Choosing the right preschool setting can be overwhelming, so with the help of The Good Schools Guide, we have put together a guide to help you start the journey into the jungle of nurseries and pre-preps.
Whether it be an academically rigorous pre-prep or a experimental nursery, the right preschool setting is one in which you can see your child thriving and flourishing, socially, cognitively, emotionally and physically. There is no blanket rule about which is best, so it's important to go into the process with a fresh pair of eyes and not to have too many preconceived ideas, exploring all your options before making a decision. The Independent Schools Show will give you the opportunity to meet (and crucially, quiz!) lots of different nurseries and pre-prep schools under one roof, and hopefully to get a better insight into their diverse range of approaches.
Nurseries can be found almost everywhere you look -the very heart of church halls, attached to larger enterprises or as onsite feeders to a prep school. They come in all shapes and sizes, reflecting their varied ethos. The Good Schools Guide said of a Steiner School, 'Kindergarten feels like a farmhouse kitchen, homey and calm. Earthy rather than bright colours are used in the decoration, pictures are wiped clean or taken home rather than being put up on the walls – children are encouraged to find their own level of creative play and imitate the adults with plenty of repetition and ritual.'
Meanwhile, Montessori nurseries centralise the belief that children become self-motivated, creative learners and achieve greater independence in a child-led environment, where the children choose what and when they learn. The Good Schools Guide describes a sense of community amongst the children, ‘Older children join forces with younger, they become instructors and befrienders, revising and reinforcing their own knowledge by working with and helping younger ones. The apparent lack of structure can be a problem for some youngsters; others relish the freedom to explore.’
For parents after more rigorous teaching and a more streamlined path to a prep school, a pre-prep might be the most suitable choice. But whilst many pre-preps are seamlessly linked to a prep school with guaranteed transition, be warned this is not always the case, and so the pressure can start as early as year 1 with practice papers. This is perhaps ultimately outweighed by the feast of opportunity usually on offer at these institutions; from choir to den-building, yoga to mini-rugby, there is bound to be something to spark a healthy appetite in the extracurricular.
Like with nurseries and pre-preps more generally, there is a vast landscape of options when it comes to choosing a pre-prep; it's not all classrooms, practice papers and regime - in fact, many are set in idyllic rural locations. Of a London pre-prep, The Good Schools Guide says, 'A firm believer in the great outdoors, [this school] has its own forest school. Each session has a theme and activities can range from mini beat hunting to fire building and cooking outdoors. With a school that states so boldly in its prospectus, 'there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing,' you better be sure your little darlings have a healthy interest in outdoor pursuits!'
Whichever pre-school setting you opt for, remember that some children thrive in busy purposeful environments with plenty of bustle, while others prefer calm, ordered environments. Some parents firmly believe their children should be free to explore, experiment and lead their learning, others feel young children need routine, boundaries and rules.
Whatever your thoughts, when entrusting the care of your child to others, you should look to find a nursery or pre-prep that will work with you and listen to your child; work from your child's current development stage and needs, not from preconceived notions of what a 2, 3 or 4 year-old should do; seek to develop your child's confidence; encourage good behaviour and cooperation; develop an awareness of, and sensitivity to, others and their feelings; and be interested in the personal, social and emotional development of your child. It is essential, therefore, to think about the kind of experience you wish your child to have, and to engage with your options without prior opinion, or your own distant memories: visit, speak to representatives, look at the current pupils; can you envisage your child there?
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