Pros/cons of full time pre-school?

[Stitchescounted]

I'm sure this has been debated by many parents and I'm not alone, but I just have no idea what to do for the best! I would really love to hear from people who have or have not decided to send their child to F1 full time.

Background:
I work part time since my maternity leave, so since she turned 1 my little girl has been in private nursery for 1.5 days a week, and my mum looks after her for 1 day as well. The other 2 days when I'm off work have been for days out, swimming lessons etc.

As she turned 3 last September she's entitled to her 30 hours since January, so we are using 15 of those to cut the cost of her private nursery (dramatically!). With the other 15 I decided to try her at the local preschool where she's been doing 3 afternoons per week (my 2 days off, then my mum takes her on her day). She still goes to the private nursery on the other 2 days due to the school hours not fitting around my work.

So, the preschool has been entirely just for her benefit - not compulsory for childcare as the plan was always for me to be part time until she starts school. So as a result it has been instead of our 'free time' and I was prepared to take her out if she didn't like it. Turns out she LOVES it. After the first few weeks of being reluctant to go in, she now skips in and doesn't want to come home. On the days she goes to private nursery she has a little moan and says she wants to go to school instead. I'm really pleased she likes it so much and she's come on a lot in just one half term!

This week her teacher pulled me to one side at drop off asking if I want a full time 30 hour place for her from September, as she's one of the oldest there's a spot for her if we want it. But I would need to claim her spot now. I'm just so conflicted on what to do for the best!

Pros:

• She loves school!
• In term time we will not have to pay for private nursery (which with her free hours is about £50 per month now, will still be extortionate costs in holidays!)
• Preparing her for starting reception in 2023

Cons

• I will have to adjust my work hours as there's no wraparound care for nursery children at the school (should be doable though, my employer is great)
• She will probably be exhausted (this kid still has a 2 hour nap every afternoon on the days she's home)
• My biggest concern and the main reason I'm posting here - is it absolutely mental to send my (then) 4 year old to full time school when it isn't necessary? She has so many years of school ahead of her, I'm wondering if it's crazy to send her a year early? I do not need her to be in school all day, I love having her home with me and taking her on days out - should I make the most of it for another year? But then I see all the pictures of what they get up to at school and it's all brilliant, and at the moment I think she misses a lot of the best bits by only doing afternoons.

I know it's not compulsory at this age so I can still take her out for the day if I want, but it's obviously a bit more restricted.

What did other parents decide?

I definitely wouldn't sacrifice your two days at home with her. Do they not have any flexibilty on hours at the pre school? My two went to a pre school which wasn't actually attached to a school and they just let you choose which sessions you wanted so it wasn't all or nothing.

I wouldn't, no. You have many years ahead of you both when you will absolutely have to run your lives around the school timetable. Don't start all that palaver up before you need to! School hours aren't particularly useful in terms of childcare, unless you only work five hours a day in the middle of the day. So it doesn't help you work, and it's just another thing to do.

Obviously the school want you to use your hours with them because that way they get the funding. But it doesn't sound like it would work for you.

Mine goes three and a half days a week and - that’s with wraparound care, so Mon-Wed he’s there 10 hours a day. That’s plenty, and uses up my 30 hours and then some. Thursday afternoon and Fridays are for us to spend together. He doesn’t seem to miss much on a Friday, there’s a great variety of activities throughout the whole week but all linked to the same theme so there’s no missing out on any core learning - they basically learn about the same thing everyday e.g this week the sound ‘d’ and recognising 5 and Humpty Dumpty is their main nursery rhyme etc this is explored everyday but with different activities. This nursery is attached to the school, very flexible. It’s a shame for a nursery not to be IMO, since it’s not compulsory education.

Yes they should be flexible but a lot of them are not and just do a few hours a day which is pretty useless for anyone who works.