is pre-school nursery better for over 3s?

[micegg]

I have another thread going about whether to keeo my DD at nursery when I am on at leave which has lead me to this. What are your opinions on keeping a 3- 5 year old at 'normal' nursery versus going to a pre school nursery. My DD is only 2 so this isnt an issue for me for another year other than acording to my local coucnil website I should have registered with my first choice school by now. I dont really understand the differences but have had these thoughts:

Pre-school : Only 2.5 hours a day so would need wrap around care for the days I work;
What do I do to cover holidays, etc.
Good preparation for school particulalry if they go the attached school;
Being taught by teachers may mean they have better grasp of numbers, etc when they start school (does this matter surely they catch up?)
Have to go 5 days a week which would mean missing other things

Nursery:
Current nursery seems OK for 3-5 education from Ofsted but looks like there arent that many children of the 4-5 aged group possibly because parents move them to pre-school;
Only 2 days a week - Is this too little?
Expensive!

Hi.

Pre-school curriculum requirements and nursery will be the same, all working from same requirements. If a general pre-school, rather than a nursery school the staff will not necessary be teachers, will have same qualifications as the nursery staff. Only benefit for pre-school is the slightly older age group, but most pre-school take children aged 21/2-5yrs so will be no different or a bigger age span than say a 3-5yrs nursery room. The reason not many 4-5yrs in nursery is that most children start school at 4yrs, depending on when they are born in the year, for instance a child born in June might go full time in Sept, or part time in sept, some areas do a january intake but not many. Hope this helps. Main difference is the cost.

If i got it wrong and its a nursery school i apologise! In that case you would need to weigh up what type of educational experience is most suited to your little one. Some children find a more formal environment a little overwhelming and prefer the informality of a nursery, where as others seem to thrive in the nursery school.

Thankyou very much. My DD will be 5 in October so I beleive would start school that sep when she will be virtually 5. Just not so sure if she wouldnt have outgrown a nursery room for 3-5 year olds by then especially as there are not that many older kids there.

is there a nursery attached to the school your dd will be going to? I would go and have a look at it, then you might decide what is the best option, I think it can be good for children to see where they will go to school, but if it is not practical then I don't think you should beat yourself up about it.

IME my dd and ds (with SN) have had a very good quality of care at pre-school nursery, the staff are enthusiastic, my children have made friends with children they were going to school with etc....but I am sahm so I have not had the problem of childcare to deal with... but whatever you plan for your dd you will eventually need wrap around care when she goes to school, so you will be dealing with the school holiday issue a wee bit earlier if you take the pre-school nursery route