schools and what would you do?? I'm so stuck on what's best x

Ps - I am in the Suffolk/ Norfolk area currently tier 2.

Hi op, my DC was due to start pre school January I've delayed until after Easter. We don't need the childcare at the moment though,so that swayed us! I just thought by Easter, and the vaccines and weather improving (hopefully) things may begin to improve.

Is starting around Feb half-term an option? It's just I've been strongly advised to try and not change other things in a toddler's life around the same time as the baby comes, and my SIL had a lot of upset from her 3 year old because she started him in preschool soon after his sister arrived and he seemed to perceive it as a rejection; obviously that's anecdotal but if you could space out the timing a bit more then I personally would.

They've spoken to me this morning, and they've advised I don't send him until after may half term. Classes will be of 30 children and it's not really a big place, so that's made my decision for me especially when they agree that postponing is also the best thing.

Thanks for everyone's opinions x

No cases in my dc’s pre-school/school nursery but quite a few cases in the nearby school. I think families have just kept ill children off and not tested younger ones rather than no cases to be honest.

Glad you've made a decision you're happy with OP, and hope all goes well for the rest of the pregnancy

beckyyl Would you look instead at a different setting? For that age group a private nursery would almost certainly have smaller numbers. 30 is an awful lot for a 2 year old and isn’t something I’d have wanted for either of mine tbh. I find it a bit odd they’ve said don’t come until May.

@Tiquismiquis

beckyyl Would you look instead at a different setting? For that age group a private nursery would almost certainly have smaller numbers. 30 is an awful lot for a 2 year old and isn’t something I’d have wanted for either of mine tbh. I find it a bit odd they’ve said don’t come until May.

I don't think I have any private nurseries around me, majority of them are all connected to the local schools. I think she's advised may on the basis that baby will be here Easter weekend and it gives my son some time with baby before then going to preschool so he doesn't feel pushed out days after the baby arrives which I can understand x