When should my dd start 'free' nursery??

[staceym11]

Right dds bday is 22.10.04 so she'll be 3 october of 07, but our local 'free' nursery said she wont be eligable to go there until Sep 08 as she isnt 3 before sept, but surely then she only gets a year of free nursery before she goes onto school, thats not fair is it??

if i'v got it wrong someone please explain it to me, as dd is my first i really dont get it!!

You can get an LEA funded place for up to 5 2 1/2 sessions from the term after they turn 3, so Jan 2008 in your dd's case. It applies to many private preshcools, play groups and nurseries too as long as they fulfil the Ofsted and LEA criteria. This may open up some alternatives for you in the interim. Is the "free" nursery attached to a school and therefore follows the same end of August cut off for each academic year group. If so all the children will only get a year there before starting Reception en mass.

Also, your nursery may only have one intake per year.

thanks for the help, spoke to a friend who works in a nursery and she has said that all only do one year so she wont be missing out, she'll just be nearly 4, and although daunting for me (another 2 yrs of her at home full time) its prob gunna be good for her!