Is your child old enough that you can finally get back to work? If yes, you must be thinking about hiring a carer or sending your child to daycare or a preschool. We understand how a carer works but what is the difference between a preschool and a daycare/nursery school? Aren’t these terms the same thing? Well, not really! A preschool and a daycare are two distinct institutes for children with some similar characteristics.
Let’s find out more about them and differentiate between the two.
Some similarities that preschools and nursery schools share
It is obvious, but both preschools and nursery schools care for children older than infants. Each school is free to determine the age limit of children for admission. Certain nurseries and preschools specify that children be toilet-trained for admission while others would accept children in diapers, have decent language skills, and their parents aren’t anxious enough. Both nurseries and preschools are run publicly and privately and follow the same rules for essential vaccinations.
What is it about preschools?
Preschools accept children who are about to turn school-going age. Due to this reason, young parents are highly unlikely to find a preschool that takes children younger than three. Even fewer preschools offer early education or childcare post-school for children who can attend formal school.
All preschools have a predetermined curriculum to follow, and the regulations dictate they have a part of the staff with certification in early childhood education. This is one reason why preschools tend to have high prices in comparison to nursery schools. Preschools follow a school timetable or even have shorter timings, generally between 8 am and 2 pm every day. If you are seeking childcare during your office hours, a nursery school might be a better option.
How are nursery schools different from preschools?
Certain nursery schools will admit children who are even six weeks old. Nursery schools tend to keep these children until preschool in the same premises. Some nursery schools even accept school-going children for after-school care.
The speciality of nursery schools is that they are operational during office/business hours and offer childcare for working parents. While preschools only serve lunch and afternoon snacks to children, nursery schools can provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner (you’ll have to ask the nursery about it).
Unlike preschools, nursery schools do not have a formal curriculum to follow; hence it allows any parent to enlist their child after their research. In the UK, all nursery schools must be registered with the Office for Standards in Education.
Concluding note
While you may have both options open to enrol your child, it is better to look into their philosophies, aims, teaching viewpoints, and more. It allows you to align what the institute has to offer with what you are seeking. In case you are looking for a daycare nursery, check out Cheeky Chums. They are the professionals when it comes to childcare and offers exceptional service.
