Preschool sessions and learning

[Mumofcrazy2]

Hi. I have a Ds who will be 4 in a few weeks.
He was attending preschool for 3 full days a week but became very unsettled after his friends left for reception in September. We changed his sessions down to just 3 mornings and he seems to be happier.
The manager wasn't happy with this, she's always bugged for him to do more sessions. It's a small preschool so I think she's keen for as much money as she can get.
Today at pick up I asked if they had been doing any learning to read etc with him as he shocked me with some things he managed to show me last night. Her reply was 'no, we do things like that with the preschoolers in the afternoon sessions'.
She went on to say about them needing to do more sessions, especially after Christmas for the run up to school.

He's happy and I'm happy with the sessions he's doing at the moment. Is he really going to miss out if he doesn't attend full days?
I dont know if it's selfish for wanting to make the most of having him at home for this last year.

If they haven't done anything with him he's learning to read and write just from playing at home.

Well my child never learnt to read til school and she was fine. School was when her letters really came on. Sure they did stuff about letters and everything but school is when it's really started to sink in and she's become really interested

Thank you purpleme, when I asked the manager today about if they have been doing anything with reading I was hoping she could give me some advice on if i should do anything more with him. He loves anything to do with letters and words and apart from spending lots on early reading books I'm not sure where to go next.

Don't worry about having to do more sessions. Just talk to him about letters you see out and about. Use the letter sounds rather than their names. If he's getting to grips with them, you can look at blending them into words, but don't worry if he doesn't do this before school.

I wouln't expect a Pre-school or Nursery to be teaching children to read anyway, however much of the day or however many days they do.

Up to you if you want him at home or in Nursery, and how much time they spend at Nursery.
The children who have been used to going 5 days, or for longer days usually settle in to school more quickly, but that isn't going to make a whole lot og difference to him long term.

Can pre-school lower a child's funded hours because of illness

Ideas of what to do - show him printed words in different media ie on posters you see out and about, signs etc. It shows them the written word is important.

Using phonetic sounding, blend important words such as your names and show how the sounds look written down.

Read lots, point out the print but go through the pictures to tell the story too.

And make it fun, pressure and expectation can put them off.

School readiness is more about them being independent in using the toilet, getting dressed and leaving you happily than being about to read or write.

As for the sessions. Do what you’re comfortable with. They learn a lot at preschool but they also learn a lot at home.

If she only does them in the afternoon, why not switch to afternoon sessions only instead of morning only