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Preschool education

Get advice from other Mumsnetters to find the best nursery for your child on our Preschool forum.

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Original poster

When should my Daughter start school..?

30 replies

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 13:52

Hi , My daughter is 2 years old. And very much ready for school :-) she always tells everyone she's going to school and is going to draw with all the other boys and girls, and gets very excited when we pass the school I have chosen for her.
We went down to the school around January of this year and put my daughters name down. However I am unsure whether I have put her name down for when she is five years old..? As someone told me that you have to put down their n name for pre-school? My friend has a son and he will be three in November, her son is due to start half day education in september this year.
My Daughter is 3 in December and I have had no letter confirming that she has a place or even when she will start.?
My daughter is my eldest child and so I am new to the procedure of schooling side of things, if anyone can help, much appreciated.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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domesticsluttery · 30/07/2010 13:55

My DC started nursery school the term after they turned 2.5 and the reception class in primary school the term after they turned 4.
I had to apply to each of them seperately.

It might be worth giving the pre-school a ring to check that she has a place and when she is due to start.

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 13:58

Thanks for your reply, I will ring them now.

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domesticsluttery · 30/07/2010 14:00

Will there be anyone there at the moment to ring? It is the middle of the summer holidays in most places!

PixieOnaLeaf · 30/07/2010 14:04

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ben5 · 30/07/2010 14:12

the term after there 3rd birthday they will be entitled to preschool. some preschools will take 2 year olds but you will have to ask. both ds went to pre school from 2 for 2-3 afternnons a week, we had to pay for this.

katiepotatie · 30/07/2010 14:21

We had to register dd at pre school on her 2nd birthday, she starts pre school in August at age 3.5, she has 2 years of pre school then starts primary school, when she will be 5.5

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 17:14

My Daughter isn't like most two year olds, very advanced, knows all the nursery rhymes, abc from start to finish, can count to quite a high numbers and when ever we pass a school with children she always wants to go in and explore, so yes ...she is 'ready for school'!
I did ring the school, and someone answered and said that there will be no-one in to deal with my query until Monday, so I will ring back then.
I did to register her 4 weeks after her 2nd birthday, just wondered whether that's all I had to do or whether I had to get in touch with a pre-school too?
Hopefully I'll have some answers on Monday. Thanks for your advice everyone.

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loonyrationalist · 30/07/2010 17:22

"My Daughter isn't like most two year olds, very advanced, knows all the nursery rhymes, abc from start to finish, can count to quite a high numbers"

Bless you - is great that you are so excited about your dd's development but how many other 2.5 year olds have you been around - IME many many can learn these things "parrot fashion" but are unable to apply them. She can count from 1- 100 but can she tell you what number is after 12?

When you visited the school what age were the children 3-4 or 5+? that should tell you where you have put her name down for..

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 17:29

It's from nursery age. nursery and then goes onto reception. I have (in my family and friends) 4 other children the same age as my daughter and not any can do half of what she can do. I do take pride in her development and if I could I would keep her at home a while longer, but feel sorry for her when she sees other people arriving home from school at family's houses and gets upset and says she wants to go. I do know though that when she goes she will probably cry and the excitement of it all will wear off.

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Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 17:38

I have just used the useful resources on here for the nursery placements which I hadn't seen before . (I only joined today)
So I now know that the school minimum age to start is 3 years old. Just didn't know why I hadn't received a letter but looks like I will nearer the time to Jan 2011.
Thanks again

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PixieOnaLeaf · 30/07/2010 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

purepurple · 30/07/2010 17:58

Best thread today.
So funny especially the bit about knowing all her nursery rhymes.
Where's that needle and thread? I need to stitch my sides back up again.

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 18:01

Well done to your son, you must be very proud.
And purepurple glad you enjoyed this thread, definitely given me more of an insight into what I needed to know

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Lulumaam · 30/07/2010 18:01

you might find by the time she starts school, and will be five when she starts as she is a winter baby, most of her peers will have caught up

she should start pre school the academic term she is going to turn 4, i.e she will start in the september when she is 3.10. and school the following academic year

you could put her in a private day nursery before then , or jsut do lots of activities with her.

don't wish away these pre school years

Lulumaam · 30/07/2010 18:02

sorry, she'll be almost 5 by the time she starts

loonyrationalist · 30/07/2010 18:03

Family1st.

Free funded places are from the term after your child turns 3 so yes January for you. Pre-school start age depends on the pre-school. DD1 started at 2 1/2 - I paid for her place until it became free. DD2 will start a little earlier than that as they have changed the setup & take 2 year olds now.

DD2 btw is 17 months. She is the most excited at pre-school & cries when I take her home after dropping DD1 off - this does not mean she is ready to start as she would not be able to cope with the independance required & the staffing levels (1:4 even for the youngest) would not be enough for her yet.

domesticsluttery · 30/07/2010 18:05

Myfamily1st didn't you realise that all mumsnet children are advanced?

Lulumaam · 30/07/2010 18:07

yes, emotionally , i doubt any two year olds are ready for full time school

loonyrationalist · 30/07/2010 18:08

Lulumaman - not all pre-schools - most in our area welcome those from 2.5 onwards & whilst the attendance is highest from those in their final year (this is down to the free place & parents wanting them to get into the school routine a bit) it is a valuable resource for those from 2.5.

Myfamily1st. Thought I shpuld add that the early years foundation stage (EYFS) is all about learning through play so don't expect them to be actively teaching your dd more facilitating learning through play iyswim- the EYFS extends until the end of reception year at school.

As an example my DD1 wasn't "taught" how to correctly hold a pencil but by interacting with her & leading by example she has picked it up.

PixieOnaLeaf · 30/07/2010 18:09

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Message withdrawn

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 18:10

Ok , I totally understand where you are coming from, I didn't mean ready for big school (over 5's) when I stated she is ready for school, just maybe to be around more children on the same level that she is at. I do take her to an activity centre with me and her brother, my youngest child of 1 years old. And she loves the time here, but it's only from 10am-12pm 1 day a week.

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NonnoMum · 30/07/2010 18:13

MyFamily - sorry if people aren't taking you seriously, but welcome to Mumsnet!

Which month was your daughter born in?

Just a thought - is there a really good day nursery near you? You might want to pay for her to have a couple of sessions a week - that way can pretend she has started school (of sorts) and she can get used to the whole process.

PS - My daughter is 2 and a bit and will be in pre-school room at her nursery in Sept. (There aren't nurseries attached to the schools round here. She loves it and thinks she is going to school...)

Lulumaam · 30/07/2010 18:18

thanks for the clarification..

Original poster

MyFamily1st · 30/07/2010 18:24

NonnoMum Thankyou so much for your positive reply. Yes there are other day nurseries around here, but this is why I was asking really as I'm not too clued up on this whole process and was under the impression that you had to choose the pre-school or nursery attached onto the school they would follow too.
She was born in December. The reason I was asking is because my friend has a two year old 5 weeks younger than my daughter but he starts in September this year at his nursery (half day sessions) it's not that I'm wishing 'my daughters life away' as some have put it, I just wanted to know whether I had put her name down at the right place (primary school) and wanted to be sure I hadn't missed her place.
Again thanks for your reply.

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TeaOneSugar · 30/07/2010 18:36

I'd never have guessed you've only just joined

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