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EWmums

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ewmoda

fs1 in nursery vs. big school...helpppp

4

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 September 2012 - 20:36

hi there,
my son is starting fs1 in a nursery, and was informed by the school that at fs1 they r mixing an age group difference of 6 months...so my son is dec boy and there r kids that r sept ones...!!!! is this normal....this is like 6 months difference anyone else have the same! my son turning 4 in dec!
was it a bad idea doing fs1 in nursery vs. big school!!!! I’m confused
HELPPPP:\:

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282

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 16 September 2012 - 10:47

I'm currently grappling with this too. I love the teacher-student ratio in nursery and the intimate feel. My 2.5 year old has 2 British-trained teachers and 1 assistant in his class of 16 (and at that age attendance is normally 75% at most so attention per child is even higher). It is a small nursery where everyone greets him by name the moment we walk in. I registered at schools like JPS which fall in the category of "better take it if you get it at FS1 otherwise you have no chance for FS2". I know JPS is highly regarded but I was very put off by the way the staff taking my application told me this. I've also registered at other schools like JBS and Horizon where I've been told I can decide next year, at assessment time, whether my son is ready for big school or I want to roll over my application and move him at FS2. As others have said, the US system starts at 4 years as do highly regarded schools like DESS and JAPS. Go with your gut, to those who asked the questions. As starsouthern said, some kids are ready for big school, more structure and more challenges. And some are not. <em>edited by sadubai on 16/09/2012</em>

mk-in-dubai36686

323

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 16 September 2012 - 09:33

My daughter hated nursery last term but has started FS1 this week and loves it. She really enjoys the structure her teacher is very nurturing. That's great to hear, SS, as my son just started KG1... It was a really tough decision but we decided so much comes down to the teacher, as you say! He is doing well and enjoying it so far and I'm glad your daughter is too. It just shows there are no 'rules' or guarantees either way.

1618

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 13 September 2012 - 17:05

My daughter hated nursery last term but has started FS1 this week and loves it. She really enjoys the structure her teacher is very nurturing.

10

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 September 2012 - 18:43

Dont worry about whether your child does FS1 in a nursery or in a 'big school'! Big schools are typically not as nurturing an environment as nurseries. They are far more structured and imo expect more maturity from the child than nurseries do. I have had 2 children do FS1 in a nursery environment and 1 child do FS1 in a primary school. IMO the nursery environment was better as there was a lot more creativity - art/music/pe in the nursery. If your child is a boy i would definitely say a nursery is better as boys mature slower than girls typically, and are better off being nurtured for longer! Seriously, do not stress about FS1 .or the ages of children in FS 1 ! In any school year you will find a difference of 12 months between the oldest and youngest in the class!!

1234

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 23:15

Legally by the time that a child is 5 they have to be in school. So this will mean that they need to enter school in the school year (Sept-Aug) that they turn 5 (FS2 BC/KG1 American). It's not necessarily true - if most of nurseries don't have groups for 4-5 y.o., it doesn't mean that this is the legal age for entering school. As I have found out from EW, nurseries are considered as day care centres that offer early childhood education, whereas for group age 4-5 you need to obtain the educational license and that's the completely different set up. However, there are still few nurseries that offer that group. People put their kids to school at age 4 for only one reason - there is no other choice (or quite limited one)

943

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 22:57

Legally by the time that a child is 5 they have to be in school. So this will mean that they need to enter school in the school year (Sept-Aug) that they turn 5 (FS2 BC/KG1 American). As dramaqn said, if they are already 5 by Sept 1st then they will be in Year 1 in the British system and KG2 in the American system.

1234

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 22:47

The legal age for children to be in school is when they turn 5 (so FS2, or KG1 with the American schools) Hi SEY83, got a bit confused with the legal age - do you mean the year they turn 5 or they should already have turned 5 by Sept 1st (if we are talking BC)? when they are already 5+ by Sept 1st :) and they will be in Grade 1/KG2 (BC/AmC respectively)

330

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 21:55

The legal age for children to be in school is when they turn 5 (so FS2, or KG1 with the American schools) Hi SEY83, got a bit confused with the legal age - do you mean the year they turn 5 or they should already have turned 5 by Sept 1st (if we are talking BC)?

flydiver1136092

504

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 11:47

OK.... Let me start by saying I was letting all this full/early school stuff in Dubai drive me crazy. My friends DS started FS1 in a big school today at 2yrs 11 months as she passed her assessment early (why she wanted her to go so early I still dont quite understand). She has never been to nursery or any play groups and her mum is a stay at home mum, and she just rang me and said she is loving it and didn't mind too much when she left the room. She looks so tiny in her uniform to me, but was sooo excited this morning, so who knows, maybe she'll love it. I also spoke with a pilot friend who arrived here from Europe when his son was 6, who had also never been to school or nursery as there they start at 6 or 7. He said they heard all the hype about not finding a place, and it all worked out well and his son is thriving every bit as much as the kids that had been in the school for 3 years. It is so hard to know if you are doing the right thing as a mum, and as each child is different there is no right and wrong which makes it even harder. We all went through different systems in different countries, and I'm sure if we were all in one room for lunch, it would be hard to pick who started school when, or went to nursery, or had working mums, or we're breast fed, or cried it out etc etc etc. the lists are endless. You all seem to be loving mums that care a lot (or you wouldn't be so concerned). I'm sure all our LOs will grow up just fine, and blame us for their problems whether it was something in our control or not. I've just had a flash forward to the day when I'm trying to help with my grand kids, to watch my son roll his eyes with that 'seriously mum, they stopped doing that decades ago' look on his face. To the OP do what makes you happy and what works for your household. Enjoy your time with your LO as that is the most important learning time he/she will ever have :)

