When (or whether) to switch from daycare nursery to pre-school

[boo64]

Ds is 2.5 and is very happy at his daycare nursery.He goes three mornings a week for just under five hours, all year round whilst I work.If he switched to a pre-school he would go five mornings a week for about three hours so the total time would be the same. BUT there would be the problem of school holidays.

I am concerned about what to do in the school hols as I wouldn't be able to work and also I love the way ds gets great meals at his nursery and would miss that. Obviously one day I will have to deal with these issues when he starts school but if I can put it off till then that would be ideal.

BUT is there something that's better about pre-school rather than day nursery?
How do they differ?

I was very fortunate in that I started maternity leave with DD at exactly the same time as DS was due to start pre-school. (great timing!) I loved his pre-school, but tbh I was also very happy with his day nursery and would not have moved him if I hadn't been on maternity leave anyway.
There are +ves with both settings, and if your DS is happy I would leave him where he is, school hols are a big consideration if you are working.

They should both work to the same Foudnaton Stage Curriculum from aged 3 . It might be worth asking how this works out in his present nursery since the hours/weeks suit you better and when he qualifies for LEA vouchers you could probably use them there as well (has to be Ofsted and LEA approved to do so).

Depends on your ds too in part I feel.
I saw my ds's nursery school as a good preparation for going to "big school" when he's 4-going-on-5. (They share certain activities with reception and year 1. They use the "big school's" hall and and library and attend assembly a few times each term. Plus they all play in the same playground before school kicks off. They also get assigned mentors further up in the school to look out for them and help them out at, for example, sports day.)
So long as my son feels secure and happy, though, he's quite confidant and outgoing. (I should add the school is relatively small too with only one class of 26 kids in each year.)
Generally I would have expected the daycare setting to have to fulfill the same goals as the school-type setting tbh though.

Thanks for your replies so far.

His current nursery does take the funding vouchers so that's not a problem.

The alternative that I was considering is a stand alone pre-school so there is no benefit in terms of getting used to the 'big school' environment and to be honest given a. ds is little for his age b. can get quite daunted by boisterous bigger kids maybe he wouldn't be ready for that yet.

Interesting that they do the same curriculum anyway as that was one of my dh's questions - he wondered if there was more play at nursery and more learning at pre-school (although I am not so bothered about this as ds is still so young for learning and seems to be doing fine with numbers letters and colours at his existing nursery - he can even do very basic subtraction and addition e.g. if there were three mummies and one left the room, how many would there be!!! Couldn't resist a boastful mummy moment!!)

If you are happy and your child is happy with the current arrangements, I would NOT recommend you move. Children - especially under 5s - need continuity, not a pre-school version of musical chairs. If you work during the school holidays, then I would stay away from pre-schools. Trust me on this way - I know from experience and as someone who is on a committee of a pre-school.

Your child will get into the"system" soon enough! If he is happy at his nursery leave him there he will be getting exactly the same learning environment to the same standard but it may be better in that it's daycare environment not a school one.

For your husbands info that's how they learn best through play !! We are one of the few countries that push our LO's into formal education so young, Sweden & other european countries have daycare centres until 5/6 yrs old then formal school & the kids learn as well if not better than ours as they are more mature & ready to learn.

I have the same dilemma and have pretty much decided to leave DD where she is. For us it was the fact that we would need someone to care for DD before and after pre school for the 2 days I work which would have meant quite a disjointed day for her. Plus we have all the hassles of school holidays, etc. I was talking to a friend today who had her DD at preschool which basically involved her going to one nursery in the morning, being picked up by a childminder to go to preschool for the afternoon and then being collected by grand parents in the afternoon, It worked for them becuase g/parents were near by to fill in the end of the day and the holidays but we dont have that. I will be coming to the end of my mat leave would be due to start pre school so have decided to put off any decisions until then. IN the meantime I will apply for a place to give me the choice in case I dont get back when I plan.

I think I'm going to leave him where he is then. He will be going to school at just turned 4 anyway as he has a July birthday so it should be fine. Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this.

good luck Boo I'm sure he'll be fine!!

Just to add: leave him where he is if he's happy. My DS is at a day nursery 2 days a week and I haven't even tried to get him into a preschool as both the hours of the nursery (and it being year-round) suit me for work, and he is very happy there.