Our daughter is 1 and in daycare. The daycare has a playschool wing, and they keep mentioning that their children 'usually get into' a few well-known schools nearby for nursery. Is that a real thing? Does where a child goes at 2 make any difference to a nursery admission at 3, or is it a sales line? Trying to decide whether we stay put or look around next year.
Ours went from a small daycare with no playschool tie-up and got into the schools we applied to. I'd treat it as a sales line unless they can explain how it works.
From the admissions side, at the school where I work the playschool's name carries no weight in itself. What sometimes shows is that a child who has been in a group setting copes better on interaction day, and any decent playschool gives that. I'd choose on how she is looked after, not on promised admissions.
Agree. Our son was at a so-called feeder one and got the same answers from schools as his friends from home daycares. Our younger one is at a cheaper place now, no difference so far
When we applied for our daughter, the school asked where she was going at the time, but the interaction was about her, not the playschool. Two children from her playschool got in and three didn't. No pattern I could see.
Ask them directly: of last year's group, how many applied where, and how many got in. If they can't answer with numbers, you have your answer.
Our daughter's daycare said the same thing back then. What it meant in practice was that they helped fill in the forms and reminded you of dates, which is not nothing when you're working 🙂 Didn't change the outcome though.
Form help would be useful for us. Did they charge extra for it?
One thing to watch: some of these playschools start 'admission prep' at two and a half. When our son was small we saw children doing worksheets for interviews. If staying means that, I'd move.
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