When it comes to the question of Pre-School or School Nursery Class, families are looking for one thing:

The best start for their child’s educational journey

At Muddy Boots, we know that making that decision, between either starting or staying at a private day nursery or moving to a school nursery is a really difficult one, one that leaves parents feeling confused, worried and usually a little stressed.

So we have put together a little guide, with answers to the most commonly asked questions at Muddy Boots Nursery, as well as our little series of blogs!

In this post we are answering question 1: 

Is a School Nursery Class more ‘Education Focused’?

The most important thing your need to know is that all Early Years providers follow the same curriculum (EYFS) and are held to the same standards by Ofsted. The EYFS is a statutory framework that focuses on standards of care, education and child development.

Whilst school or private nurseries may have different methods and focuses, all are working towards ensuring children are ready to thrive at school.

For example, in the Pre-School Room at Muddy Boots, we focus our efforts on school readiness. Our aim is that children who leave Muddy Boots will be confident and bright, emotionally robust, ready to make friends and more than capable of taking on the many challenges facing them in school.

We don’t follow the more traditional ‘topic led’ teaching, as many schools do, instead of observing the children to glean their individual interests and needs, and then catering activities and learning opportunities towards those. We believe, and research has shown, that this is the best way to capture their imagination and engage children in purposeful learning at this age.

In contrast, school nurseries tend to follow a more topic-led teaching approach, which is definitely more formal. Where school nurseries heavily focus on early mathematics and phonics, nurseries like Muddy Boots will use group work and activities to introduce it.

Finally, private nurseries will often work closely with reception class teachers at their local school, communicating with them about your child’s level of attainment, likes and dislikes, personal needs and friendship groups.

At Muddy Boots, most reception teachers will even visit the children whilst they are at nursery to begin to get to know them ahead of September.

To download the full guide, click here

For most parents, choosing a nursery leaves them feeling worried about moving on to the next stage of their life. At Muddy Boots Nurseries, we provide early years childcare you can be completely confident in, knowing your child is thriving in a nursery you both love