Your opinion please............

[pearce]

Really need some advice......
My daughter will start preschool in January next year. I have her name in a few places and am happy to send her to any of those places really. My preference however, is not close to the primary that she will most probably attend. I could send her to one that is in the same grounds as the primary school(although not affiliated) with the view that she will make friends that will move on to school with her.
Or do I go with my preferred choice of preschool and just hope that she will be ok starting school not necessarily knowing anyone??
Sorry it probably seems like a trivial issue, but I just want to do the right thing!!!
Help!!! (confused)

I would send your dd to the pre school that your prefer.

Although it is possible for children to make good friends at pre school, I really do not think that firm friendships are made until they are a little older.

My dd went to a great pre school but none of her friends moved onto the same primary school. She has been fine. My son will know one friend from pre school when he starts in reception in September.

So many children do not really know anyone when they start school, it is more important that they develop confidence and security to enable them to form friendships.

On a seperate note, how old is your dd? Not many preschools have a January intake these days...

Thanks for your reply - it was the answer I wanted to hear )
And very good point made.
My dd will turn 3 next March. I have found that several preschools do not take them until the term that they turn 3. Rather annoying as most of her friends are starting in September as there birthdays fall before Christmas.
But it's only a few months at the end of the day.

Oh and can I ask which preschool your dd went to?

Hi

I also think you should send her where you want to.

My son does go to nursery affiliated with school. The main advantage when he starts reception in Sept that I can see is that he's already familiar with the school policies & procedures, teachers and classroom setting which hopefully will help him settle in.

In terms of knowing people, about 8 from his current class of 23 will be in his new class. So there'll be ablout 20 kids that he won't know in his new class, and some of those kids won't know anyone. At this age I think they do adapt and make friends though, it's us mums who worry that they won't!

Thanks vbus.
It just helps to ask someone who has already gone through the process. First time around everything seems to cause me concern :$
Im sure with my second one i will be much more relaxed!! )

asquith kew and richmond sound like what you are looking for. both are private day nurseries, but on same grounds as state school. if you dont want to pay still worth asking because of that grant, but not sure how it works.

I think there is a slight advantage in knowing lts of the childrne starting priamry with you but only slight. DS started reception in Spet with one other child from nursery and he knew slightly another 2 or 3 from outside activities. Our school has a playdate before school starts with a group of the childrne starting together and to be honest they are so excited by school they are more focussed on teh teacher than school mates for the first month.

Lots of the MOntessori nurseries will take them before they are three - I can recommend the one on Sandycombe road in Kew if its helpful?

Asquith will take grant but obviously not until they are 3. But my DS went to both Asquith and Montessori (long story) and I don;t think the Asquith was that good as a "pre-school" nice and no real complaints but not a patch on "proper" nursery for preparing them for school. Mind you it doesn;t seem to make much of a differnce in the end looking at DS's classmates and where they went.