Could someone explain to me, in simple terms, school ?

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

I know that sounds daft, obviously I know what school is. What I don't know is what age a child goes to pre school, when you need to register them, applying for places etc. Is pre-school what I would have called infants? I get very confused as I am an oldish mum and all the year names have changed so when people talk about year 6 I think of A levels

Ds is 6 months old and it hadn't even occurred to me to be thinking about school until a friend told me that she's registered her 5 month dd at the pre school and infant school of her choice. Its not a private school just an ordinary state school. Do I need to get onto this?

Tia

*TwelveLeggedWalk I think the cut off date is the last day of August so if your lo's have birthdays in September they won't go to school until the next year. They are entitled to 15 hours free funding for a nursery place from the term after they are 3 (in your case you would probably have to wait until the January after they turn 3)

Does anyone know if the primary application system has changed? My DD went to primary school (obvs) but I don't remember doing the whole application form with x choices of school until she went to secondary (she is now in Y8, or the second form, as my mother would have it).

That system has been in place since before my eldest started school, and he is in lower sixth (year 12). I remember being a rebel and only putting down two schools, as it was highly unlikely I wouldn't get my first choice (2 form entry and I lived close), so I wasn't totally sure whether to even bother with my second.

englishgirl I think your friend is winding you up as you cannot register a 5 month old baby at a state school. The applications are controlled by the local council, or borough in London, and you only have to have them in by the January of the year they go to school - ie if your child were going to Reception in September 2013, the application form has to be in by 15th January 2013.

You only have to do down at birth for private schools, honestly so don't stress.

Ah, mummytime, maybe I only put down the one then, as we lived about 50yds from it. I certainly don't remember doing any visits.

When dd1 started we could register an interest in the school which just meant that they sent us a form and the booklet when the time came to apply, now it is all online maybe they will e-mail. If it is a primary school with nursery attached then maybe she has registered her for the nursery, hopefully she will realise nearer the time that it doesn't guarantee a place at school. Now is the time though to be looking for a pre-school/nursery.

I think that must be what it is bunnies. I'm going to pop into the preschool this week and go from there.

First / Middle schools - more common than you'd think!

of middle schools en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_middle_schools_in_England

Most middle schools start at year 5, though some start at Year 6.

That list isn't quite correct, as I thought Suffolk had got rid of middle schools, also it is only Windsor of Windsor and Maidenhead that has middle schools ( confusingly most of the LA has a change at 11 instead).