Nursery or Preschool Playgroup for late August baby

[SadProse]

I am torn between where to send DS2 in September. He is turning 3 in late august and has an offer from a nursery and preschool playgroup.

First is the nursery connected to the primary school. The nursery empathises on formal learning and has structured days. The pupils wear uniform and must be fully potty trained. DS will be the youngest in his class. I also noticed recently they have a lot of vacancies for their early years department, including the lead and TAs, but I'm not sure how relevant that may be.

I then found a local preschool playgroup, it is run by a charity organisation and has a large outdoor space. Potty training is supported at the group and it is all child-led. They are close to a farm and have strong connections to the farm where they run educational workshops with the farmers and animals. There is more staff to child ratio also. It is slightly 'run-down' indoors but from other visits, that does seem to be the case in most places.

Ds absolutely loved the preschool. We went for an informal visit back in May and he has since asked when we will go back every day. We went for a session last week and needless to say, he loved it, didn't want to leave. The staff are welcoming and the other children seem happy.

The nursery just seems like the more traditional route and will be best in terms of setting him up for school. I have no concerns about DS, he has a fantastic memory, is confident and able to hold conversations. While I have no concerns about him adapting to the nursery, I feel he would benefit from the preschool as he has lacked social encounters with other children. I feel he will be in school before I know it and I just want him to enjoy being a child. But then I worry what if he misses out on learning and he's behind?

Both are 5 mornings but the preschool allows us to be flexible with attendance and as we have memberships to museums and zoos, I hoped to fill the year with activities and days out, making good memories before he is off to school.

If anyone has any insight to whether opting for the playgroup rather than nursery is a good/bad idea, I'd be very grateful!

Your boy loves the preschool.and you feel he would benefit from going there. It's a no brainer.

Stop overthinking it. Preschool is the way forward

You know the answer.

I can't see a single benefit of the school nursery.

Play based learning is evidenced to be superior to formalised teaching for preschool aged children. He gets to be a carefree little kid for such a short period of his life, I personally would not be rushing him into formal education at such a young age.

That is exactly how I feel. There just seems to be a sort of pressure from schools to opt that route and I worry about him falling behind. I do agree learning through play is far more important than pushing school readiness.

Thank you - I think hearing others understand my decision makes me feel much better!

If that is what the school nursery is like, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole and would also be seriously considering other schools for reception onwards. If their nursery is like that, the school probably will be too and reception should also be mostly play based and I would want the whole school to be doing what's best for the child, which they aren't in nursery. Are there any other options locally for primary school? And yes, definitely go with your gut and send ds to the playgroup

From your description it sounds as though the preschool is the best option.
There really is no need to rush into formal education. Children at this age learn through playing and they learn better if they are happy. . The foundation framework is all.based on play.

When my now 11yo was 3, we continued sending her the the community preschool over the school nursery. It was smaller (about 20 children opposed to the 100 children in the EYFS unit at the Primary, 3-5yo), less formal and felt better.

She loved it there. The 'education' was as good, but she wasn't ready for that bit (and indeed, she wasn't in reception either... we didn't know she was dyslexic then).

The only downside was they didn't pick up on her SEN which were picked up within a week in reception. (Not the dyslexia, speech related). We don't regret it though.

A bit late to reply perhaps, but a child cannot learn if they are not happy, children learn quicker and better through play. So the playgroup sounds like the best option for your child to me.