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Are there any pros and cons for a 3 year old to go to a nursery connected with a school compared with an independent nursery such as Gumboots/Bright Horizons etc.? (I'm not sure if "independents" is the right term but couldn't think of anything else).


I'm wondering if the educational aspect might be a bit more focused on in the school nurseries compared with independents and if so, whether this is a good thing or not.

some private nurseries are quite high pressured to get your child to read by the time the are 4 as some prep schools look for that. school nurseries only do school hours and school terms, some private nurseries do 52 weeks a year.if yur child is at a state nursery attached to a school and goeson to that school they will be familiar and will have a set of freinds to move up with.

I imagine that the school nurseries will potentially take a much wider range of children if attendance is free - I'm not making any judgements but private nurseries are costly (even with their element of government grants) and therefore that limits who can send their kids there. And I suspect that school nurseries will focus on bringing the kids up to the level preferred for entry to reception - in both social and academic aspects - rather than developing any one child in their particular strengths. (Not meaning to do down the school nurseries - some are brilliant - but their resources can be more stretched than a private nursery.)


Private nurseries will vary more in what they provide depending on the ethos of the nursery but they should essentially provide the same basic skills that the school nursery would provide as I believe they need to follow the same basic curriculum outline - but may implement it in different ways and may have more resources to go beyond the basic curriculum. I suspect that some private nurseries would focus more on the academic than the school ones - it really depends on their ethos. My daughter certainly did things in nursery (private) that she then repeated a year later in reception!


Whether you want your child to be encouraged academically at this point really is your choice. It's one I struggle with. Ideally I think the best option is to find a nursery that tries to give opportunities if your child is that way inclined and enjoys it, but doesn't push it and first and foremost helps them to develop their social and personal skills. Depending on your child, a small nursery where they get quite close to the staff and a small group of kids may be best or a child who is already socially adept may prefer a larger set-up (like a school one) where there is a bigger group of kids and it's closer to the real school environment .


Also consider the hours. School nuseries tend to be morning or afternoon only. You may feel that shorter days suit your LO better (they can get very tired) or you may need longer days if you are working. I've found larger nurseries (particularly school ones) seem more full-on for the kids so they get more tired - a smaller nursery seems gentler, but then the step up to school can be a bigger one.


In the end, I think the home environment is as important in how a child does as what nursery / school they go to. So don't worry too much about getting it exactly right. Visit them and see which one 'feels' right for your child and works practically for you.....a mummy stressed from running miles for drop off / pick up isn't good. You won't wreck their future career prospects if it isn't the 'perfect' option and whichever you pick, you'll always hear others talking about their nurseries and wonder if you should have gone there!

My 3.5yo has been in two day nurseries (incl Bright Horizons) and school nursery. For us, school seems to be way better for the pre-school stage, apart from the hours, which IMO are not workable except for stay-at-home parents or those with nannies or childminders willing to do pick-ups/drop-offs.


I think the main thing is that there're lots of other kids their age and activities geared towards pre-schoolers. In the day nurseries, we found that the carers were so busy dealing with the basics with the younger kids, there was little attention for the older ones. This may be different in nurseries with different rooms for different ages, but Bright Horizons, for example, is just 2 - school, all in one room.


The school nurseries have more structure - not learning to read or anything pushy - just scheduled stuff like cooking, art, gardening or whatever, which has been better for our daughter than total "free play".

My oldest son went to an independent nursery - Gumboots until he started school and my youngest son went to a school nursery, Goodrich until he started school so I have experience of seeing both.

Apart from the obvious difference which is the hours (half days) and school nurseries follow the school terms (so no childcare during Oct half term, Christmas, Feb half term, Easter, Summer half term and summer holidays) the biggest difference I saw was that the children are with the same children every day which I thought was nice and familiar.

At non school nurseries there will be a variety of children who all attend on different days so the mix of kids will change each day normally.

I don't think either solution is better than the other. If you have the luxury of being a stay at home mum or work part time (like I do) then the school nursery is really nice plus it is a good introduction to the school system and staff.


You asked about education - I think all nurseries have to follow the same curriculum for the pre school age so they all do the phonics stuff. I know Gumboots did phonics and the routine there was very set.


Someone also mentioned kids from all different walks of life being at the school nursery - this was also the case at Gumboots too.


