Nursery not what I expected

[andisea]

My child attends a nursery in one of the well regarded independent schools in Edinburgh. I am struggling with the overly structured classroom with its plethora of rules. I seem to be the only parent who feels this way. I am from a different country where nursery education is much more child centered and friendly so this is likely more of a culture problem. I am interested to hear how local parents feel.

I think pre school is mainly like that to prepare the child for entering school the following year. If you don't mind me asking what nursery is it your child is it?

There is a Montessori nursery school at liberation brae that's more 'free'

And of course there is the Steiner Kindergarten, in Spylaw Road, that is also more child-centred.

Have sent you a PM.

I would beware of Steiner if you are not a follower of the philosophy.

And yes, it is weird how early kids in the UK are taught in a rigid environment especially since academically, it has absolutely no benefit.

This is not my experience of private nursery at all. It sounds like a bad place and I advise you to look around.

Our very well run nursery has structure but it also has really interesting and stimulating activities, (cooking, gardening, nature walks, natural history projects, art, construction, dance) much of which are child-instigated, as well as having a great deal of free play both indoors and outdoors. The staff are like family to the children, and it truly is a home from home.

You can do better. If you're not happy, then you are right and go with your instinct. You must move. And tell them why.

Sorry, meant to say AND really interesting and stimulating activities, not BUT.

To be honest she hasn't said anything on my opinion making it sound like a bad place.
My sons nursery at an independent school is fun but also structured.
Rules are things like, no pushing, be nice to others, no shouting etc. Rules are needed for children to learn.
Routine and structure could be play for half an hour and then sit for a story etc.
She hasn't particularly said anything bad about the nursery really just that she isn't used to it as her country doesn't do it like that.

I'm a nursery nurse. We had a teaching student with us who had to spend the morning at another nursery then she and her fellow student came to our nursery. Our nursery is a deprived area nursery with a high level of poverty. The other nursery was a well regarded independent school nursery.

The student at the private school said she had been told off on the first day as she didn't dress like a teacher. She was expected to wear a suit. She also had been a learning assistant in nursery before going to uni. She felt the children were told what to do instead of it being free flow like we were when children would choose when to have their snack and if they wanted to go outdoors. The other nursery told children which area's they were to go to such as you go to snack, you put your coat on, you go and paint.

I know that I could never work in that environment. They were quite shocked in the differences between the nurseries. You have to go with your feeling if the nursery is right for you and your child.

When you say you are the only parent that feels that way, have you talked to your class parent rep and to the nursery manager about your concerns and been brushed off? Certainly my dd's nursery talks a lot about being child centred and play focused, i can't think it is an unsual view given the research. Clearly caring for multiples of children leads to sime structure but if it doesn't fit in with your beliefs then there are other options.

You don't say which school you're referring to (understandably) or the age of your child, but I have had one child go through their pre-school year in a nursery at one of the independent schools and agree with some of what you say. We viewed the year as preparation for school, but it was a big change from what we had experienced at his previous nursery. It was a much more structured environment with the emphasis more on teaching than free play iyswim. It was perfect for what we wanted, but we were offered a place this year for our younger child this year and decided not to take it as we felt it was too structured for him at 3. He will go next year for his pre-school year though as it's a valuable introduction to the school as a whole and they get to see a lot of the comings and goings of the pupils in the Junior school.

If you're not happy then I would just move him.

I would say run for the hills rather than look at Steiner - we were lucky to get out of that place!