Help.... choosing a pre-school is a mystery to me!

[pippylongstockings]

I may be being thick but the whole pre-school thing is a mystery to me.

I blindly thought that you just put their name down at the school nearest you that they were probably going to go to primary school in. Which is what I have done, he can start in Sept and the sessions are 5 mornings a week. Which is a bit restricting if we want to do something in a day but I figured would give him a solid routine.

But now many other suggestions are coming out of the wood-work. My CM suggested that I should find some-where that did full days so he could go all day on the 3 days I work - thus saving me on CM costs.
Other mums have suggested that at 3.8 (as he will be in sept) is still pretty small and more flexibity is needed - only going 3 mornings a week giving me more time with him.

But my big question is whre and how do I find schools, nurserys, play-groups what ever you like to call them that do this? How do I choose what is best?

What has worked best for you?

I'd imagine you'd have to pay for the flexible pre-schools whereas the 5 morning one attached to primary school will be free. To me its normal for the 5 morning a week. Think working parents will use other private nurseries more.

Your local council Childrens Information Centre will have a list of pre-school settings; ofsted reports are available on their website.
5 mornings is a lot to start - 3 would be an easier transition. Would you CM drop and pick-up for you? You'd still have to pay her, but pre-school is subsidised in the term after the child turns 3.
Choosing a pre-school is best by visiting, asking lots of questions and then going on your gut feeling.

Well, here I wasn't exactly spoiled for choice, there are a fair few preschools, but not a lot of spare capacity.

I got a list from the Children's Information Centre, phoned them up. If they answered/returned my call () I went to see them, with DD (didn't need an appointment, for any). Then put her name down, and waited for an offer.

No one could offer the full 5 sessions, so we split her time between 2. She does one full day, which is nice for me for getting jobs and things done, and has a day off on a Wednesday, which is nice for planning something else, or just having a bit of a late morning.

the map is very useful here

ds1 was 3 in the august and started 5 mornings a week in the september. Without being rude or anything, does cm have ulterior motives for you finding alternate childcare? Maybe she could use your place for someone else? If you go to an all day nursery it will prob cost more than a cm anyway! Ime, nursery attached to school is most normal option. But i don't work so didnt need to consider anything else, everyones needs are different i guess.

Childcarelink] shows all local preschools/nurseries etc. Once he turns 4 (assuming your are in England/Wales) the following term (ie next January 2009) you can claim up to 5 2 1/2 sessions worth of childcare from LEA but that can still be a childminder, private nursery etc or a mixture. Attendance at an attached preschool is no guarantee of a place at the school itself. Perhaps your cm would find it a hassle to have a part timer and make the drop-off/collection ?

Great thread. A friend of mine has already put her lo's name on list for an Ofstead outstanding pre-school (our lo's are 1 - help!). The whole thing is a huge minefield!
It isn't attached to a primary as the local primary doesn't have one but in same village. My cm is registered for pre-school, but it is better for them to be in a school-like situation, so when they get to 5 it's not a big shock?

Also, how do you find out which nursery/primary's feed into which senior schools? Only by asking?

Jimjammum, my Dc go/went to a privaetly run pre-school in a church hall which is a lovely environment. Lots of structured play, arts & crafts, learning social skills like sharing, sitting at the table for snack, listening to stories etc, and some learning too - jolly phonics for example, but in a low key way. This prepares them well for reception class.

Nursery classes attached to schools don't automatically feed into the primary schoool, you still have to apply in the usual way. I suppose the advantage would be that children make friends that they may then stay with, but if you use a local provate pre-school they'll probably be a few children going to the same primary anyway.

Your LEA website will have information about school admissions including feeder schools.

Thanks for the advice - It still seems that there is loads to research.
Why when there are so much info on baby's groups etc given to you, does there seem to be an information hole when it comes to their schooling?
I think that 5 mornings a week is alot to contend with and I would be happier him going 3 mornings. My CM has said that she will do a lunch pick up as she will still have my DS2 all day.

Jimjam, my old CM was registered for pre-school learning and I would have been happy for my DS1 to do that, but we moved and I had to change CM. I think it would be a nice continuity.