Is preschool essential?

[Yangsun]

Just that really, dd is very young for her year and will be just four when she starts school. We need to decide now whether she goes to preschool and if so for how long. She is happy and well socialised witha cchildminder (who I will have to pay for the sessions even if dd is at preschool as she will do the drop off and pick up so can't have another child in that space). Dh feels she is already going to be "institutionalised" too early when she starts school but I wonder if she will miss out if she doesn't do a couple of sessions a week at preschool to learn a bit about what school life is like. What do you think?

I was nervous about preschool as my DD is also young in the year but honestly it's the best thing I've ever done for her. She absolutely loves it, she mixes with all her friends, learns numeracy and the the alphabet etc. She has formed great relationships.
She has got so much out of it, that a childminder just can't give.

Try her, if it's not right then she doesn't have to stay.

Thanks accidentally, that's really reassuring.

How much does your cm go out and about and mix with groups of other children? Can she offer you the 15 hours funded care? CMs, pre schools and nurseries (and achool reception) all follow EYFS.

I think it would be good for her to do a bit - just so that school doesn't come as a total shock to the system. I'd say it's probably even more useful for a child who's younger in their year to go a bit. I'm sure she will love it.