Nursery or preschool for 2 year old?

[MumOfTwitTwo]

Hi, my daughter is 19 months and I'm thinking of putting her in for a few hours a week once she is 2.
The nursery is very expensive (comparatively to what we earn), so I was thinking maybe the pre school instead as they take from 2 and it is cheaper.

I've no idea how preschool works in comparison to nursery - for example do they need to be potty trained?

I'm popping into the preschool this week anyway as I was going to put her name down for when she gets her free hours at 3, so I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for questions I should be asking? Particularly about sending her from 2?
Thank you! (As you may be able to tell this is my pfb and I am clueless!)

Bump

Go and visit and don't be afraid to ask questions. They will have heard it all before.

My DS goes to our local preschool one morning a week. He is just over 2 and they take from 2 so he is the youngest.

No need to be potty trained in ours, lots of the children aren’t. They don’t have facilities for naps so DS couldn’t attend all day (I wouldn’t leave him in that sort of setting for longer than 2/3 hours anyway).

I take DS so I can have a few hours to myself in a morning to clean once a week. He gets to play and socialise with other, older children, and gets to see some of the routines he can expect when he goes into foundation stage at school.

DS got free hours at 2 and I chose prescho over private nursery. They only provide half day so 12.15 - 3. 15 basically. No provision for naps although there's carpet areas etc so I imagine if a kid flaked out they'd manage.
No need to toilet train, there's a proper baby change in the toilet area and we just send in nappies weekly and baby wipes as needed.

I was worried preschool would be too formal and hands off but they do lots of outdoor play, lots of cuddles and affection, he's really come on and he's in mornings at 3 years old now. That's the school he'll stay in until he's 11 so I like that he's settled and it's familiar already

My son attended and still attends preschool. He wasnt potty trained when he started and they were fine about it I just had to sign something to say they could help him change his nappy. He quickly became completely toilet trained though because I think seeing all the other kids using the toilet spurred him on. He absolutely loves and I'm really glad hes there because we've registered for the school next year and he will know where everything is and have lots of the same friends.
I do think it depends on the quality of the preschool though. The one my son is at is part of a very small non uniform rural school. So they do have lots of time for individual children. It's very laid back and seemed to me to be no different from the nearest nursery.

They should be providing the same levels of care and both should be working to the Early Years Foundation Stage guidelines. I'd say to go and visit both and see which you prefer. Get a feel for each place. Ask lots of questions about settling in because that's important for you as well as your child. Bear in mind that funding is termtime only so you may have to top up at a nursery if they are open all year around (either paying for school holidays or they may spread the 38 weeks funding over the year so you'd get less hours per week).