HELP! Clueless about Preschool / nursery!!!!!

[Rondels12]

Hi there

I am trying to wrap my head around what sort of preschool education will be best for my LO's development and education. I am a stay at home mum and am in no rush to get back to work as I love spending time with her. But I know preschool is important for development and would not want to keep her from any learning she needs to do.

We want her to go to private school so I need to know what sort of preschool / nursery she needs to attend to be accepted in the a private primary school as well as what age she has to start going to preschool/nursery!

If anyone can give me some advise I would greatly appreciate it!

Admission to private school will depend on the school you have in mind, and the type of assessment process they use. Do you know which school you want her to go to?

Pre-school isn't important for any child's development so if you're having fun with her at home and she gets some chances to play with other children then don't change a thing.

I would suggest she does 6 months+ in a pre-school setting before she starts school simply because they has higher staff to child ratios so it's a bit of a kinder, more flexible experience for them. Of course if she goes to private school they'll have better raotios anyway so that may not apply.

I'd speak to the school you want her to go to and see whether they have strong feelings about it.

Research has shown that good quality pre-school experience is very important for a child's development (EPPE project), together with engaged parents. The research shows that those children who attend part-time achieve better results at school than those children who attend full-time daycare.
Children in England are entitled to 15 hours free Nursery Education Grant from the term after they turn 3.
Are there any nursery schools or pre-schools in your area OP? You could send her for 5 mornings or for 5 afternoons term-time. That would give her a good grounding.

That research showed that pre-school is important for children from certain socio-economic backgrounds which tend to be those where adult-child interaction is ineffective in supporting children's learning and development.

Where there is a loving, stable relationship, plenty of conversation, the adults and children are engaged in joint activities and there are opportunities to play with their peers there was no significant benefit to pre-school education.

There are research reports which contradict each other constantly about whether children fare better or worse in daycare. Some look at academic achievement, some at emotional well-being, etc. The overall difference is minimal and if a parent is enjoying the company of a child at home there is no significant benefit in packing the child off to be cared for by other people.

She doesn't have to go to pre-school, but if you are thinking of sending her to a private school, it might be worth looking at whether they have a pre-school/nursery attached, so she can get to know the school and maybe some other children who will be in her class.

I would pick a non school nursery as they have higher ratios 1:8 than a school which is 1:13 and there a wider range of children in a non school nursery as they take younger children and the older children enjoy interacting with different age groups but if you have a particular school in mind they might have a nursery attatched if not it does not matter which nursery lo attends as this does not impact school choices

There are a lot more activites they do at nursery and there are a lot more children to interact with than if you are to keep your little one at home and do similiar activities

in a preschool within a school the ratio is still 1:8
I'd decide on school first op, if they have an attached preschool it would be a good opportunity for dd to meet and become friends with the other prospective pupils
if it does not, perhaps you could arrange for her to attend a local preschool where she'll meet children who'll go on to same school?
I wouldn't worry too much about 'developing' her. More of an issue would be social bonds with other children imo

Does the school you have in mind have its own nursery ? At dc 's the vast majority of Reception places are taken by those attending from 2.5/3 with only a few places for those joining at Reception - dd was one of only 4 joiners , 3 of whom had older siblings, out of 48 total. Have you already registered as we had to register dd by 6 months ? If you can register now for a Reception placethen you have a choice of preschool and they should all follow the smae Early Years curriculum.

Play school, great for below 2 years old, its just play and social interaction/education.

Pre school, we sent ds to one attached to the school he would be attending so that he would know the kids or at least have familiar faces to go to big school with.
Again, they were slightly more formal, BUT focussed very much on play.

Best bit for him was messy play only because i dont have the imagination to think up such activities at home!
Also doing the Christmas play and stuff, learnign to sit for lengths of time, and toe the line with discipline. learnign to work with ther kids. This was vital as he is an only.

HTH