Playgroup, Playschool, pre-school, nursey, reception ???

[Lou]

Hi

Isaac goes to playgroup and has been since he was about 1. Its at a church, once a week for a couple of hours, I stay with him. There are babies there and toddlers and we pay a £1 donation to the church per session. My understanding of how the whole system worked was that if you work then you pay for a private nursery otherwise you send them to nursery when they are 'dry' ie out of nappies. Yesterday my friend tells me there is a pre-school down the road that Isaac can go to now, still in nappies, I leave him there from 9-12 as many mornings a week as I like for £7 per session. Or all day for more money. Now my understanding is that when they are 3 you no longer have to pay, does that mean the same nursery he has been going to overnight becomes a freebie? and when they are 3 1/2 they go to a nursery attached to a primary school (with reception class in between) but just because they attend the nursery does not automatically grant them a place at the primary school wtf? Theres all this talk about getting their names down and 'intake' and when their birthday is ??????? Its all double dutch to me !!!!!!

Also I talked with Jed last night and we've decided not to send Isaac to a nursery just yet. A - because we don't want someone changing his nappy. B - He can't talk yet properly and can't speak for himself and C - We just think he needs to be with me for a while yet. We are lucky enough that we can choose this so please don't think I'm knocking people who have to send their kids to nursery while they work.

Anyway to cut a long post short please please please can someone explain the system to me. I am so confused and the bloody HV's don't contact you and tell you what to do. Its like 8 month check done, see ya

Thanks in advance

 

[kellie80]

Not too sure myself so I hope someone has some more info. The nursery I'm sending Aimee too will except her now at a cost of about £5 a session (ish) but when she turns 3 you get 5 free sessions of the goverment so I will then only have to pay a contribution of 50p a day.

Thats usually the case with the primary school too that you are not garenteed a place. You have to put your name down for the school as they have separate lists.
I find it all a bit confusing too

 

[Huddsgirl]

From my understanding i think they can start nurseries at 2yrs old but you have to pay this yourself as it is personal choice at this age. but you have to put there name down for pre school and primary school.
I put ellies name down for a pre shool which she has to be 3yrs for and she doesnt have to be completly potty trained , and its only either morning or afternoon sessions. but these are funded (when they are 3) but if there is a school joint with the pre school then apparently it doesnt garuntte u a place so you also have to put your name down for that. This is what i was told but it may be different for different areas.
havnt helped much but thought i would reply with my thoughts anyway
xxx

 

[Lou]

Not too sure myself so I hope someone has some more info. The nursery I'm sending Aimee too will except her now at a cost of about £5 a session (ish) but when she turns 3 you get 5 free sessions of the goverment so I will then only have to pay a contribution of 50p a day.

Thats usually the case with the primary school too that you are not garenteed a place. You have to put your name down for the school as they have separate lists.
I find it all a bit confusing too

Its mad isn't it!?! The other thing that confuses me is the primary schools. Theres one's (supposedly the best ones) where you have to attecnd church and have a reference from the vicar, priest whatever they are called ? But these schools have to take a certain amount of 'non-religious' children. But tbh what are the chances of a non-religious child getting in? I just don't get it. It is starting to seem like Isaac will get a good school if I play the game right I don't know how to play though

 

[Becky&Willow]

I put willows name down for pre school when she is 3 when she was about 6 months she is due to start there in 2010 but i was told as soon as she starts you have to apply for reception and 90%of the children who go to the pre school (nursary get confused) get accepted to the school.

 

[Lou]

I put willows name down for pre school when she is 3 when she was about 6 months she is due to start there in 2010 but i was told as soon as she starts you have to apply for reception and 90%of the children who go to the pre school (nursary get confused) get accepted to the school.

I phoned a local primary school (they have a nursery attached) ages ago and was told they don't take any names down for nursery until the year before the 'intake' and that depends when your LO's birthday is. What she explained to me went in one ear and out the other tbh. Is there some sort of pack you can get? I'm going to phone my local council I think

 

[clairescunny55]

its really dodgy in my area, the playschool is a bout 45mins walk away, but the infants/juniors in 5 mins away. I ut mmillies name down for the school when she was 1. I put her name down for playschool the other day and its fully booked until september. But she will get government funding because she will be over 3 years old. Some nurserys are private ones that the government wont fund for. xx

 

[mamichuli]

I dont know the first thing about the starting school bit, but I think the best way would be to get in touch with your LEA (local education authority), i'm sure that they will be able to help you,



Lisa

 

[Lou]

Looked on the council website and it was rubbish. Didn't tell me anything. I'm going to have to phone them.

I'm worried now that I should already have Isaac's name down. What if all the good schools are full and he has to go to a crap one with all the crap kids and crap teachers

 

[Rosieroo]

Here your child goes to the school in the catchment area your house is in, and I'm happy with the one she'll go to.
For preschool I've put Ella's name down for one when she turns 3 (and it's then she's entitled to 5 x 2.5 hour sessions for free). I've put her down now as I've heard bad things about most of them in the village and this one seems to be a decent one, plus the preschool also run a toddler group on a Monday morning that we go to and the women seem really nice. I've put her name down for 3 mornings a week (9.15-11.45) and it's literally just round the corner from us so also very convienient. All her mates are going to that one so I know she wont be with lots of kids she doesn't know. I'm not sure whether I'm sending her for too many sessions though I know that the childminder who has been looking after Alex a few hours per week whilst I have some 1-2-1 with Ella also accepts the vouchers as she's early years trained, so I might send Ella to her for 3 hours a week so she can learn things in a smaller environment.

