experiences with preschools need some advice

[thepuddingchef]

Hi,
I have just been talking to a friend of mine who works in a preschool and she has told me how they do things there and I'm a bit worried that my ds preschool is no good.
He has been there since end April 2009. It is attached to a very good primary school in our catchment area, so was keen to send him there. It seemed well organised. In the time he has been there I have had no official feedback on how he is doing development wise, and I have only just found out that they have to do this and follow a set programme, sorry can't remember what it is called.
His key worker had changed in Jan, and we were sent a letter a month after the event telling us who she was, but she has never introduced herself to us although I do know her to look at.
The only feedback we have ever had is that he doesn't speak much, and we have poo issues which is another story.
When we drop off or pick up, they wait on chairs near the door and when they see you coming towards the building they open the door, shove your child out and say bye and thats it unless you ask and then they look at you like your interupting the flow.
I have had no experience of whether this is the norm and I'm being pfb about it, or should I speak to someone to get more info?

What is everyone elses experiences?
Any advice would be very much appreiciated

Well I'm a bit surprised you have had no parent's evenings - that does sound odd. Ask to see his development record (they have to keep one).

Wouldn't necessarily expect key worker to introduce herself - can be difficult at hectic drop off times - you can always go up to her?

Pick up time sounds similar to DD's pre-school, although the staff will talk if you ask them questions - though has to be said morning (or making an appointment if you want a "proper" chat) is a better time.

1 or 2 parents evenings a year at ds1's pre-school (2 for those in their final year before starting school).
Staff very keen to show development records all year round.
Weekly plans of activities well displayed on the walls in the entrabce hall.
Staff hand over children one by one to each parent and always make a little comment about something the child has done that day (drawn a lovely picture, counted well, recognised certain letters, talked about X at show and tell time, etc). They go out of their way to stress the positive things childreen have done, never the negative (unless there was a serious behaviour problem).
Staff always available for a chat at the start of the session (or any time by phone), even if it can be a little chaotic at that time of day.

I think for better or worse preschool's attached to schools will be more school like and so less toddler orientated, it will be more like having a child at a school so less info and teacher contact. At the other end of the scale I find that people who use nurseries for preschool get a very good experience because they are geared to younger children full time and you have to pay more.

My DS's preschool is somewhere in the middle, just a preschool in a church hall. For info we are told in person of a change in keyworker and the key worker introduces themselves. The kids have a book that the staff write up what your DC have been doing that week in and any problems. They make notes on development too like they have good fine motor skills demonstrated by using scissors, need to work on playing with other children instead of alongside etc. There is a development file that you get given when your child leaves but you don't see day to day.

Each term there is an opportunity to come in and do a parents evening type thing and you get a school report type thing that the parent has to sign and send back and can write comments.

They do get shoved out the door at home time but they don't mind you asking to talk, and often parents are asked to stay behind, which is a bad thing because normally it means you have to sign the accident book/your DC hurt someone/your DC got picked on/your DC wet themselves (or for my DS took 2 hours to have lunch, they want to work on hurrying him up!).

I would go with your gut feeling on if it is good or not though, not what other people say theirs is like.

You can ask to see the keyperson at a particular time.

They should be keeping a learning journal of him, which is linked to the EYFS.

Our preschool varie son parents evenings - last year we only did one for schoolleavers. Thsi year we are doing them all after Easter.

You could join the parents committee as this is a good way to know what is going on

thank you for the replies,I'll ask to see his records on Monday and see if I can get some more info.
Would be nice to know how he's doing.