Move to Cambridge from overseas

[acoton]

Moving to Cambridge from NZ in June with a 4yr old girl. Wondering what music/ play groups, etc. are around the Abbey/ City area? She also likes swimming and climbing.
She's currently in Preschool here (they stay up to 5-6yrs before shcool), so am also open to a preschool 1-2 days a week if we'd get in anywhere? Any advice appreciated!

When is she 5? Will you not need a school place for her for September? Abbey has a decent swimming pool that do lots of lessons too.

Hi Jane. Yes, aware that school starts in September when they're 5.
Just unsure how preschool works before 5. Really asking if it's worth trying to get her into a preschool when we arrive or wait until September?

Will look into Abbey Pool, thanks.

Kelsey Kerridge has a climbing wall. As the adult you do the induction talk and then supervise up to 2 under 16s.

Personally I wouldn't bother with pre school as it would only be for 4 weeks or so. Just enjoy exploring Cambridge. Hang out at Lammas land by the paddling pool on a sunny day and I'm sure your dd will find friends to play with, it's always swarming with children.

Yes not worth preschool for such a short time. Do you have a school sorted for her? I'm sure they will do transition visits then you can meet some other children and parents before the summer holidays.

There's also Clip'n'Climb

If your DD is currently 4 then she will need to start school (Reception class) at the beginning of September. School places are allocated in April and so you will need to check which primary schools have places still available.

The school year ends on July 22nd and so there will only be a few weeks left when you arrive. However, if you have a primary school in mind, it might be worthwhile putting your DD into the school's nursery for the last few weeks of term, so that she can meet the children she will start school with.

(This assumes that your DD will not have her 5th birthday before September. If she turns 5 before August 31st then she will need to go into Year 1, which is actually the second year of primary school).

There are lots of local leisure facilities and activites for young children, e.g.

Swimming- Parkside Pool or Abbey Pool
Splash pads (Summer only) Abbey and Coleridge
Climbing- Clip n' Climb
Music- Encore concerts, Mr Baboon
Gymnastics and dancing classes
Many local playgrounds and great museums
Cambridge University Botanical Gardens for a beautiful green space to run around.