I am confused about nursery for ds

[cece]

We have moved to a new area (Surrey) and they have a different nursery system here that where we were previously. DD went to a nursery attached to her infant school for the year before she started Reception. Started Sept (turned 4 in the April) and stayed there till July. Then started Reception in the following Sept.

In Surrey they don't do this and I am getting very confused about what is on offer.

I want ds to have the same as I was pleased with this system. However, I have been to look at one so far and they sort of implied I should be sending him from this Sept! In our old place he would not start to Sep 2007. Basically they take from 2 but I don't feel happy sending him form this age..... I think Sept 2007 is plenty early enough.

Are they saying an earlier start because of them getting extra money for him?

Everyone else seems to send their two year old - will I be considered odd if I don't? Will he really be behind his peers????

Thanks if you managed to stivck with it! All opinions welcome...

I have to decide soon as they all have waiting lists????!!!!

perhaps they got the date wrong? here they start at 3

He will be 3 in Oct 2006 but if we were still at our old address then he would start nursery Sept 2007. My problem is that they start them earlier than this here and I can't work out why?!

cece in DS school nursery to be [he will also be 3 in oct o6] he will not be starting until sept 07 as that is how they do it. PArt of me thinks this is great because he gets longer to grow up but also feel he is ready for something so have decided from sept to put him into a playgroup 2 mornings a week. IS that maybe an option so that your ds gets used to mixing without being thrown right into the nursery.

We don;t have many maintained nurseries in this area, most are independent.

They all start at 2.5 but you are not obliged to send them at that age, of course. And you can start off with less than 5 sessions too.

I would check out a few more and see. Perhaps he could start off a couple of mornings a week and increase when he is 3?

If not, I would leave it until you think he is ready.

Because of their numbers they tend to start them in Sept only unless a space becomes available. I was thinking of maybe one or two mornings from Easter 2007 when he is 3 and half, going to 5 mornings for Sept 2007. Howeverm they said this would be a problem as they probably would not have space at Easter.

Oh ummmm.. Never had this with dd - she jsut went to the maintained one.... I thought the independent nurseries were daycare ones so never even phoned them!

Well maybe we have independent ones because we have no maintained ones iyswim!

But DS goes to a day care nursery and I agree it is completely different.

The pre-schools are just 9-12 x 5 mornings, term-time only.

I would check out your LEA website?

I have booked appointments to see 2 others next week. They are all independent around here.

Hopefully I will get my head around it soon or else there will be no spaces left - then that will make the decision for me!

He probably would enjoy it but I think it is more me wanting him to enjoy his time at home before he starts school. It has come too soon. I was expecting to have him to myself till Sept 2007.... [clingy mother alert!]

We are in surrey too and yes most people do seem to send them from age 2-2.5 but you don't have to. Places are funded by government the term after they are 3yrs so I would expect most people definately send them then.
Really though it is up to you, he doesn't have to go at all just start reception in the school year he will be 5, you could even home educate.
You can look at them all and then decide, a lot might be more keen for you to start September because they will be quiet as a lot of their older children have gone to primary school.