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Preschool education

Get advice from other Mumsnetters to find the best nursery for your child on our Preschool forum.

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Original poster

Stay with CM or go to pre school??

31 replies

McBear · 17/10/2014 16:59

Help me out please wise mumsnetters.

Dad was 3 in September and should receive funding from jan but the pre school I registered for has a space and she can receive funding from the start of half term.

I visited this pre school today. DD loved it. Is what do I do...

DD has a lovely childminder that I am very happy with. She is learning etc BUT I do feel a school/nursery environment will be good for her. As does CM.

The school...
It's in special measures as a whole but the foundation stage of the school has been rated as good. She wouldn't be going to that school.

The ratio is 1:19 (I think she said) and this is very different to the 1:3 we are used to.

There was quite a large section with about five kids in that seemed to be totally unsupervised.

I will save more money if DD stays with CM where she is settled and DD is oldest in the year so she will stay in nursery for a year and a bit.

What would you do?

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Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 17:19

DD will be staying with cm regardless outside of free 15 hours but it's what to do for the 15 hours

OP posts:

insancerre · 17/10/2014 17:24

Are you in england?
There is no 1-19 ratio
Its 1-8 or 1-13
Also the setting cannot claim thefunding tilll Jan so are they funding this themselves to get you to sign up now

Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 17:38

Must have been 13. I remember a teen I was paying attention honestly...

Apparently, someone has dropped out and DD can have his place. It's just a normal schools nursery. Could they be claiming fraudulently against the other kids name? I don't see why they would fund themselves?

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Pico2 · 17/10/2014 17:40

1:19 is a massive ratio at that age. I don't know if it is normal for pre schools, but DD's nursery works at a much better ratio than that (I think 1:4, even though it's only legally required to have 1:8) and it makes a massive difference.

Are there any other options for pre school/nursery in your area.

Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 17:57

The cm only drops to this pre school and I start work long before pre school starts.

It must have been 13!

I could take her to a private nursery but I'd rather leave her with the cm than uproot her that way.

OP posts:

Pico2 · 17/10/2014 20:16

I think 1:13 would be a bit much for a just 3 yo. Is it all week or could she do a couple of mornings? Does your CM go to groups with a bit of structure?

SoonToBeSix · 17/10/2014 20:25

Definitely sent her at three she will benefit hugely from the other children and activities on offer.

Pico2 · 17/10/2014 20:30

I think how much she gets out of it depends on what the CM offers, how good the pre school is (it doesn't sound convincing) and individual factors around your DD.

Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 20:35

CM doesn't go to groups. It's all playing in the house/garden. She does little trips out. They went hunting for bears in the wood recently. DD was equally excited about the time they went out to buy a toilet seat

It will just be morning at pre school. 3 hours a day to make the 15. CM will drop off/collect.

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bigkidsdidit · 17/10/2014 20:36

I reluctantly sent my 3.5yo to preschool this summer when we moved. He was at a fantastic cm and doing brilliantly and I didn't see the need. I was wrong! I am absolutely staggered how much it's helped him and how much he enjoys it. He's made loads of pals, his social skills have come on leaps and bounds, he is so happy and loves it. Reading / writing / painting etx no change as I love all that stuff and we do it together. But socially it's been amazingly good for him.

Pico2 · 17/10/2014 20:37

That's difficult. I'd be tempted by the opportunity to mix more with other children. What ages are the other mindees?

Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 20:47

Other mindees are younger which I worry is holding her back. They are 2 ish. No evidence of that tho. I'd say she's doing pretty well.

Last CM had a daughter that was the same age (they shared a birthday even so a few hours difference) and they both developed beautifully and had a cute little friendship.

I think she needs to go to the pre school doesn't she? Just wish she could go to a better one.

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hazelnutlatte · 17/10/2014 20:59

I had the same dilemma as you op - my dd has just turned 3 and gets the 15hr funding in Jan. our cm takes the funding so we could just keep her there (where she is very happy and settled) or I could start her at pre school. This would involve changing to a different cm though as our cm doesn't do pre school drop off / pick up but I have found a childminder who does.
I've decided to put off the decision for now! As she is autumn born she could get 5 terms at pre school, so she can join next September and still get a full year at pre school before starting school. Op I presume your dd is autumn born too so could do the same?

hazelnutlatte · 17/10/2014 21:00

Maybe I should read your op properly which tells me that your dd has a Sept birthday - so yes, why not start pre school next Sept?

