New pre-school?

[Unsure4589]

We're having a hard time deciding whether to move our DD (3) to a new nursery setting for pre-school.

She's settled where she is, but there have been so many operational issues and I'm not convinced that their pre-school is the best place for school readiness at all. It feels like crowd management rather than learning. A lot of her friends will be leaving to go to a school nursery (we sadly didn't get a place).

We have a confirmed place at a Montessori pre-school with a great reputation. It's a bit more structured, but suffers from a lack of natural light, and it means a change to our commute that's totally doable but not as good as where she is now. They open 30 mins later too, which could present a minor issue, and it's slightly more expensive. Finally, its unlikely many of her cohort there will end up in the same primary due to the tiny catchments round by us (think a few streets surrounding some schools)!

It also means changing our plans for DS as he's scheduled to go to her current nursery next year.

We're stuck. On the one hand it's a faff to change things now, but on the other hand, we do think our status quo is a bit crap, and we know we could do better for her. WWYD?

If she’s settled I’d keep her where she is, although it’s hard to get a full picture without knowing what the operational issues are.

School readiness is something you can work on yourself too.

All they really need is to put a jumper on and be able to take it off again, eat with cutlery and wipe their own bum, flush and wash their hands independently.

You also work on turn taking if you want by playing games like Farmyard Families.

There will be lots of ideas for encouraging fine motor skills needed for writing on Pinterest too. Mine used to like though outdoor chalks in the summer.

I think of a lot of the DC will be going to the school nursery then the numbers may thin out anyway and there are always less DC in Nursery in the Summer as families take holidays, especially during the school summer holidays.

The other alternative would be
finding a Nursery that you’re happy with and has places for both DC? Having 2 DC at different Nurseries does just sound like a huge faff though.