Can anyone explain the system to me?

[idiotmummy]

Hi (am regular but am embarassed so have name-changed)

I have a 3yo who will be 4 at the end of September. He is currently at nursery school 5 mornings a week (it's just play, no formal teaching). I was told ages ago that he wouldn't be going to school until just before his 5th birthday because his birthday is at the end of September.

I don't understand the system, really, or what I should be doing about the next couple of years. Will he have to stay at the nursery school until he's nearly 5? He started there in January. He's already reading and doing sums and already getting a bit restless. He keeps asking me when he can go to "primary school", I didn't mention it to him but I think someone at nursery did. I don't understand the difference between reception/preschool/nursery school, I don't know who to talk to or what I should be doing, and I feel as though I am letting him down . I don't want him to have a poor start because of me not knowing anything. Can anyone help?

Your not and idiot, it is confusing.

Your Ds will start school in Sept 07 i think, unless they have an easter intake ?

Until then he will stay at nursery school as far as I know. Thats what my Ds is doing anyway, he is 4 in december so will start school Sept 07 too.

He will start school the septmber just before he is 5.

Pre school and nursey school will be similar depending on which sort of child care you use. Is it possible for you to contact the pre school attached to the school you think he will attend? That way he gets some variety and will also mix with some children he will start school with. There is funding for 5 x 2.5 hour sessions a week and the sessions can be in upto 3 different places, you don't have to attend just the one unless you want to.

Reception (just to confuse us!) is the first year of school and year 1 is their second year.

you shouldn't be embarrassed - it is all very confusing. You council should have a children's information service or an education department if you need more specific info about schools/pre-schools in your borough.

Have you looked around any local schools? As the others have said, he won't start reception till Sept 07 but some primary schools do have a nursery class (the year before reception). He can stay at his pre-school/nursery till he starts reception.

You will probably need to start looking for a primary school for him fairly soon as most places will expect your application by the end of the year/beginning of next year.

Thanks, I was floundering a bit tbh - I am pretty school-phobic myself , and didn't have a clue what I was supposed to do. Should I just start ringing local primary schools and asking to have a look round, then? Am I entitled to choice, or will we just get allocated a school place? I do feel rather incompetent

The system seems to vary depending on where you are. Schools will usually have some kind of an Open Day/Evening when you can look around the school. It might be worth phoning schools to find out when theirs is but they may not know themselves yet. Ds1's school usually has an open day in October/November and then you apply by the end of December.

You can usually choose which school you like but if too many people apply the school will apply criteria like catchment area, siblings at the school etc.

If you ring the school and leave your contact details, in around october time they have open days for you to go and look round.

if you phone your council (children's information service/education) and give them your address, they should be able to tell you which school the children in your road normally go to. Your council website will have a list of the schools and you should be able to see your closest ones.

Otherwise, use this Ofsted page and type in your postcose and pupils age 5-11 to get their reports on your local schools.

I would phone up the local councils education depertment and ask, how and when do I register for school. They will have info on catchment areas. Perhaps their website will have info, ours has details of the catchment areas and dates to register by.

DOn't worry about the teaching at nursery, he will be learning lots, it doesn't have to be formal. They tend to do more orgainised activities in the year before school as well.

I am in Scotland so it is a bit different here, it something that was all new to me as I didn't have friends with kids at school. Don't worry you wan't be the only one confused .

or even postcode!