When to finish nursery for a child starting school in September

[justgoandgetpizza]

Ds(4) has been attending the same nursery since he was ten months, so it’s obviously been a pretty big part of our lives.

I am a teacher so I was going to have him attend until the end of July then have August off with me. However, his graduation (I know but I’m looking forward to seeing it!) is on the third weekend in July. So wondering if psychologically it would be better to have that as the sort of grande finale. Otherwise it seems a bit abrupt and one day he goes in as normal and the next that’s it, no more nursery. What do others think?

I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference to him so do what works best for your summer plans.

Yeah I don't think it matters
My dd graduated in July
She kept going until September the 1st and then started school the next day.
Most children stopped attending at the end of the summer term. Some of them were still going in the summer but it reduced every day until there was about three of them left !

DT’s finished nursery the middle of August and we went on holiday the next day. They knew their last nursery day was the last day before the holiday so it was a good cut off point. As soon as we came back from holidays they started school - we opted out of a staggered start and sent them full time from day one so it was straight back into a routine which they liked.

This.

It's your last chance for easy summer childcare, so if it works better to have him in a bit longer so you can sort some stuff out/have a proper break just do it.

There's no psychological impact to a lack of fanfare for the final day at nursery. It's not as if no one will say goodbye to him whenever he leaves, anyway!

I kept mine in until mid sept (staggered start). Whatever you do will be fine - some will go earlier and some later .

With dd she ended nursery the day of graduation cause she was only term time

This.

It doesn't matter. He doesn't know what 'graduation' symbolises. Take him out/keep him in in whichever way works for you.

My DC finished nursery at the end of August on a Friday (they attended 2.5 days each week) and then started school on the Wednesday. I did need the childcare though as I was at work but they loved going and got to see their friends for longer. There were kids who did term time hours at the nursery and they finished the same time as schools did.

DD finished mid Aug, a whole month after her graduation which was in July. Didn’t make any difference. She was perfectly well aware of what was happening.

Also a teacher here, my dc is finishing on the last day of school term as we are going away the first week this year. Decided they’ll finish then rather than going back after our holiday to make it easier to understand. Plus it gives us a long summer altogether

Thanks, I’ll probably keep him in until the end of July then, as it will be my only child free time all summer!