Nursery school?

[Nigglenaggle]

DC1 will get a free nursery place next year. We have decided to home ed and are lucky enough to have wrap around child care so we don't need it as such, but I thought 2-3 hrs once a week would be good to teach independence and group work. I didn't like the idea of a preschool but there's a forest school nursery nearby and it looks lovely. Lots of time outdoors. I think he would enjoy it.... My question is, as it is a school rather than just a playgroup or nursery, will it register him as a pupil and mean we have to deregister a year later when they want him to go full /half time?

Bump! Anyone know?

It must still be a nursery even though it has the be school in its title
Is it an actual primary school?
If it is a Lea nursery they may not let you just do 3 hours a week. With most nursery schools they insist you do the full 15 hours or you give the place to someone else
I run a preschool and we don't offer just one session a week
Ilxhilsrwn need to do a minim of 2 or a full day as it is easier to settle a child
I don't think a child would benefit enough on just 2-3 hours a week

Is it a state nursery or a private one?

Thank you for the answers, I have been away so haven't had time to post again, but I do appreciate the replies

The school is listed as blahtown nursery school and accepts children from ages 3-5yrs, mainly aimed at free nursery places, but you can buy extra sessions if needed (I don't know if that makes it private or not?). I have a sneaky suspicion you may be right about not accepting just one session weekly though insancerre (excellent nickname :D), looking at the website again. I haven't actually spoken to the school about it, but there seems to be an assumption that the children will go daily.

I've had a couple of other people say that they settle better if they have more/longer sessions per week, but I know a few children who go to nursery for 3hrs a week and settle fine - maybe it's different with preschool as it might tend towards more structure. Maybe I'll just settle for trying the playgroup in our village. I'm not really thinking of sending him for the educational aspect (although it has a good OFSTED) as we do that at home, it just looked fun and I thought it would be good for him to have some time away on his own outside the family.

Regarding the free nursery education: You can take it at nurserys or preschools or childminders or forest (pre)schools. The 15 hours is a maximum. There is no minimum - however some venues only like full time kids because the admin is easier. Having said that, I would recommend at least 2 sessions a week because the child will settle more easily and they are more likely to make a couple of solid friendships. Session lengths at childminders can be longer if you wish it and you can even take the 15 hours over just 2 days. Other institutions have fixed session durations and times (typically 3hrs). An advantage of a nursery or childminder is that they operate all year round and you have the option of not doing school terms and are able to attend the whole year round (with a max of 11 hours a week).
You have to re-register each term and you can leave at any point if you need to. Rest assured there will be no follow ups from any authority simply because you have decided not to quit the optional free education.

sorry, should read = you have decided to quit the optional free education

Thanks maggi that's what I wanted to know