For me it comes down to what suits you best according to your work and the hours you need to keep. Both my sons had a lovely time at both places.


Now both are at school I don't have any regrets about either setting. Go with what feels right for you and your child.


Hope this helps - reading it back I don't think it does really!


Edited to also say that some children at school nursery were picked up by childminders for the rest of the day so it can also work if you need childcare for a full day.

You also need to consider what age you want them to start nursery. School nurseries only have one intake - the September after their third birthday - so theoretically your child could be almost 4 before they start. Independent nurseries take them younger.


Also competition for school nursery places is high. Siblings of children in the school get first priority, and it is not unheard of (this happened at Heber for example), for no "non-sibling" places to be made available.


Re costs - all children aged 3 and over get 15 hours a week of free nursery (at the moment, whether this is cut by the current Government remains to be seen), so you will have the same "free" element at an independent nursery. To a degree this can also be more flexible as you don't have to take it as 15 hours per week for term time only - you could have, say 10 hours a week year round (i haven't done the maths, but hopefully you get my drift).


Finally - there is no guarantee of a place at that school even if your child has been to the school nursery, so I wouldn't bank on it helping with "settling in" to Reception.


I would look round lots, put your name down with the ones you like, see what you get offered, and take it from there!

The funding kicks in the start of the term after the child turns 3 - so some kids get it almost as soon as they're free, while others need to wait up to 6 months (eg baby born just after Easter would not get funding til September). It's term-time only.

If you're still looking at this - my daughter did both. I was far more impressed with the school nursery (but we're in se23 so it may be different). School nursery teacher is a qualified teacher with an NNEB and Teaching Assistants. The kids are no more or less 'mixed' than they were in dds private nursery (though it wasn't one of the very very expensive ones) and she's made more friends, had more playdates and learnt all sorts of things. I also know that when she goes up to Reception in Jan she'll know most of her class.

The only drawbacks are

a) it's a pain in the neck finding childcare for the pms when she only does mornings

b)it is EVERY day (and we both work part time) which can be quite a commitment and you need to get there on time (feel like we're constantly late)

c) I can't put her younger sister in as well.

d) When she started at a young 3, it seemed very academic for her and she looked tiny in her uniform. Now she's bigger I can see that they knew exactly what they were doing!


All in all, less convenient for us, but a fantastic experience for her.

we have a nanny so i'm really only considering school nurseries as a way to help my son get used to the idea of school, and meet his future classmates. I think it's almost silly to be talking about "pushing them academically" at this stage - I don't think anyone was saying they wanted that, but even the idea grates for me. Of course that may be a reality if you are trying to get into a pre-prep school. I think it's ludicrous to judge 3-year olds on their ability to recognise letters though.
My daughter attends Gumboots nursery when she was 1 half, turning 2 October . Her sentences, numbers and observing colours has really impressed me! I am a very "involved mum" meaning i like to talk to her key workers at nursery inaddtion read with her, she asists me in the kitchen etc so i believe whether your child goes to an independant nursery or school nursery the parent still needs to play their role and not leave it up to the education system to educate your child.:)-D

The school preparation thing has been the real learning curve for dd. She's learnt the whole morning routine (bookbag, uniform, register, carpet time) and can cope with 25/30 in a class which should help her not to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers at Reception (at least I can hope!). And AM nursery means she has time to see her school friends more informally in the afternoons too - we've had a lot of time doing that and I think that's helpful too.


When I said too academic, I was mostly freaked out by the sight of my tiny girl in school uniform plus the whole 'home visits'and recognise own name on register business. DD is a July baby so she has to do things quite young. It also emerged later that the reason she was coming home with so much 'work' is that she insisted on doing it, even when it was the older children's turn. Now it's her turn she refuses to do so, but that's another story!


They do do numbers and letters (at least they go round the school searching for them on 'number hunts' and I've seen some writing on the walls) but mostly it seems to be singing, stories, painting, smelly playdough and spending an awful lot of time in the home corner/post office. But what I've been really impressed by is the commitment to each individual child's development, despite the fact that there are so many of them, and how well they've got to know dd. I guess any good nursery in either sector will do that - but I could see why dds school was so keen on its Reception kids going through the nursery when I saw how well it prepared them for that particular school.

  • 8 months later...

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