MSE Parent Club - Part 2

nadnad

busy here today!

quick question for you ladies in the know - what is the difference between reception class and nursery class? i know Oz is only 10 months (nearly) but we've been having discussions about where we would send him and the nearest (and nicest) school doesnt have a nursery class but does have reception (so my neighbour told me and i felt stupid asking her what the difference was!).

chocaholic110

Reception is the first year in primary school; they start aged four (usually the September after, although some schools still do late entry). Nursery is pre-school. Although more and more schools now have Foundation Units that combine both nursery and Reception as both come under the title Early Years Foundation Stage.

They can go to nurseryat one place and then Reception at another. We don't have a nursery attached to our school.

Sorry, that's probably as clear as mud!

chocaholic110

We bought Tom's first shoes at the weekend but were only able to get crawling shoes as his feet were too small; he's still only a size 2. It doesn't really matter though - the soles are mostly solid and he can wander around outside in them which makes him happy.

ladybirdintheuk

lalalalala

ladybirdintheuk

I think having to manage is what you have to do - if you wait till you can afford it you will never get there. so long as you can manage the essentials that is all that matters when you have a baby grinning at you Sounds like you won't need to buy much baby stuff though!

and nadnad, i think reception is from 4 (ie when they properly start school) and nursery is earlier. i could be wrong though

Sami_Bee

lizbob wrote: »

hey ladybird, to be honest i don't think we qualify for the sure start thing as it seem only for people who are already claiming tax credits or benifits which we're not. i think we'd be entitled to 75 tax credit plus 80 child benifit oplus i'd get 500 maternity pay, so actually 700 a month is almost half what i'm earning now. i guess we'll just manager some how, i know that my mum and gran and aunties are just itching to give us stuff when we do have a baby so i'm pretty sure we'll be fine for stuff (plus OH's youngest of 5 so all his siblings have kids already) i think i always fooled myself that there would be a time when we'd have enough money to have a baby comfortably but that was pretty much just my naive young outlook!

Check direct gov for all things for definite, don't forget the HiPG which is £190 lump sum you can claim once past 25wks pregnant - that's open to all pregnant ladies Expecting or bringing up children : Directgov

ladybirdintheuk wrote: »

... we get £80 every 4 weeks child benefit and £80 every 4 weeks tax credit. (tax credit drops after 1st year, but will be back to work by then!),

:eek: now I know how we can afford for me to be a SAHM We get about what I would earn working full time in CTC and WTC - I'd always thought it was close but I've only just actually checked the figures!
We get just under £530 in tax credits plus the CHB and I assume we'll get more tax credits once 2nd bubs arrives although I think we are very close to "the line" where the amount would drop if hubby earns too much *prays he doesn't in case we'd have to pay some back :undecided*

nadnad

thanks chocaholic and ladybird - but I'm still confused because not all schools here (northern ireland) have a reception class - most kids go to nursery and then into P1. so i was wondering is reception an alternative to nursery? i wonder is it maybe different here in NI. Do all kids in england go to reception first?

ladybirdintheuk

According to wikipedia, reception class in england is the one they go into in the year they turn 5, so start just before 5th birthday, and in ireland they go straight into year one at that point. Maybe you will have to give in and ask your neighbour?!!

Sami - it doesn't make any difference for us if I go back to work or not in terms of tax credits... and we can't manage if I don't go back unfortunately... will go back part time. When I go back part time, and pay for child care we won't be much better off than we are while I'm on maternity leave, but better off than if i don't go back to work once the paid bit runs out!

Sami_Bee

nadnad wrote: »

thanks chocaholic and ladybird - but I'm still confused because not all schools here (northern ireland) have a reception class - most kids go to nursery and then into P1. so i was wondering is reception an alternative to nursery? i wonder is it maybe different here in NI. Do all kids in england go to reception first?

in england and wales all school starts with reception which is usually started the September after the child turns 4.
some schools have a pre-school or nursery class for ages 3-4 usually they only go in that class for the free gov place (at least they do in my experience)
so yes they all have reception
I just googled NI school system and can't see any mention of reception classes but did get very confussed by it!!

money_maker_3

nadnad wrote: »

busy here today!

quick question for you ladies in the know - what is the difference between reception class and nursery class? i know Oz is only 10 months (nearly) but we've been having discussions about where we would send him and the nearest (and nicest) school doesnt have a nursery class but does have reception (so my neighbour told me and i felt stupid asking her what the difference was!).

Hi nadnad,
yeah over here they are the same thing pretty much, but reception does not always take in later kids ie those after May as it is mainly for the older ones who are ready for school before Primary 1, however alot will take any child that is ready for a school environment.
I had a choice of 2 schools for my DD and one had reception and one had a nursary unit, I went for the one with the nursary unit, but it was reception I went to as a kid, so I would be happy with either !!:D

Hope this helps