Pico2 · 17/10/2014 21:12

My DD gained so much from being with slightly older children, so I'd be tempted to go for the pre school. This might be her last chance to mix with older children as she will be the oldest in pre school next year.

Original poster

McBear · 17/10/2014 21:24

That's my issue hazelnut, she could simply stay. I think the difference in cost is about 100 quid too as if she doesn't have DD I still have to pay as obv she can't fill the space for three hours. So I can save approx 100 or 200 and I could do with saving. However, I don't want to put my finances before DDs progress and happiness...

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Doodledot · 17/10/2014 22:21

Both mine have done nursery and u wouldn't change it. At 3 they are fine with 1:13 - they have an awesome time. By reception they are sooo school ready. Not a tear in sight.

Doodledot · 17/10/2014 22:23

And at nursery level I really wouldn't get het up on ofsted.

hallamoo · 17/10/2014 22:35

The claiming funding from half term sounds dodgy, legally they can't claim until the term after they turn three. I'm pretty sure at that age, the ratio would be no higher then 1:8.

If it's the 15 free hours, how would it cost you £100? Is that per month, or over the two years?

starlight1234 · 17/10/2014 22:43

You could do a mix. a few days at pre school. Also Ask CM about taking funded places. CM can claim the 15 hours so long as graded good, although from area to area this seems to be trickling through at different speeds

Original poster

McBear · 18/10/2014 08:45

Hallamoo that how much it would save.

So currently she's with CM full time. If CM takes her I save 15 hours worth. If pre school takes her I save 7.5 hours worth. Over the month that makes 100 and 180. Something like that.

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Original poster

McBear · 18/10/2014 08:50

Starlight she's said she can claim but would need to register for it and she definitely couldn't claim until the jan 2015. She's also concerned as to how they are receiving funding early

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Muchtoomuchtodo · 18/10/2014 08:52

Ours started school nursery (meithrin here) the term after they were 3 and they thrived. Ds1 is autumn born so he started after Christmas and spent 5 terms doing mornings only before moving up to reception. There were 22 children with 1 teacher and 2 TA's. Ds2 is summer born so he started at the start of the academic year and spent 3 terms in half days before going full time. There were 18 children with 1 teacher and 2 TA's. The class grows with each intake (after Christmas and Easter).

The focus remains very much in learning through play, but there is a little more structure and they started to become familiar with the rest of the school community (attending assemblies etc). For us it was exactly the right choice.

HSMMaCM · 18/10/2014 10:12

They are probably receiving the funding for the other child who was there on head count day, which decides funding for the term. So your child isn't being funded, but they have a funded space available and are offering it to you. To go to preschool or not is definitely down to each individual child/pre school/CM.

ChishandFips33 · 18/10/2014 10:43

If a child has left though, they now have to tell their county funding team who will recall the unused money.

It used to be swings and roundabouts (as many children left that started) so you didn't have to let them know, but times are hard at county level and budgets tight so every penny helps.

They may be offering you the place early (without claimimg against the ither childs funding) to secure the 'bum on the seat' for the following term's head count - times are hard for pre schools too so they may figuring they have 3 staff (nursery with a teacher 1:13 ratio) so can have 39 children. They might only have 30 now so offer a few unfunded places with a view to securing said child next term (there can also be a lot of competition for business if several pre school or nurseries are close by)

This works on the theory that most parents, once their child is settled, won't wan to uproot/disrupt their child to move somewhere else (unless its dreadful of course or child is unsettled) - which rings a bell with your current dilemma!

If they are using other childs funding because they genuinely don't know it has to be returned (you can call the county funding team yourself to ask - say you've been offered the place as another child left and they are using that childs funding) then that's an honest mistake (though county tend to spell these things out clearly, sending out seperate recall forms with the head count)

If they are defrauding the funding deliberately, then that tells you something about their ethics. In this case, they are chance to be breaking the rules elsewhere and you dhould be wary (usually ratio's as its a big money saver)

It would be lovely to have a crystal ball given when your child is born! However, your mothers instinct is a strong one :-)

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