What is pre-school?

[completelyclueless1]

This is a ridiculous question, but I am the first in my family to have a baby (he's only 19 months so plenty of time).

I hear lots of other mums talking about 'getting a pre school place' etc. I understand it's attached to the school.

I work long hours full time so I don't see how I could make the hours work? He's in a great private nursery which he loves bit they are strict and don't let you chop and change things eg you can't do term time only.

It's the only nursery in town so I hope lots of his little friends will go to the same primary school anyway and he won't miss out by skipping pre school?

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

some children go to school nursery, some go to a day nursery. They both follow the eyfs and it doesn't make any diffrence to getting a place in your chosen school.

I just think it's a good chance to get to know the school, and the other kids parents (for you). The placements at the school shouldn't depend on a feeder nursery. In our case, the feeder nursery half days are free, no close places offer free hours, so pre school is cheaper, but I have a combination of reducing work hours and grandparents to make that work. I would need to do the same adjustments for primary school anyway.

In your case I’d stay put. I imagine a lot of kids with working parents will be from your current nursery as the logistics of the preschool aren’t very convenient. It’s the same round my way.

DD1 never went to pre school, just nursery. Didn’t make any difference to starting reception. For people that don’t need the full hours of day nursery, pre school helps get children into a school routine.
DNeice went to pre school, she was full time with a childminder, then did some pre school days (childminder dropped off and picked up) so she got used to the routine.
It’s just another option, there is no right or wrong.

Ohhhh I see, that helps!

He'll be well used to institutions after being full time at nursery since 9 months

My son's nursery has a pre school room. They get to wear a special polo shirt and sweatshirt and are a bit more independent than the other rooms. Just because a child goes to a school's pre school it does not mean they are guaranteed a place at the school. My son starts school in 2 weeks and three friends from nursery are in his class and 4 are in the other class.

We kept my daughter in the preschool room at the private nursery as the hours worked better for us.

Oh I didn't know that was an option! That will work perfectly!

In most private day nurseries when the children turn 3 or shortly after they move into “the pre-school room” and stay there until they go to school (the September after they turn 4). Speak to your nursery and find out what the set up is.

Your son will probably "do" pre school at his nursery most have 3 -4 rooms before he goes to Reception or p1 if you are in Scotland if you don't want to move him.

If you need the nursery hours because of work, keep sending him to nursery. Do they have a pre-school room for the 3-4 year olds? That is what we have done rather than the hassle of finding someone to drop off and pick up and cover holidays at a school nursery (would have been impossible with DC1 anyway because there isn't a nursery class at DC1's school). The pre-school room at the nursery they went to since they were babies covers all the same stuff that they do at a school nursery anyway. The only problem is that no one from nursery went to the same school as DC1, but she made new friends in reception. DC2 leaves pre-school next week to start reception in a few weeks, and, by chance, there are 2 others going to the same school but none of her friends.

Thank you so much!