The terms "nursery" and "pre-school" are often used interchangeably to signify childcare options, but there are subtle differences between the two.
What is a Nursery?
A nursery, also called a day nursery, will usually care for children from the age of six weeks up until the children leave to go to school when they 4 years old. The age ranges individual nurseries accept will vary, often depending upon if there is an established baby unit or if there is space to accept school age children, so be sure to enquire at each nursery you visit.
- Nurseries may be public or private, and may be run by the council, your local community, your employer or may be part of a nursery group - Kids 1st are part of a group of 13 nurseries
- Nursery opening hours will differ, most opening from 7.30am - 6pm - Kids 1st are open from 7.30am - 6pm, closed bank holidays
- Nurseries generally provide a variety of social activities built into the day - Kids 1st ensure that there are a variety of activities on offer to the children throughout the day, encouraging the development of each individual child.
- Nurseries generally accept children for either full or part time hours - Kids 1st offer both full and part time places.
- Nurseries must be registered and inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, and most staff will have certification and training in childcare. At Kids 1st all staff hold a relevant childcare qualification.
What is a Pre-school?
As the name implies, a pre-school is an educational environment for children from 3 years of age up until they leave to go to school when they are 4 years old. Pre-school delivers the Early Years Foundation Stage to children helping them to work towards achieving the Early Learning Goals.
- Pre-schools may be public or private, and many will have waiting lists - please contact our nurseries to check availability
- Fees for pre-schools vary.
- Pre-schools follow the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)
- Pre-schools must be registered with the Ofsted
- 50% of any pre-school staff must be qualified in childcare/early childhood education - All Kids 1st staff hold a relevant childcare qualification
- Children are able to access Free Nursery Education the term AFTER their 3rd birthday - please contact our nurseries for details
What to Look for in a Nursery or Pre-school
- Did you feel welcome? Were you and your child made to feel welcome by the staff and other children?
- Do the children appear happy? Do they seem to be enjoying themselves?
- Are the premises clean, bright and suitable?
- How well do the staff interact with the children?
- Does the ratio of staff to children seem correct?
- Were you given information regarding staff qualifications?
- Are there any outdoor facilities, such as a playground available?
- Does it seem as though all required healthy and safety practices are being followed?
- Will the establishment be able to cater to any medical, allergy or diet requirements your child may have?
- Overall, do you feel impressed with the establishment? Remember, gut reactions are as important as anything else!
Why you should go for both, and choose Kids 1st Nurseries
When choosing a nursery or pre-school remember that you are looking for an establishment that nurtures healthy, happy children through a variety of activities. The nursery or pre-school you ultimately select will have a hand in teaching your child social, education and ethical lessons, so choose wisely and trust in your good judgement! The great news is that at Kids 1st Nurseries we have both! Our nurseries have been designed to provide a wonderful, child-friendly environment with age and stage appropriate rooms. This means your child would get the very 'best of both worlds'. We understand how important both can be for a child's development, and this is why we provide both, combined into one! Each and every one of our nurseries have both a childcare facility and a pre-school - a great reason for your child to join us! If you need more information, check out our website at http://kids1st.net/
Source - http://www.growingkids.co.uk/nurserypreschool.html
