Would I be holding ds1 back by not sending him to pre-school?

[beansprout]

Ds1 will be 4 next month. He currently goes to a day care nursery 3 days a week. I am currently on maternity leave but he has continued to go during this time. I am due go to back in a few weeks. Ds2 will be at a CM.

Most of ds1's peer group are now going to pre-school leaving him and one other boy as the eldest there, the rest of the children are 2 and 3 yo.

If I send him to pre-school, not only will he be there 9-3, five days a week but a CM will need to pick him up and look after him until 6pm on my working days. This seems like a lot of time for him to be out of the house. Plus, at this stage, it would extremely difficult for us to cover the additional CM costs for after school and the school holidays.

So, for these reasons (so much time for him to be out of the house and costs), we are thinking of keeping him at the nursery until he starts reception.

However, I am concerned that not being with children of his own age will not be very good for him and that he should be with his peer group. We are likely to move in the next year so the "getting to know the friends he will go to school with argument" does not really apply.

What does everyone think? Help!!

why does the nursery only cater for up to 3 year olds ?

I use a nursery for daycare whilst I work and they have a pre-school section which the 3 year olds graduate to in order to start preparing for school in the way that pre-school is intended to prepare them.

could you find a daycare facility which has a pre-school and therefore caters for the working day eather than just 9-3 ?

They do the EYFS, but they are not attached to a school. They cater for children up to 5yo but the vast majority leave and go off to pre-school.

Thanks riven.

I decided to leave my ds in his private nursery rather than transfer him to pre-school. For me, though, it was because I knew we were moving house before he started school, so he wouldn't benefit from getting to know the school setting and the children there. He was very happy where he was and I loved it so he stayed. The provision and curriculum should be basically the same in both, although if he is the only 4 year old that could be more tricky. The only thing I'd consider is whether he will know children that he will be starting Reception with, and if you think, knowing your ds, that that would be a big help for him in settling into school. That is the main advantage of pre-school, as I see it.

Ha! Just reread, and see you are in same dilemma as we were due to house move. Sorry! If he's happy, and there are at least a couple of other 4 year olds, I'd leave him where he is. It's best for your family. We did the same. We moved house in time for ds to do 1 term of pre-school at the new address and he has just started school very happily.

That's great to hear, thank you.

Just think, if there is only a couple of children his age, they will get so much input from the staff who will probably enjoy having the older ones there.
I worried and worried as DS was very happy at our village pre-school and didn't go to the one attached to the school. He started school last week and is as happy as could be - friendships are so fluid at that age.

I agree with Riven, I'm all for making life as simple as possible.

Dd will stay with her CM and not go to preschool because she is happier with CM than former nursery and CM can't do preschool run as she already does school run. Once upon a time, 'reception' was supposed to be preschool! If it's working - keep with it.