Sorry to be thick but...

[JakesMum05]

Pre school isn't obligatory is it ?

But if i keep my DS at nursery, rather than send him to the local pre school, he will be moved into the pre school part of it. Am i wrong to think children should still be able to play at 3 or do they still just learn through play at pre school.

Also is pre school at an actual school the same as reception ?

i think do play at pre school
can see why they move kids

its not the same as reception, that is school, school
am new to itall myself
someone will come with all the answers

My dds pre school did exactly the same as her nursery, they learnt through play at both. Things don't shift up a gear until reception and like yours our pre school was attached to the school.

Pre-school is not compulsory but many parents choose it as it's a good grounding for school. They still learn through play but there's more structure to the day than at nursery and there is some preparation for learning. Pre-school at an actual school isn't the same as reception. There's much more learning in reception. One other thing to consider is that children make friends in pre-school who will probably go to the same primary school and it helps during those first few weeks if they've got some familiar faces around. If you keep your child in nursery, he/she may not know anyone when they start reception.

No you don't have to send them to school until the term after they turn 5. Pre-school is play based and not like reception or primary school.

I think there's been a bit of a name change over the last decade or so. The one that my eldest went to and my youngest about to start is the same as the "playgroup" I went to as a child. Infact when my eldest started there it was called a playgroup but changed to pre-school. Some are attatched to schools, some are held in places like church halls, private day nurseries have a pre-school room for the older ones. Where ever it is they should be pretty much doing the same things. There's government guidelines somewhere

It's a chance to interact with children in a group situation and learn to join in group activities. Ours they;
go in and have register, teachers have chat with kids, talk about what day it is, season etc
Then loads of free play and craft
then have a story + snack
then play outside
then bit of a sing session at the end.

The older ones who are going up to school they gently start with letter sounds, writing name, recognizing name etc. All informal and not sitting down at desks. But here children don't start Reception until the term before they're 5. So there's 3 intakes rather than 1 in Sept. So say a summer born child will still be in pre-school here, where same age children in other areas would've started Reception. So they cover reception work with the older ones.

I can't see any reason to take your child out of nursery if its more convinient for you and your child is happy. Pre-school should be about play and socialization

Blueblob: "No you don't have to send them to school until the term after they turn 5."

(Coughs tactfully). Actually, you don't ever have to send them to school. Just educate them.

Indeed. It didn't sound as if the OP was thinking of homeschooling so it didn't seem relevant to add to my post and make it even longer .

Of course you are completely right.

What do you think of homeschooling. Now it's been mentioned, it is something my husband is very keen on, especially as i have a teaching qualification (Yeah, i know don't know alot about the system considering !)

I think if you have the time and patience (and don't need to work full time like I do) then home schooling has many many advantages over conventional school, in fact, there is a whole topic based on home-eding where lots of very knowledgable people offer advice and support!

Even in reception nowadays the emphasis is in learning through play though, so it's not all bad!

"There's much more learning in reception" I disagree strongly with this in a friendly positive way of course! I have been working in a pre-school for 3 years now and although the children learn through play it is not any less learning than reading from a book or doing sums.

A registered pre-school should be teaching based on the Foundation stage and 0-3 matters guidance or the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage), EYFS becomes compulsory in sept 2008.

The guidance for pre-schools and reception is the same, although in year R teachers have alot of pressure to get children reading writing etc when really they should be doing alot more play.

Any questions about Pre-school to Year R ask me !!! It is my passion!!!!

So glad you said that last bit nosnikrap. (I hope you check back !) could you please let me know if reception is mandatory.

I'm trying to plan upping my DSs sessions so that a full 5 school days aren't a big change for him. If reception is mandatory can it be on a part time basis.

Many thanks

it depends on age, educating is mandatory from the term after their 5th birthday.
So sep - dec birthday, mandatory from Jan
jan - mar birthday, mandatory from easter
apr - aug birthday, mandatory from Sep
BUT you might find that if you don't take a place up in Sep you won't get one.
(ignoring home ed here obviously).

So Pre school and reception aren't mandatory ! Why does pre school differ from reception so much then ? why can't they just go to pre school till they are 5 or do they at some schools ?

