DS turns 3 in November, he cant start his pre-school til next September.

[millsoid]

DS turns 3 in November, and the pre-school we want to attend don't do January inlets, so he won't start at pre-school until he's nearly 4.
I love hanging out with him - one o clock clubs, trips to museums, swimming and football lessons, cooking, painting, the park etc but I want to make sure it's fine for him to start pre-school relatively late. Am I missing a trick? Should he be attending somewhere as soon as he turns 3? Should I look at leaving him in a daycare place for a half day or so to get him used to being apart from me? Or should I just carry on enjoying our last bit of time together?

It really is up to you, however you will be very lucky to find a preschool with room to take him in January as generally all the places are allocated before September.

I would have his name down ready and just carry on regardless. You never know if a place might come up sooner due to a child leaving. He will get a whole year of preschool which is plenty.

Enjoy this time together.

A year of pre-school is more than enough time for him to get used to being cared for in a group before he starts school.

It sounds like you're having a marvellous time together and the one to one attention he's getting, alongside the fact that he is undoubtedly more free to learn by following his own interests, will be supporting his learning and development in ways he just wouldn't get in a group.

Don't feel under pressure to pack him off to be looked after by other people. Enjoy exploring the world with him because that's good for both of you.

Totally up to you.
There are many, many different forms of Nursery / Pre-school / Playgroup.
If the one you want him to go to for his pre-school year, only takes dc in their pre-school year, then all the dc will be starting together then anyway, but there are all sorts of other settings /provision that you could take him to if you wanted to, from 'Stay and Play' to Full daycare, and many inbetween that will offer you Gvmnt funded sessions from the term after he turns 3.

Totally up to you if you want him to access these or not.

If he'd been born later in the year, he'd only get 3 months funding anyway.

The whole system seem a bit bonkers as 3 intakes a year when funding starts would create massive changes in demand for staff through the year with redundancies at the end of the summer, building up to full staffing again later in the year.

If you are both enjoying yourselves and you are giving him opportunities to develop and socialise, then you should do whatever you like.

We had that with dd (December birthday, but nursery class of local school full from September so no Jan or easter intake that year). We were offered a nursery place in another school within the 3miles our council aims for, but knew we wanted her to go to the village school and it seemed disruptive to start her elsewhere. Worried about it at the time but in hindsight she was much more 'ready' by the September and a year of nursery seemed a lot. The other parents on same position seemed to agree. Also, The few children who joined the class the following January had to contend with seeing most of their class go up to reception in september when they were left behind.

Having said that dd did go to a playgroup locally for 2 afternoons a week from 2 1/2, which I think made starting nursery easier for her (lots of the same kids), but she found being left in playgroup hard at first. possibly the first time away from you will be hard whenever it is, but I don't see what harm can come from delaying it a few months! As long as he is stimulated and sees other children, which he sounds like he is, I wouldn't stress about it!

I don't think it's important if he's socially active anyway, my dd just started pre-school at 3 and 4 months and after a couple of weeks they asked me which nursery she had been going to, they were surprised that shes never been in any form of child care as she settled really well so I think if they are used to meeting lots of other children then it doesn't matter if that's with or without you. My ds turns 3 on the 7th sept next year, I am going to pay for him for the first term of pre-school tho to secure him a place for when his funding kicks in in the January, this is mainly because I'm having another baby in march and think that he will probably want some time away from the baby rather than that he really needs to be in pre-school at exactly 3

Thanks lovely people, this has helped. You all seem to know alot more about nursery grants - what is this funding of which you speak?

If you live in England you are entitled to 15 free hours per week termtime in a childcare setting. The nursery or preschool you choose will ask you to sign a form and they apply for it at set times during the year. If your child does more than 15 hours you pay the hourly rate for the rest.

Details here

Thank YOU! I did have an inkling, but presumed that because my dh worked full time and I worked from home I wouldn't qualify.

No - everyone is entitled to 15 hrs from the term after their 3rd birthday.
It's the '2yr' funding that has criteria attached.

Thank you again :)

But pre schools attached to schools are free anyway

I was literally wondering this to myself right then! The school I am on the wait list for is pre school attached to main school up to aged 12. I had assumed that it would be free anyways! They also offer part time pre school - which is sort of tempting as I do love hanging out with him and he'll be in reception before I know it.

I think all pre schools are part time. Never heard of a pre school attached to a state school that is full time.

The one DD2 attends (attached to a state school) is full time for about a third of the children. This includes the children (three or four of them) with statements of SEN but there are another fifteen or so full-timers who don't have statements AFAIK; I don't know on what basis they've been offered full-time places.

yes, that's the case at the one I'm waiting for - some part time and some full time places available in pre school, but I don't know on what criteria they are offered.

Heels - a lot are open full time either school hours, or, more likely 30 hours a week. Most dc can have 15 hours 'Early Education Entitlement' but there are all sorts of criteria whereby - for a myriad of reasons - a little one is considered to be able to benefit more from being in Nursery all those hours, rather than at home, and then they can have a FT place.

Some children go to school without ever going to pre school, so don't worry. Enjoy the time you have together while you can.