Nursery or pre-school

[TheRealCurlySue]

ok so forgive me if I am asking stupid questions here but just looking for a bit of advice.

My eldest is nearly two and currently goes to a private day nursery one day a week. We live the nursery, the staff and the whole set up and DS really seems to enjoy going there.

Since having my youngest nearly 6 months old now I am only going back to work part time and had planned on moving DS to a local pre school partly due to cost but also due to the fact I hoped he might meet little friends who he would eventually move up to primary with. This pre-school is in a village hall and did seem nice when we went but I don't know if I want to move him now or not.

Is there any major difference between a nursery and a pre-school or are they the same except one is linked to a school? Will I be doing my DS a disservice by keeping him at the nursery?

The thing is I don't know if I am
Being a bit PFB about the whole situation, I remember being so upset when he went to nursery for his taster session while I had a cuppa in the next room is that where the unease is coming from the fact that It could be anywhere and I would feel the same? Any advice you could give would be appreciated!

I thought they're pretty much the same but a nursery takes them much younger than a preschool, who usually take them from the age they would get free funding (age 2-3).

They all follow the same early years foundation stuff I think.

Preschools tend to offer am or pm sessions whereas nursery hours are longer, for parents who work 8am to 6pm ish.

Preschools often follow school term hours and nurseries don't the same way.

Individual settings can call themselves whatever they like, so some Nurseries are day care for 0-5s, but other nurseries only take dc for school hours after they have turned 3. I know preschools that children leave to go to a local school Nursery the Sept after they are 3. I know other preschools that don't start until the child is 3. You can't tell from the name.
If you love the current nursery I'd think long and hard about moving him (unless it is a journey away, by your work maybe?).
At that age, dc just play with whoever is near them, so don't factor in 'making friends' as a reason, friendships are very fluid.

Thanks NewYear that has really helped. BackForGood you make a good point regarding friendships just thought as he would end up being here until 4 he might meet someone to go to "big school" with that would make the transition easier maybe a little more in my mind than his

Going to a preschool does not guarantee a place at the associated school later. "Preschool" revs to be used to describe settings that mainly provide the (state funded) Early Years Foundation stage - aka the "free 15 hrs", and will likely have formal session times. They usually follow school hours and terms and are usually linked to a school in some way, e.g.- on the same site, but formal applications to the associated primary/first school still have to be made, and attendance at the preschool does not guarantee a place at the school.

"Nursery" is generally used to refers to a setting that provides private daycare. They are usually open longer hours throughout the year e.g. 7.30 am to 6 pm typically and only closed at Christmas and bank holidays. They often also provide the Early Years Foudation work and sessions can be built into a longer daycare day, or not, as required.

Our village school has no preschool attached. My dc went to the village nursery for daycare when they were a year old, and stayed there until they left for full time school. Many children in their school classes did the same, or joined for their "free hours" at 3 or 4. There is overall no noticeable difference between the children who went to nursery or those who went to preschool in other locations.