How important is my choice of pre-school?

[moomaa]

Maybe PFB alert here.

My DS is down to start pre-school in September, he will be 2 years 9 months. We have started going to settling in sessions. I picked the only one in walking distance of my house, I know other parents that use it that say it is 'ok'.

There are minor things that I don't like. While we were there 2 boys were fighting in the corner and it took a while for staff to come and sort them out. A couple of quiet kids were ignored for much of the time. The kids roam around doing whatever they want and are not encouraged to perservere with anything or try different things. Some of the stuff is tatty and not well cared for.

Is this typical? DS will only be going there 2 mornings a week. I think the lack of 1:1 attention might be good preperation for school Several neighbours have opted to drive out to posh preschools in nearby villages (I think ratios are better as they have to pay a top up), I'm not sure whether to follow suit. I suspect this might be being a bit precious and I don't like driving. Other friends use nurserys as pre-schools by just having 1 or 2 half day sessions there but I don't think I want to do that.

Am I worrying over nothing?!

Buy what you have written I would be unsure about him going,it seems rather lax. He may only be there for two mornings a week but they things he dos and learns there is meant to be preperation for school, you don't want him bored with the idea before it has begun.

What is your ds like personality wise?

well I was going to come and post that I thinnk one of the important things is going to a neighbourhood one that your child can meet future school friends..but I don't think I'd be too happy with kids being ignored .
I can forgive tatty things but I would visit a few more times to make sure that wasn't just a bad day/s.

Why don't you want to use a nursery? My two boys (3 and 4) are both in the pre-school section of the day nursery they've attended since each was 10 months old. (THey go 3 full days).
Its fab, the staff are fully trained, with a manager overseeing, top equipment, I've been taking mine there 3 years in total now and never seen anyone fighting that wasn't dealt with, and never seen anyone just being on their own or 'roaming'.
Sounds an awful lot better than the one you've been to see.

Sorry I mean I've never seen anyone fighting there!!!

Sounds like I see kids fighting there all the time

DS is fairly forceful personality wise, he wants to do things for himself without help and he likes to focus on one thing for a while. He doesn't seem typical of a 2 year old boy in that respect. He seems to like playing with girls more but really has only just started to be bothered about other children. He is not a quiet one and will push and shove when he doesn't get his own way. I don't want him to think that is an ok way to behave. I do think he could be bored if he went any more than 2 days a week.

ggirl - I know the mum of one of the boys being ignored, and the way he was treated made me sad. I will mention that I have been there to the mum and see what she says. DS won't go to school with these kids anyway because we live on the edge of a catchment area and the pre school mainly has children from the next catchment along.

Flibbertyjibbet, I'm glad you posed the question about the nursery, my initial response is because I assume it will cost more and I sort of assumed they are geared towards the kids that are doing more sessions but I should go and find out. There is a nursery at the top of the road and people seem to love or hate it (people that don't like it are for reasons that are not a problem for me), I should go and see for myself. Is 2 1/2 day sessions a weird thing to do in a nursery?

I work in a pre-school room of a day nursery and we have children that just do a couple of sessions a week.

It is not weird at all.
We are all fully qualified and experienced and some of us are doing more qualifications. I am doing a foundation degree and my deputy manager is finishing the Early Years Professional Status. We prepare the children for school by building up their independence and self-help skills and by learning how to get along with everyone. There is no distinction between care and education anymore. The EYFS takes an holistic approach to child development.
Why not pop in and ask for a look around?