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Education

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Original poster

Does every child go to a nusery before they start school?

37 replies

housearrest · 10/07/2006 15:58

Hello

Am a bit unsure of this is the right place to post this so may well post elsewhere too!

I have a lovely 3yr old ds. We're fortunate to live in a decent area and he's just been given a place in a great school nearby (state, he goes into the nursery and then hopefully reception)-starting in Jan 07.

I'm a sahm and we do alot during the week, see friends, family, trips out etc and he has many opportunities to spend time with other children and gets on well.
Many people have asked me "when does he start nursery?" (and they mean private nursery/sessional care) and tbh I hadn't really thought he would until he started school.

Now I'm wondering whether it would be better for him to go to a nursery before he starts at the nursery school-be grateful for any feedback on this. Did your children go? Or did yours go straight into nursery school?

TIA

OP posts:

nooka · 10/07/2006 22:46

I have a friend who teaches reception, and skills like that are the things that make a difference much more than writing your name etc. I think it's just about independence in a much bigger group of children than most children (even those who have been at nursery) are used to.

FrannyandZooey · 10/07/2006 22:49

The things that make a difference to what, nooka? To how happy the children are at school? To how much they learn? Or to how easy it makes it to stick a huge group of children together and let them get on with it?

Orinoco · 10/07/2006 22:55

Message withdrawn

Orinoco · 10/07/2006 22:57

Message withdrawn

nooka · 10/07/2006 23:12

To how eaily they settle (and yes how much work they are for the teacher too). He has had children who still need their bottoms wiped, which can be problematic with a large class of kids! I think the lunch stuff is because the dinner hall can be a daunting place for small children (ours had theirs in their classroom for a few weeks whilst they got used to things) so it makes it easier if they are used to lunch boxes, and most nurseries don't change for PE, so again it's something to get used to. Also it may be to show parents what not to dress their children in / give them for lunch. I don't do yogurts for example, as we no longer have any spoons from losing them at school!

FrannyandZooey · 11/07/2006 08:06

Well, really

yoghurts indeed

alexsmum · 11/07/2006 10:08

i have spoken to the head teacher about it and she said that while it's not something they encourage, ultimately it would be up to me as i know my child best.he would go into reception at 5 not year 1.
as for reception being the same as nursery , i don't know if it's just the our school but reception was hard work for ds1.yes lots of play but also lots of work -full days right from the off,homework right from the beginning etc. He used to come home exhausted and then have to start doing home work.
ds2 seems very babyish for his age-far more so than ds1 was.i'm concerned with how he will cope with pre-school, never mind big school.

alexsmum · 11/07/2006 10:11

titchy-the funding thing is crazy! what happens if the child's birthday doesn't fall in the school year? surely an end of august birthday doesn't count as being in the school year.he wouldn't be 11 when they finish school.still 10!

titchy · 11/07/2006 15:51

They are funded in primary to the school year in which they are 11, and as the end of the school year is 31 august he's funded till then, even though he'd break up a few weeks earlier.

It kinda makes sense if you think about it - otherwise where would the extra funding for secondary school come from if they effectively are there a year later than the rest of their age goup peers.

expatinscotland · 11/07/2006 15:54

DD1 is starting next month. She was 3 in June and never been to daycare before. She's VERY sociable and really looking forward to nursery. When we visited, she didn't want to come home!

shewhoneverdusts · 11/07/2006 16:43

Hiya
my dd1 went to pre-school from age 3 and loved it. DD2 was another story altogether and only managed to keep her going for about 9 months. She had really big problems socialising and hated physical contact. I spoke with the pre-school about things and they were so horrible I decided not to bother sending her again. We tried a couple of others but I realised it was dd who had the problem nut the pre-school and kept her at home until she started reception at age 4 years and 9 months. She took a long time to settle, but with hindsight it was no longer than other 'sensitive' children. She is now a happy sociable 10yo with a huge circle of friends. Good luck in your decision, whatever you decide.

alexsmum · 11/07/2006 16:51

if he was going to be 4 yrs ,9months in wouldn't have a problem at all, even 4.6 would be ok.but not just 4.
i've just been talking to another mum at school about this.her daughter will be 4 in november and yet she and my ds will be in the same class!She is miles ahead of him in every way, and i find that very unsettling.

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