I don't really understand about Nursery etc, but am sure that we'll find out more when she starts preschool. But I know that she'll be going to our local primary anyway so I'm not too concerned about too far in the future.

 

[EllieG]

It sounds like what you and Isaac have been attending is more of a parent/toddler group. From the age of 2/ 2 1/2, you can send your child to playgroup (or preschool). It is at the playgroups discretion if they will change soiled nappies(my daughters play group used to phone us if they pooed). From there your child can go to state nursery these are sometimes attatched to a infant school, or private nursery, from my understanding the sessions are funded from the age of 3 it is 3 sessions a wek, it goes up to 5 at some point. You can keep them at preschool if you are happy with that. So now from nursery or prescgool, your LO will go into reception, this happens usually, the term your LO turns 5, in our school it is the academic year in which they turn 5, this tends to be full time although there is no legal reuirement for them to be in full time education, I think, until they turn 5. when it is time to apply for nursery and primary school, you get sent an application form, in our area you can do it online, I think they get your address from a national database.
It is sooooo confusing, and I have probably made it worse I hope I have it right. Good luck battling through it all

 

[EllieG]

Looked on the council website and it was rubbish. Didn't tell me anything. I'm going to have to phone them.

I'm worried now that I should already have Isaac's name down. What if all the good schools are full and he has to go to a crap one with all the crap kids and crap teachers

Dont worry, it doesnt get decided yet, everyone has to apply through he appropriate chanels and put application forms in http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Sch ... /index.htm have a looksy here, it might help

 

[Beatlesfan]

I work in Early Years and this is what i know to be the case ...

The Government fund all 3 year olds (from the term after they turn 3 years old) to attend an Early Years "provision" for 12.5 hours a week, for 38 weeks of the year. By 2010 the free entitlement will have increased from 12.5 to 15 hours per week, as part of the Childcare Bill.


"Provision" can be pre-schools, playgroups, kindergartens, day nurseries and some childminders. School nurseries are included in this scheme except they only take children from around 4 years old I think. For a provision to be eligible for the vouchers, they have to be OFSTED registered. As a parent your child can attend any of these early years settings.

If your child is under 3 you have to pay yourself, and you also will be required to pay if your child is eligible for the vouchers but the childcare exceeds the 12.5 hours. E.g. if your child attends day nursery full time you will pay the difference of the cost of the 12.5 hours (covered by vouchers) and the cost of a full time place there. Hope that makes sense.

As for the changing nappies issue. This is a bit controversial. Under the Disability Discrimination Act no Early Years setting (or school) can refuse to take a child if they are not toilet trained. Most people think of this in light of disability (e.g. child with cerebral palsy may be in nappies for most of their childhood, so should they be discriminated against for that, and miss out on early years experience etc.) But because of this, settings can also not refuse children without disability/special needs who are in nappies as they are then discriminating against them!! It's a real can of worms and many settings (by settings I mean nurseries, playgroups etc) have been reluctant to change their policies and practices.

Also, some parents don't like to challenge nurseries etc. in case it sets their child up to be disliked/resented by staff. I can see their point. Sad really as parents have the right to know these things.

Thing is more and more children are being born prematurely so often have developmental delay, including bladder and bowel control. So they don't become toilet trained until later than what used to be the "norm."

Here is more info about vouchers...

http://www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartse ... ionplaces/

http://www.surestart.gov.uk/improvingqu ... ation/faq/

And the starting school business... your local LEA should give you info and most have online registration for schools. Push to speak to admissions, sometimes websites have FAQ or your pre-school/playgroup will have details. Here the parents have to put a child's name down by the end of Feb of the year the child is due to start Reception class. They find out if there child got in by end of April (or May) I think it is.

here is a link about choosing schools

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Sch ... DG_4016369

Hope this helps.

x

 

[Beatlesfan]

Looked on the council website and it was rubbish. Didn't tell me anything. I'm going to have to phone them.

I'm worried now that I should already have Isaac's name down. What if all the good schools are full and he has to go to a crap one with all the crap kids and crap teachers

Dont worry, it doesnt get decided yet, everyone has to apply through he appropriate chanels and put application forms in http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Sch ... /index.htm have a looksy here, it might help

Sorry EllieG, spent so long typing my reply I didn't see you'd posted one of the links already!

 

[EllieG]

Looked on the council website and it was rubbish. Didn't tell me anything. I'm going to have to phone them.

I'm worried now that I should already have Isaac's name down. What if all the good schools are full and he has to go to a crap one with all the crap kids and crap teachers

Dont worry, it doesnt get decided yet, everyone has to apply through he appropriate chanels and put application forms in http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Sch ... /index.htm have a looksy here, it might help

Sorry EllieG, spent so long typing my reply I didn't see you'd posted one of the links already!

No!!! Dont be sorry, more the merrier
x

 

[Lou]

Thanks girls. Your posts have been so helpful I'm going to set an afternoon aside (hopefully when Isaac is napping) and get online and sort it out. You'd think the LEA would send all parents a pack through the post once our LO's turn 2 just to inform us of the procedures. We really are left to our own devices. And even everyone I've spoken to at playgroup has said a diferent scenario so i'm so confused and don't want Isaac to miss out because I'm in the dark.

But....like I said your posts have answered my questions now so I just need to read them links and get the ball rolling.

Thanks again