Parents of 3 years olds in private nursery - can you help?

[gregssausageroll]

DS was 3 in July and moved from the 2-3 year olds group where he was doing well. Got lots of feeback, told what they were up to everyday and we even progressed a bit with toilet training although at very early stages.

He moves to the new group and the transition was quite hard. It took a good month for him to settle down. He's totally regressed training wise and gets very upset even at the mention of going to the potty or toilet. Also, I get no feedback about what they have been doing on a daily basis.

The children all seem pretty happy and the staff are nice but I just feel, well I don't know really but a bit like something is lacking. Nursery are following the curiculum of excellence here in Scotland and from age 3 they basically have full run of the room and make their own decisions about what they want to do.

Is your nursery the same?

What age group is the new group? Is it 3 to school age? It might be that he's now the youngest in the group, has a different key worker etc and there is a different routine. My experience is that there's quite a big step at 3 - most children are not having naps, its more structured (I actually think my childs nursery was the opposite to what you describe - less free play, more group activities (more like school). I'd make an appointment with his key worker / the senior member of staff for his room and ask whether its just a period of adjustment or more than that, and what specifically they're doing to support him.

I work in a day nursery, usually between the 2-3 room and preschool, so I manage a lot of these transitions.
Toilet training regression is actually quite common, as preschoolers are more likely to be expected to ask for the toilet rather than being reminded every e.g. Hour. You could ask your child's key worker to remind about toileting, but with the ratios in preschool being 1:8 rather than 1:4 for the 2yo a few accidents will still probably happen.

I will make an appointment to talk to them. Thanks.