What does a 2 and a half year old need?

[nectarine100]

In terms of ideal number of hours?
I know that at 3years, 15 hours is recommended. My DS does half of that at the moment, but his current nursery is unlikely to have room for him to increase in 6months time.
He is therefore going to have to move at that point anyway, I need to have increased childcare for work reasons, so am thinking of moving him now as he is going to have to do it at some point (unless nursery suddenly get a vacancy)

Some preschools from 3 just do mornings only - is 4 or 5 short mornings thought to be easier on a child than say 2 whole days?

I would think the short mornings is a better idea. Long nursery days can be tiring and he would be asleep for a while in the afternoon anyway.

Can't he go full-time? DD will be 3 in a month and goes from 9.30 to 16.30 and loves it. We're not in the UK so I don't know how long are the days there, but psychologically speaking DD thrives in her creche.