What does 'rising 3s' actually mean?

[IBlameThePMT]

Does it refer to children who are in their pre, pre-school year IYKWIM (ie will turn 3 at some point that year) or does it simply mean a child who is not yet 3? I thought it sort of applied to the child for that year, regardless of the fact they turn 3 at some point - they are still in the year of the rising 3's ...? My pre school no longer refers to a child as a rising 3 when they are 3, which makes sense, just wasnt what I thought. Any enlightening comments would be great!

The term before their third birthday. So if they were born in March, the January term.

Drat, not what I thought then!

In our pre school rising 3's are the 2-3 year olds in, as you say, the pre pre-school year, who will be 3 at some point in that year and rising 4's are those in the pre-school year who turn 4 at some point in that school year. It is used as a way of showing which school year they will start in and who their peers are.

Thats what I thought Run. But I wonder if it is simply interpreted diferently in each pre-school rather than there being some absolute truth on the matter! Strange.