477

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 11:24

thank you so much SEY83, i really appreciate your kind words - and advice! i have prepared school packs for DH to look at (we were meant to do it last night but DS is teething and his fever shot up, so of course nothing got done). but we will put his name on 3 schools' waiting list before the end of october. i didnt know that about schools (3-4 classes etc). in fact, there's a whole lot i dont know about schools in the uae! :D time to learn ... thanks again x

943

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 10:58

Don't worry about it too much ilovewine, I know we all do but these things work themselves out and you will know what is right for your son :) Generally the schools have something like 3-4 FS1 classes and then 8 FS2 classes, so at least half of the kids are entering school for the first time so he definitely won't be the odd one out! The legal age for children to be in school is when they turn 5 (so FS2, or KG1 with the American schools) which is why there are more classes and the prices suddenly double. Your calculation for when your son starts school is correct. He will do FS1 in the year that he turns 4, so he will be admitted to FS1 in September 2015. To be honest, if you already have schools in mind then go and register now. My friend tried to register her baby (same age) at some of the top schools and wa told that the waiting list for September 2015 is full!! Regarding the primary/secondary school thing, then I don't think that makes a lot of difference either. Kids here come and go all the time, so there will always will be new faces coming and going. Plus if he moves to a new school for secondary school then the chances are that a lot of his friends will be moving to the same school. Most of the primary only schools are linked to a feeder school where they have priority for places. With regards to assessments, some schools have them and others don't. My daughter is at WPS and they don't assess the FS2 kids at all, other schools have assessments from FS1. The assessments are mainly to see if your child is able to socially interact and can deal with being away from you. They're objective is to see if they are ready for school, rather than assess how developed they are in terms of numbers, letters, shapes etc.

477

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 10:24

thanks ladies! i was just scared that if DS did FS1 in nursery and then go on to do FS2 in big school, he'd be the odd one out. surely FS1 pupils move on to FS2 together, so they'd have made friends etc. something to think about i suppose. another thing is whether to put him into a primary school and then move to a high school when the time comes or put him into a school where they teach from 3 to 17 (or whatever age you finish school here). hopefully by the time DS is ready for high school, we'd be back home or at least in another country! eta: DS will turn 3 in january 2015, school starts in september - so he'll be alright for that year, right? also - i read about assessments - is that applicable to FS1 too? how do they assess a 3 year old? edited by ilovewine on 11/09/2012 <em>edited by ilovewine on 11/09/2012</em>

943

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 10:01

There is absolutely no difference between FS1/KG1 in big school or a nursery, they are teaching the same!!! And the age differences are normal due to cut off dates. I'm not entirely sure that I agree with this, you're completely right that they are taught the same things but I think the general atmosphere is very different. At nursery the atmosphere is much more laid back, the class sizes are smaller, and the whole place is geared towards small children. I think it's a lot less daunting for the child when they walk into a place and find everybody their own age than when they walk into school and see a whold bunch of kids that are older than them. At school its a lot more regimented, you can't be late, they're in uniform, and the general atmosphere is more serious. I'm not saying that within the classroom there is a big difference but it takes longer for the child to adjust. I think what Daza says is completely correct, it really does depend on the child and the school. I wouldn't worry too much about finding a place in FS2 if the child doesn't do FS1 - you just need to go and apply very early at your choice schools! I think one of the factors that can help you make your decision is if you send your child to nursery first. If your child has been in nursery since he was 2, then i think the idea of sending them to a big school at the age of 3 isn't as tough as if they were starting out fresh in big school having never experienced nursery before. I have had my daughter in nursery since she was 2 and 2 months. I had the choice to do FS1 and nursery or school and I chose to leave her at nursery, and I think it was the right decision for her. I remember that she wasn't ready for the idea of going to a big school, she wanted to stay at nursery and the idea of going somewhere else freaked her out. She has just moved to big school to do FS2 and she was completely ready, she was very excited about it and understood that she is now a big girl.

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 11 September 2012 - 09:27

There is absolutely no difference between FS1/KG1 in big school or a nursery, they are teaching the same!!! And the age differences are normal due to cut off dates.

4062

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 September 2012 - 15:20

Hi ilovewine I think it totally depends on the child and the school. I hated sending mine off to big school at 3 but it was much easier getting a place for FS1 than FS2 which decided it. Finding a place for FS1 was hard enough!

477

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 10 September 2012 - 12:47

sorry to hijack your thread NWS, but i'm interested to know ... is it better for your (generic) child to do FS1 in big school rathan than in a nursery? if doing FS1 in nursery, how does that affect him/her in big school? or doesnt it? does it affect his/her chances of getting into a big school lateron? i'm so new to this and it's all a bit daunting to be honest. 3 is awfully small for "big school" :(

943

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 09 September 2012 - 09:13

NWS it sounds like your child is in a British system. The age range for FS1 is children born from 1st Sept 2008 - 31st August 2009, so any child that turns 4 within this time period is in FS1 regardless of whether they are at school or nursery.

fairycakeyumm21878

2239

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 09 September 2012 - 09:10

There can be up to 11 months difference in fs1 and all other year groups. My daughter has just turned 3 in June but in her class you have some just turning 4 in October :)

3220

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 09 September 2012 - 06:25

Its normal for nursery and school.

120

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 September 2012 - 21:00

I don't understand the issue? Or maybe it is the question I don't understand? DD did FS1 in big school and there was 11 months between the oldest boy in her class (September born) and her (August born) so 6 months is really nothing to worry about

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