His daycare also runs a nursery. Stay on, or move him to a school's pre-primary at 3?

peach_compass_599029 Oct 2026

Son is 2 and has been at the same daycare in Serilingampally since he was 1. They've started a playgroup and nursery section and are asking parents to sign up for June. The schools near us start pre-primary at 3 and admissions are open now. The daycare's pitch is continuity and longer hours, which we need. The schools' pitch is that he'll be 'in the system' early and won't need another move at 5. I don't buy either pitch fully. If you kept your child at a daycare-run nursery until UKG or class 1, did the later move go fine? Or did you regret not moving earlier?

3 comments

orchid_notebook_14329 Oct 2026
our younger one stayed at her daycare's nursery and moves next year. elder one went to a school pre-primary at 3. the elder had a much rougher start at 3 than the younger one has had at all. the hours matter more than the 'system'
- saffron_sandal_502329 Oct 2026
  same with my son. still at his daycare nursery at 4, moving to school next year. so far fine, ask me again in july
- peach_rain_592029 Oct 2026
  This is useful. Our daughter is only 1 but her daycare has already started talking about their nursery section, so I'm watching this thread. Did the daycare nursery do any reading and writing, or was it mostly play?
- peach_compass_599029 Oct 2026
  From what they showed us, mostly play and rhymes, some early letters. Suits me fine at 3, but it's exactly what the schools are using to say he'll be 'behind' later.
lemon_notebook_658629 Oct 2026
I work in school administration. Children who join at UKG or class 1 from a decent playgroup settle fine. What teachers notice is whether they can sit in a group and follow a routine, not which building they were in at 3. The long hours you need are a real reason. 'Being in the system' isn't much of one.
indigo_piano_150430 Oct 2026
At 3 we took our daughter out of daycare and put her in a school's pre-primary. The school day ended at 12.30, so we paid for afternoon daycare anyway. She coped well enough, but I'm not convinced we gained much. If your daycare's nursery is decent and covers your hours, I would lean towards staying.