Move 3.5-year-old from private nursery to school nursery this September?

[GreenScroller]

DC is 3.5. She’s in a private nursery that we love 3 days pw. Grandparents one day and i work 4 days pw so we’re together on that day. We had planned to keep it like this for another year until she’s ready for reception. DP and i were walking past the local primary school today and there was a sign saying they have nursery places from september. We called them, yes there’s space and wrap around. So would work pretty well for us. The school is lovely and very close to home.
My hesitation to moving her is because our house is on the market. We’re hoping to move by the time she’s ready for reception so not sure if it’s worth the upheaval. On the other hand, the market is a mess, we’ve had very little interest and who knows what will happen in the coming months/ year with the change of prime minister etc.
Thoughts? I’d probably stay at 4 days pw so would have a day all to myself. The dream! But also is she too small for full time? We’re sending the application off tonight. Obviously will be a very quick turnaround to line all this up so we need to make a decision quickly.

What’s the advantage of the preschool over your current set up?

If what you are doing now is working and there is a good chance she won’t be attending that school I wouldn’t move her.

How will you manage the holidays?

We think academically/ developmentally she’d gain more as it would be more of a pre school rather than nursery set up.
would cost less too which is great but a secondary consideration (£200 v £500 per month)

Partner is a teacher

There’s a part of me that thinks this too. We’re trying to move, trying for a 2nd child. There could be a lot of change already. But equally, we’ve been selling/ moving for a while. The chain collapsed many months into waiting.
Same with trying for a second, it’s been a while now. So there’s a feeling of putting life on hold for things that might not happen.
This would be the school we would like for her to go to if we were to stay in the area.

Does she have to attend full time? Or is part time possible? Sounds like your current set up works well and has a good balance of time in childcare, time with grandparents and time with you.
For what it’s worth my eldest went to private nursery part time until he started school, it was absolutely fine. His school have recently opened a preschool and my second child is going to start there part time in September alongside their existing private part time nursery hours.

I think in your situation I'd be less inclined to make the switch due to your impending move, but when you move I'd look to get her into the school nursery where she will attend school to reduce further upheaval.

Fwiw, my DD (now 6) started at the school nursery full time about 2 weeks after her third birthday and she coped just fine. She was tired after but she enjoyed it and she made friends there that she now has in year 1 which has been lovely and has made a lot of the transitions easier for her to cope with.

It's a tricky one because of your planned move but either way you decide I think she'll be fine. Plenty of kids have joined my DDs class in reception and year 1 and seem to have settled nicely!

If she were going to go half days, I would definitely move her to the school, but I think full days plus wraparound in a school setting is too much for that age.

She'll be better off sticking with three days at a nursery and two days out in the world with you/her grandparents. She's got 14 years of full-time school ahead of her, I wouldn't be in a rush to make that 15!

Part time is either mornings or afternoons so it wouldn't really work for us as DP is at work all days and i’m in the office 2/3 days pw

This was the plan originally. We had everything lined up, applications sent etc

It sounds like you’re happy with the nursery, so I would keep her where she is, especially if she may not attend the primary school that the preschool is attached to.

We moved my 5yo from nursery to a school preschool. He has then attended a different primary school. With the benefit of hindsight, I really regret that we subjected him to these additional moves. He is sociable and confident so I wasn’t expecting how difficult the change would be for him. Everyone on MN says that kids adapt easily - and they do! - but I think it can be harder for them than we realise. Unless you are unhappy with her current provision or you are certain she will attend the primary school, I would not make the move.

Thank you for this. Our daughter hated nursery to start with. She’s been there for nearly 2 years and is settled now.
she also loves her day with the grandparents. And she really wants time with me so it’s great to have that extra day together.