Gosh i didn't think this would raise so many questions for me.

Sorry and thank you to all.

pre-school definately isn't
reception depends on when he turns 5, ie my ds1 was 5 in Sep 07, and started in reception in Sep 07 - although it isn't mandatory for him until Jan 08
(or rather ensuring he is educated isn't mandatory).
So for my ds he DID go to pre-school until he was nearly 5, but equally one of the boys in his class won't be 5 until Jul 08 - so he went when he was only just 4.
If he had carried on with pre-school (which he would be entitled to funding for) and then started school in Sep 08 (when it becomes mandatory for him) then he would go straight into year 1 (not reception), and would probably have difficulty finding a place (but that depends on how over subscribed your area is).
Some LEA have 2, or 3 entries a year, so the children start when they are nearly 5.
Others, like mine, only have a single entry.

JakesMum - Reception is really to start introducing the child to a more formal environment. It should still be very much play based.

Around here all the pre-schools not attatched to schools are for rising 3 - 5 years. So you could keep your child at the pre-school and then straight into Year One if that's what you wanted.

Being a summer born child in an area with 3 intakes per year (start reception term before they're 5). My son only spent one term in Reception and that was good for getting used to the new environment and routine. Also the longer days, the pre-school he attended was mornings only.

However friends in areas where there's only one intake the children start reception part-time and then as they get older the full days start.

Where ever your child spends that 3 - 5 age they'll probably be following the same Foundation Stage. This link may help explain, has a few links at the bottom. I'll quickly clarify that I'm referring to pre-schools, reception, private day nurseries. Not if you've decided to home educate etc

www.reading.gov.uk/educationandlearning/pre-schooleducation/General.asp?id=SX9452-A 7818A93

Thanks, will check that site.

My DS is 5 in June 2010

In my area schools usually have an intake of 4 yr olds in Sept (those who are due to be 5 following yr) who are started gradually i.e. Sept - Dec birthdays start full time straight away, Jan - April birthdays started full time after half term, and April - August birthdays full time after Christmas.

In my area your son would start Yr R in Sept 2009 and just go half days til January 2010.

I do think that if you hadn't put your son's name down by the cut off date the previous yr you may risk limiting your choices as to where your child goes to school. eg. In my area by 22nd Nov 2008 you would need to complete a form with 1st and 2nd choice of school and return it to the 1st choice of school.

A change within a nursery to 'pre-school' will just mean moving to play based on the 'Foundation Stage' as opposed to 0-3 matters. This will be irrelevant in sept 2008 as the guidance becomes combined, 0-3 and Foundation Stage become Early Years Foundation Stage. So all practitioners, teachers and childminders will be teaching the same thing.

Highly confusing!!

Your child does not have to be in 'formal education', til the age of 5 (In your case after Easter hols 2010, but if you do not intend home schooling I would get him into school with others in your area. Year R is a great way to start infants, year 1 is a shocker (my son just started yr 1 in Sept)

will check back again in case I have confused you more!!

Thank you nosnikrap. Just checked in now. Bad xmas (lots of ill people in the family !!)

Very helpful. Thanks. I will print it to read it over but you haven't confused me. Much appreciated.

Hi everyone i'm new to all this so not sure how everything works yet, but i really need some advise, my daughter is misbehaving in nusrery, she has become very defiant towards the staff, we are told almost daily that she hasn't had a very good afternoon. She started in September and on her very first day, while all the other mums were being told how fantastic their child had been, i was pulled to one side and asked how i diciplined her at home! Now i have been called in to discuss stratergies on how to deal to with her, all this is very, very upsetting for me, although she has her moments, i cannot believe that her behavior is this bad. Obviously i support the nursery and will work with them to help sort any problems my child is having, but need advise on what to say when i go to see them, as everyone one knows teachers can be quite intimidating!!!

Hi Booboo71. The best way to get some feedback on your query is to start a new thread.

At the top of this page, click on "Add mew thread in this topic"

or

At the very top, click on "topic list", find the section called somthing like "behaviour" and start a new message in there.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for your help littlefish.