Private,state or mix and match?

[Roo83]

Me and dp both have different ideas on education-but kind of came to an agreement that dc's will go to state school until secondary age while dp wants them to go private all the way. Our oldest ds is 2.7yrs so a way off yet but we are having some problems at nursery and thinking of changing nurseries. Dp wants him to go to the nursery attached to the private school and then go on to primary school there....really want him to go to our local state school for primary education-it's a lovely school and just 5mins walk from our house. Sorry to waffle....basically,would it be fair for him to go to the private nursery but then be pulled out and go to a different primary school to the other kids? Or would it be better he went to a feeder nursery for the primary school I want him to go to? Or send him private all the way through? Sorry if this doesn't make much sense,I don't want to make the wrong choice!

He'll get a better academic start if he goes to the private nursery. There will also be smaller class sizes and he will be more nurtured. I wouldn't worry about pulling him out to take him to the local state school for reception but I would start off with private nursery.

It also depends on where you live. If it is London then I'd private school him all the way as it's easier to get them in from nursery rather than at 7,11 or 13+

IMO it really depends if the private school(s) you have in mind are academically selective if they aren't then you will have to take into consideration that you will have to arrange 11+ or CE tuition for your DS.
Many parents start private tutoring after school from the age of 9 or 10 years old, compered to if they went to a private prep they would be preparing for these sorts of test in school time.

I wouldn't worry to much about changing at Nursery school age often children in state school nurseries go to other schools in the area too it's not automatic they will get into the reception class. Plus if it's more than a 1 class intake he may end up in a class without any of the nursery pupils that he's actually friends with.

State nursery for social reasons:

If he's going to go the state school then send him somewhere where he will meet lots of other preschoolers who will attend the state school; it will be harder to adapt to school if he has to make a completely new set of friends. Many schools have close links with a specific preschool and the preschoolers there will have more contact with their future teacher, also facilitating the transition.

Go to the nursery you like best. Simple as that.

At this age I really wouldn't worry about preparing them for private school, finding the transition hard, etc. My ds is in Year 1 at a state school, and went to a local state nursery, but several children in his year were at private (or different state) nurseries and none had any problems settling in. I think that because Reception is all about starting out and settling in, that is what the teachers concentrate on, especially in the first term.

Children at this age are surprisingly adaptable.

I know children who have been to playgroups and state nurseries who then got into very selective private schools. Most private schools don't want them too hot housed at this age.

I would send him to the best nursery suited to him and your time schedules/distance requirements. I wouldn't worry about him knowing children at reception especially as it sounds like you are not 100% certain where he is going to go.

You will probably gain useful insight into the private school if you send him to nursery there and then you can judge whether its suited for your child. Round here you can't get into the pre-school attached to the primary schools unless you have a sibling in the class. Also they are very large pre-school class and a very different atmosphere from many pre-schools.

If you can afford it choose a school suited to the child private or state. One size doesn't fit all.

Thanks for the advice. He's a real outdoors boy so am very tempted by the nursery attached to the private school-they do forest school and have a huge outdoor play area compared to the nursery he's at currently. We don't live in London, but there are several schools we'll be looking at later on-most are academically selective. I'm going to try not to worry too far ahead-just stick with the nursery I like best,good advice

I am concerned about the local primary state school my son (aged 5)attends. It is a good school, but I dont think he is thriving there. The class sizes are big and i think he just feels lost, (25 per class). I am looking for an alternative, fairly local state or private school with smaller class sizes. We live in the Newforest area. Can any one advise me of other schools?