Stay with CM or go to pre school??

[McBear]

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?

I was in a similar scenario to you and in the end decided to send DD1 to preschool 3 mornings. Her childminder drops and collects her. Financially we're losing out of 9 hours funding because we have to pay the CM for the hours she is at preschool.

It seems to have been worth it as she does loads of exciting activities there and I think it has been good for her to meet some new children. She also spends some time apart from her younger sister who goes to the same childminder.

However it wouldn't have been a disaster for her to stay with the CM. Preschool isn't essential.

Ps maybe you should wait until next year. DD is September born too ( just turned 4) and I think one year of oreschool will be enough

Our local authority have made it quite clear. If a child leaves after head count, funding for the whole term is paid. If a child starts after head count, no funding will be paid. The following head count day will record the date the child left/started.

She has been talking about the school quite a lot since so I think that's what we'll be doing...

Thank you for all your advice. It seems pre school will be very good for her and enjoyable. I'll get the forms filled out

Could you look for a pre-school you love near the CM and then pay her petrol costs to take DD to that pre-school?

She doesn't drive. Her husband does but I don't imagine they'd be able to as they have their own kids at different schools and minded kids. Like I say she is settled there so I don't want her to move.