Pre schools and schools giving me anxiety

[Mambach01]

Hello! I'm going to try my best to keep this as short as possible. Our son will be 2.5 this Summer, and although I work part time, I've been lucky enough that my mum looks after him 2 days a week. He's very sociable considering he was born just before the first lockdown, as he goes to a lot of baby groups and classes. However, we're starting to think about getting him into a pre school one morning a week come September, just so he starts getting use to it and then gradually increase this over the year.
So one issue is I'm petrified of leaving him without me, his dad or my mum because I know he'll break his heart (is he maybe still too young if we don't actually have to have childcare?). But my main issue is, we live in North Wales, literally on the cusp between Gwynedd and Conwy County, but our postcode falls under Conwy, and I've come to realise that the school in our village (although it claims to be) isn't Welsh medium. For this reason this school is not an option (his father is English and I'm Welsh, and having him educated through the medium of Welsh is extremely important). This means that we want him to attend a school in Gwynedd (much higher rates of Welsh speakers) but we're outside of all their catchment areas! Other than "move house", where does this leave us? I know we've still got time to think these things through but I'd like to have a better idea of school before choosing his Pre School. Also, I work in Gwynedd county so travelling in this direction for school is also more accommodating. Any advice?

What makes you think the school in your village isn't WM even though it says it is? I have to say I'm a bit confused by that as this is normally pretty tightly monitored.

I have no idea about your location dilemma I’m afraid.

You could give one morning a week ago, it might work and you won’t know until you’ve tried. But I think the MN general consensus seems to be that DC need a few sessions per week to properly settle in and that age 2 can be a pretty tricky age to start childcare. If you think it’ll break his heart I wouldn’t bother. DS is 2 and gets very upset at nursery drop off. He’s fine within minutes and pretty much always has a good day, but if we had the luxury of family nearby who could provide regular childcare I wouldn’t send him. Toddler groups will give exactly the same experience for a fraction of the price.

I don't think 1 morning in preschool is enough, as it can be hard to settle going infrequently. Personally I'd wait a bit longer and go for around 3 mornings when he is 3 if you don't have to use it. Mine started nursery at 3.5 and are doing great. They would have found it trickier when they were younger.

Thank you for your replies.
@110APiccadilly I've spoken to many parents and the children say no lessons are Welsh, and I know the reception class teacher and she said as 29 out of 30 children in her current class are from English only homes so lessons are taught in English. That aside, it's also not a very good school.

I'm happy to wait to be honest, but my othet half and my mum think he'd benefit and it'd be good for his development. I understand why 2 mornings would be better, but if we don't actually need to send him then I don't think I could justify paying. It seems like a lot say 3 years is better, why is that? Also, we're entitled to up to 30 free hours of childcare in Wales the term after they turn 3, so wouldn't pay anything then.

Many pre-schools won't accept a child for one morning a week, as they are "settling in" over and over again as they don't get chance to get used to it, and it is too long between sessions.
There is no rush - presuming he won't go to school until Sept 24 ? you could start him after Christmas maybe, or after Easter and he'll still have 4 terms there.

Can't help on the schools question I am afraid.

With the school catchment areas, it might be worth enquiring if they are usually over subscribed each year. My son goes to a school we aren't catchment area for but which had more places than applications so we got in fine (it's a good school but there are several good schools nearby!).

I live near you. Wait until he's three would be my advice my grandkids did 2.5 hours each morning or afternoon for three days it wasn't rigid from this age. Even at three they weren't expected to use up all the hours.

The language will be fine you presumably as parents speak Welsh and English at home so he's bilingual. You can watch Welsh TV, read books, learn numbers etc. This will be enough for now. At secondary level he will fly in a Welsh school. I am surprised the school are allowed to only teach in English. I'd be having a word with the education authority

That's very strange for a WM school, and goes against the idea of immersion (whole idea, as I'm sure you know, is that it doesn't matter if the children speak Welsh at home or not). Still, if you've had it from the teacher, it's presumably true.

Might be worth double checking (this info is on the My Local School website) that it really is down as a WM school just in case. If it's not then Conwy will have to make arrangements for your child to go to a WM school if you request it.

You need to speak to the Local Authority where you want your child to go about their rules on admissions. They may accept your child without you moving, they may not.

We live in Flintshire. Even non Welsh medium schools legally have to teach their children Welsh. My kids have Welsh lessons and lessons taught in Welsh. And there are kids in their classes who speak a variety of languages at home. It's not WM, just the local CP. But I do think it depends on the school TBH.

I'm in England not wales but our village primary is "church of England" and some children come from "outside the catchment area" - especially if the families are religious but religion aside it is a very nice school. I think it all boils down to whether there is spaces in your child's yeargroup as if there is, the government funds per child on roll so they will want it full and so I'd not write it off yet. Speak to the school you'd like and ask for a visit round and speak to the headteacher and get an idea of what will happen. Let them know what's important to you as a family.
In terms of Pre-school 1 morning a week is neither here nor there - if you can't afford anymore wait until he's 3 and you get funding however I put both mine in at 2, with a childminder doing wraparound if we were at work as lots of schools seem to have a policy of offering first dibs on sessions to the 2 year olds that already go - they give them preference over 3 year olds that just rock up once parents receive funding so I did 3 mornings for both mine from 2 and increased it the year before starting school to 3 full days and this worked well.

Thank you everyone.

The school in the village next to us has recently turned into a Welsh medium school, so that school is an option, just a bit inconvenient with my work/my parents for school pick up etc as it's in the opposite direction. Ideally I would like him in a school in Gwynedd. I will definitely contact the county for their rules on submission, and to schools about over subcription to see where we could look into further. I don't personally feel lile there's an issue with waiting until he's 3 for pre school either really, but it seems lile everyone around me find it strange he doesn't already attend nursery? As though he's in the minority not to be attending anywhere yet at 2 and 5 months. Not sure why. Like I said, he attends a lot of baby groups, swimming etc. I hear you with him hearing a lot of Welsh at home from myself, but sadly, if he is immersed in a school where Welsh isn't the first language, he'll soon switch to English, especially if all his friends speak English, then confidence to speak Welsh (I feel) will be lost, so it really is an important part of his identity. I think this is one reason why the language is sadly dying!

I think it's lovely you want to keep that tradition going
With regards to Pre-school/ nursery before age 3, (having sent both of mine at 2) the benefits I found were it was great for socialising and making friends they'd eventually go to school with and it's on the school grounds so familiarity as they share facilities and my little one is there now he eats lunch with his older sister - which is nice.
The big thing for me was that "for continuity" the school give preference of days/ sessions to children age 2 moving into 3yr old funded spaces rather than new 3 year olds and if you work and rely on certain days - this could be difficult. I hope you get it all worked out tho it is a bit stressful sometimes.

the thing to also remember is that having a place for him for early entitlement doesn’t mean he has a place at the school for nursery/reception. You have to apply for EE, again for nursery and again for reception. You will not be refused your nearest welsh medium school but that’s not helpful if they’re rubbish. I am amazed that they’re not actually speaking much welsh in the welsh school. As pp said this goes against the idea of immersion. And I’m sure would need to be flagged to the LA. My kids are in welsh medium with 70% from English speaking homes and still only learn in welsh (with a bit of sandwiching in English in the early years).

you May find they have space in settings in Gwynedd even if out of county. But just make sure they are then likely to have spaces in nursery and reception down the line or you would have to move him school. If it makes you feel better, my kids went to English day nursery as babies/toddlers and welsh medium school from 3 and a half and they were still fluent by age 5