Pre school place

[mincepielife]

When do you recommended applying for a pre school place? Little one will be 3 in the October of 2024 and looking to start him from the September (hoping the free hours kick in from the January, but please tell me if I'm wrong on that!). We have a pre school 5 minutes away which is attached to a primary school id like him to go to. My family are on at me to start looking now, 'get my name down' etc. but it's over a year and a half away... Is it too early?

Thank you x

Assuming a state school - why don't you look at their admissions procedure for the preschool (will be on their website). For a state preschool it will be sometime in the academic year before he starts (ours is a Nov-Feb application window). You simply cannot apply earlier. Private schools may have a "putting your name down as early as possible" system.

PS a nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place at a state school - you have to apply separately for Reception and that will be assessed by the LA or school's admissions criteria. So check out if you are a dead cert to get a Reception place or not.

Also - you say he will be 3 in Oct 2024. For many nursery classes that operate over a single school year (3-4 cohort) he would be eligible to start September 2025, not Sept 2024.

At our local school, he would be able to start nursery in the January or September after he turns three, and as a PP has said, having a place in the pre school does not make any difference to reception applications which are separate.

There will be an application window when you can apply for a place (note the preschool and reception application windows will probably be different) and this will be set out on the school website, if it has one, or you could call the school office to ask for details.

It varies across the country. If you want him to start at 2yo, you might need a stand alone one rather than a school nursery which are often just for those recieving free hours.

Does not work like this at all in our area.

I would look now OP and put his name down if you're happy with it. It not only secures his place but the days you want too. I work in a private pre-school and we have 1 year olds names down already. We are getting enquiries for 3 year olds but are having to turn them away as we are already full. Totally depends on how busy they are and how they run their waiting lists. No harm in a quick phonecall to ask though. You could book a look-around in then and there.