Can someone please help me understand preschool/ nursery? Confused FTM

[Charlotteap]

Hi everyone so sorry this sounds so silly but I’m a ftm and quite confused.

when I grew up everyone went to the nursery that was linked to the school a few mornings or so, the year before starting nursery. However on looking, the two closest primary schools don’t have nursery’s. So as a SAHM do you send them to separate nursery’s? Is that the norm?

also when do you have to apply for primary school and nursery ? Would my son have chance of getting into these individual pre schools just for the year before primary school or would they be full of kids that have been going for years?

so sorry but where is this information available are we just meant to know how to apply to schools and when etc 😞 anyhow thank you in advance

Part of my job is nursery admissions and please don't feel silly. There are so many options that it is confusing.

The answer to your questions is that it depends - on the nurseries available near you, how over subscribed etc. I would recommend going to visit some and asking lots of questions about admissions and where the children go on to and where they come from and whether you can join at 3+ (the preschool year) or are places available only at 2+. Local Facebook groups will be good for finding options and getting recommendations. Also daynurseries.com is a good website.

Your childcare needs are also relevant as you might only want mornings or need full time extended days... some places will not offer all options.

You apply for reception places (starting school) by the January of the year they would start school in the September. Again, admissions processes differ but you can find out more about the schools in your area on your county council's website.

how old is your son? is he at any nursery setting yet? typically children will go to a private nursery or childminder from about age 1. They can stay there until starting school at 4/5 or they can move to a preschool attached to a primary school aged 3/4, the year before they start school. some schools have a preschool, others don't. being at one doesn't usually mean the child will get a place at the school for reception year. preschools are term time only. usually 9-3 Monday to Friday, some do morning or afternoon sessions, others allow a mixture of days. Private nurseries are usually fill days 8-6 and run the whole year round.

@lastchancesalmon thank you soo much that was super super helpful. So 3+ would ideally when he’d start his preschool year for a year before starting reception 4+ thank you. Sounds like I definitely need to ring some places, we are a small village but have 4 primary schools but don’t seem to have that many nurseries. The only nursery that is attached to the school is one that is the most poorly rated. I naively presumed every primary school had a nursery / pre school !

@GetUpStandUp4 thank you very much sorry I should have said he is not even 2 so I know I am jumping the gun but someone asked today if I planned on sending him somewhere before reception and it got me thinking , that’d I’d not even been thinking! He is not in any nursery setting at the minute but was hoping he could use the 15 hours the year before reception to get used to it , not sure if that is the norm with sahm. Or do some skip nursery/ pre school altogether! Sorry so many questions

There is no definitive answer (well, except the Primary School admission date) because there is so much cross over with language.
Things are also different nursery to nursery - it isn't even geographical.
Don't get hung up with the names, as the same name can mean different things.

So, as others have said, there are Nurseries that are 'day care' - originally for working parents. These are known as PVIs (Private, Voluntary or Independent) and you pay for a place, or, when the time comes, use a 'funded place' for 15 hours.
This was originally 'Early Education Entitlement' to encourage uptake of Nursery places to resolve the inequalities of children starting Reception, but Government have messed about with the funding for political gain, and there are all sorts of different fundings now available. In most Nurseries, you will have to pay a top up (called other things) to make up the difference between what the Gvmnt funding is, and the actual cost of the place.
So, as the places are not quite free, lots of people who don't need day care (eg SAHPs) still get their dc a place at the PVIs from the term after their 3rd birthday. So, if your child is born Sept - Dec, they get 5 terms of Nursery before school. If they are born April - Aug, they get 3 terms.
PVIs also cover extended playgroups, in Church Halls, Scout Huts, Parish rooms, etc.
Every single PVI runs independently of the others. Most are businesses, some are community run by a committee (see Church Playgroups). Fee paying / Independent / Private schools often have a nursery attached, too. You can go there even if no intention of going to the school.

ALSO
There are 'Stand alone Nursery Schools' which are not attached to any school, but have a HT, and teacher(s) and Nursery Nurses / Early Years Practitioners) who are employed by the Local Authority.
You don't need to pay here.
Some do 2.5 days, some do all mornings then have a different cohort of children in, in the afternoons.
However, this will be in school hours.
Because there is a teacher in charge, the ratios are much higher. They only need 1 adult for 13 children.
In a PVI they need 1 adult for 8 children.

ALSO
Some schools have a Nursery class, on site.
Same re cost, hours, and ratios as SA Nurseries

But, ANY of these can use names like 'Nursery', 'Pre-School', 'Kindergarten', Nursery School if they want to. Do NOT think that will describe the provision

If you meet other parents - do you go to a playgroup for example ? - chat to them, as they will know what is what in your area.

Primary school applications have to be in (done on-line) by a given date around 15th January in the year they start school in the September.

Remember, going to a Nursery attached to a school has no impact on whether you get a place there or not.
Admission criteria is on each school's website.
It is really important you choose realistic choices of school, and complete all the options you are given.

@NewName24 thank you very very much for that write up , that really did help and appreciate you taking the time. I will be making some calls and pop ins to the ones in our village