Pre-school and nurseries

A playgroup is a regular and relaxed meeting for young children who haven’t yet started school and their parents or carers.

In a playgroup, children play and do activities together and with their parents. Parents supervise their and socialise with each other.

Playgroups usually happen once a week.

Most playgroups have set locations. These include preschools, schools, faith-based venues, community halls, aged care homes and parks. Sometimes playgroups move from one location to another.

They differ from other early years settings as there is no commitment to come every week, parents stay with their children, they are often only for an hour or two and are an inexpensive way to help your children socialise and for parents to make friends.

Key features:

Parents stay and supervise their children
Parents get to socialise as well as their children
There is no commitment to attend every week

A playgroup is a regular and relaxed meeting for young children who haven’t yet started school and their parents or carers.

In a playgroup, children play and do activities together and with their parents. Parents supervise their and socialise with each other.

Playgroups usually happen once a week.

Most playgroups have set locations. These include preschools, schools, faith-based venues, community halls, aged care homes and parks. Sometimes playgroups move from one location to another.

They differ from other early years settings as there is no commitment to come every week, parents stay with their children, they are often only for an hour or two and are an inexpensive way to help your children socialise and for parents to make friends.

Key features:

Parents stay and supervise their children
Parents get to socialise as well as their children
There is no commitment to attend every week

Pre-schools are early years settings which provide education for children aged two to five. At these settings, children will learn and play in a more structured environment to help them with the transition to Reception.

The national curriculum is followed and taught, such as the early years foundation stage (EYFS) in England, which covers seven areas of learning including communication and language, maths and expressive arts and design.

They are sometimes attached to primary schools and are usually open during school term-times, which means they are closed during school holidays. Many will only be open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Pre-schools often offer shorter morning or afternoon sessions between 2.5 hours to 3 hours. They may also offer wraparound care, breakfast clubs, lunch clubs and holiday play schemes.

Key features:

• Offer care to children in their local community, either as a morning or afternoon session or as extended sessions including lunch
• Are often run by voluntary groups but can also be run by private individuals
• Differ from day nurseries in that they offer sessional based care and admit children from the age of two years old
• Are usually registered with Ofsted

Pre-schools are early years settings which provide education for children aged two to five. At these settings, children will learn and play in a more structured environment to help them with the transition to Reception.

The national curriculum is followed and taught, such as the early years foundation stage (EYFS) in England, which covers seven areas of learning including communication and language, maths and expressive arts and design.

They are sometimes attached to primary schools and are usually open during school term-times, which means they are closed during school holidays. Many will only be open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Pre-schools often offer shorter morning or afternoon sessions between 2.5 hours to 3 hours. They may also offer wraparound care, breakfast clubs, lunch clubs and holiday play schemes.

Key features:

• Offer care to children in their local community, either as a morning or afternoon session or as extended sessions including lunch
• Are often run by voluntary groups but can also be run by private individuals
• Differ from day nurseries in that they offer sessional based care and admit children from the age of two years old
• Are usually registered with Ofsted

A day nursery is a childcare setting that provides care and early education for babies and young children, usually from a few months old up until the age of five.

A private setting may set their own fees and charge additional fees for outings and lunch/snack. They may have different approaches and philosophies to learning, such as Steiner, compared to a local authority-run setting.

Key features:

Can care for children aged from a few months old to five years and usually offer day care from 8am to 6pm, for most of the year
Are registered with Ofsted and inspected regularly
Can be run by private individuals, community groups, organisations, commercial businesses or by employers.

For more information visit daynursery.co.uk.

A day nursery is a childcare setting that provides care and early education for babies and young children, usually from a few months old up until the age of five.

A private setting may set their own fees and charge additional fees for outings and lunch/snack. They may have different approaches and philosophies to learning, such as Steiner, compared to a local authority-run setting.

Key features:

Can care for children aged from a few months old to five years and usually offer day care from 8am to 6pm, for most of the year
Are registered with Ofsted and inspected regularly
Can be run by private individuals, community groups, organisations, commercial businesses or by employers.

For more information visit daynursery.co.uk.

(Local Authority) maintained nursery schools offer full and part-time early years education places, typically between school hours. They are attached to primary schools. You can find a list of nursery schools attached to primary schools by searching 'nursery' in the search bar of find a school in Hampshire.

Key features:

A child can attend for a full or half day.
Nursery schools may also offer childcare after school.
Often attached to a primary school

(Local Authority) maintained nursery schools offer full and part-time early years education places, typically between school hours. They are attached to primary schools. You can find a list of nursery schools attached to primary schools by searching 'nursery' in the search bar of find a school in Hampshire.

Key features:

A child can attend for a full or half day.
Nursery schools may also offer childcare after school.
Often attached to a primary school

These settings are registered with Ofsted or the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) but make their own arrangements concerning staff numbers, qualifications and curriculum.

If the school participates in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, it will be inspected by Ofsted.

Some private nurseries take Child Care Vouchers or allow you to use any free childcare hours you are entitled to but some don't. Fees often increase if your child starts Reception at the independent school and then again if they attend secondary school.

Key features:

They are owned privately
Cater for children aged from three to sixteen

These settings are registered with Ofsted or the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) but make their own arrangements concerning staff numbers, qualifications and curriculum.

If the school participates in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, it will be inspected by Ofsted.

Some private nurseries take Child Care Vouchers or allow you to use any free childcare hours you are entitled to but some don't. Fees often increase if your child starts Reception at the independent school and then again if they attend secondary school.

Key features:

They are owned privately
Cater for children aged from three to sixteen

Useful links

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