preschool/nursery/playgroup - am I the only mum who is completely confused?!

[rocketupbum]

My DS will be 3 in Nov. At the mo I work part time and his childcare involves 1 day at private nursery. I feel completely in the dark about the next step. Do I up the nursery - expensive, try preschool attached to school, go for council playgroup? And where is the best place to access all this info? I feel like a complete dunce and at the mo am just burying my head in the sand and hoping someone will turn up and tell me where to send him!!
Thanks for any advice ladies

You don't have to send him anywhere extra.

Speak to the CIS for your area - they should help.

They don't have to go to nursery/preschool but if you up his days at the provate nursery, they will be able tp claim some of the free childcare places money for him so it won't be as expensive as you think.

FWIW, both mine went to the school nursery classes - 5 mornings or afternoons - and that worked out just fine for us (and it's free! )

ahh, i was like you.

sat down and had a think.
what school do you want your lo to go to?
have a choice of 2.
is there a nursery/play school/pre school attached to the school?
if there is you need to decide on one. this is because:
a) lo will get to know other kids in the nursery, who he will then go on to school with. familiar faces helping with the transition you see.

whichever school you like, google it, info will be there.

get phone number from googleing it, ring um, ask for info to be sent to your house, put kids name down.

need to spend an evening doing this.
hth

like some one else says tho, you dont have to increase at all if you dont want to.

if you are happy with the way things are...then leave it as it is.

Thanks I already feel enlightened! I am quite keen for him to do a bit more, he is a pretty sociable chap and I think he would love getting out there.

we upped nursery. it costs a fortune. even with the nursery grant from the term after 3rd birthday.
she loves it though.
for change of setting, you really really to get name on waiting list - round here if you don't do it a year in advance you have no chance but to stick with the expensive option...