Confused by preschool. Please help!

[Louisee82]

Hi all,
Just looking for some info & hoping I don't come across thick but I've never done all this before. My son is 3 end of september. He is currently with a childminder a few sessions a week & we do lots of activities too but I would like him to go to preschool as I feel as an only child too he will get used to the school type environment. He Can be quite shy at first when meeting new people/kids for first time so think it'll help socially too. Because of his age when can he start preschool ie will it be January intake? I haven't put his name down for anything yet as we weren't sure if we would have to move due to partners job. Anyway in terms of preschool/nurseries/ when will he actually start school? I'm so confused, no idea why i can't get my head round it. Thanks in advance xx

When you start will depend on the individual preschool but he should receive the 15hrs funding from January.

It is always the term after they become 3. My eldest is a September child and was 3 last year and she started in the January term

Most around by me will take them 2.5yrs but 15 hrs free hrs start from the term after their 3rd birthday

As apple has said, you can choose to start him whenever, obviously in liaison with the pre-school about space. Each provision will have individual policies

In my borough the blanket policy is only September intake in the school nurseries. You can very rarely find one with a Jan intake. But I understand that elsewhere this isn't the case.

As your child won't be 3 til September he won't be starting Reception until Sept 2018 and will be one of the oldest in the class.