Help - very basic description of how pre-schhool and primary work needed!

[QPootle]

DS is 2 and I need a really basic run-down of what you can/can't should/shouldn't do. i knwo that I can start putting his name down at some places if I want to but have no idea how any of it works. I think they get a nursery place at 3, can do half days etc, but when do they have to go to primary school propery and do they have to go to a nursery before then or ...

they start primary as a rising 5, most places, unless they have a preschool attached and can start earlier. It varies from place to place. Mine have already started preschool at aged 2, which I have to pay for, but I will be looking for another place more suited to them for when they are 3, then they will start school the term before they turn 5.

Post 3 education is free ( the term after their 3rd bithday) and gives you an entitlement to 5, 2.5 hr sessions at any pre school or nursery.
You can have children at places before then but there is no government provision , although some employers can arrange vouchers which essentially mean you get your tax back on what you pay for childcare.
Nurseries generally take children from babies up to school age and are generally open from 8 till 6.
Pre-schools will take children from 3 up to school age,although some may take them at 2 if they are nearly 3. These normally run in the mornings and have just 2.5 hr sessions covered by the government voucher scheme, they are run locally by churches or voluntary groups and are generally funded by additional fundraising. Some though may vary.

Children are not legally required to attend school until the term after they turn 5. However most schools take children in the reception year from the September afetr they turn 4. Some areas have staggered entry for those whose birthdays fall into the summer months - this depends on the local authority.
Although you don't have to send a child to school until they are 5, it is generally advisable to start them in reception with the others as there is no guarantee of a place if you wait - not to mention all their friends are likely to be at school too. Even so some are terribly young when they start school.
You don't have to send them to a pre school or nursery before they go to school, but it has been shown that children who have attended some kind of pre school/nursery setting are more prepared for school. A bit obvoius really as they are used to going somewhere without you.
Most local authorities have an application system that starts the christmas/january before your child starts school to determine places. You can get application forms from schools or from local authorities, it is advisable to look at a few schools first to see what you like although the application is to the local authority so it doesn't matter where you gat the form from.
Pre-schools, some nurseries and reception year follow the 'foundation years ' curriculum - well the name will probably have changed agin - but essentially cover the first leverl of educational development - letters, numbers, social and physical development and that which is started at pre school goes through to reception. All children begin this at different ages and at different stages so if you only start in reception it isn't necessarily a disadvantage as your lo will be older and therefore more able to follow and will catch up anyway.
Your health visitor should be able to give you a list of nurseries and pre schools in your area - some pre schools are oversubscribed so its useful to get your name down early. Nurseries will take your lo if they have vacancies.
Private schools operate differently and you would need to contact each one invidually.
Hope this helps

my pre school takes them from 2 years plus, but I do have to pay for that.

Different in SCotland btw (not sure if that applies to you).

Free nursery places at 3 for up to 2.5 hours a week.

There is no such thing as reception and all children will start school at at least 4.5 - no earlier. All will be 5 by the time they leave P1 and move into P2. Straight into Primary 1 with no half days from August to June. We follow the 5-14 Curriculum and have no standardised testing like SATS etc. Noleague tables either.

Any Scottish mums should note that MN still haven't updated their "Big Issues" on Education in Scotland. So any information on those pages does not apply in Scotland. But as there are only 5 million or so of us....

Just another gentle reminder