Pre school - Questions

from_atozinc

Im really stupid about all this and need to start at basics.

im going to use an old phrase - "In my day" we started school at about age 4 in junior infants, nice and simple.

However, I think this modern era now does "pre school"

initially there was 1 year of this before junior infants, but now I think there is 2 years of this before junior infants. So essentially by the time a child gets to junior infants, they can do 2 years of pre school - is all this correct?

If so, what age do children start junior infants at now?
is the pre school free?

meeeeh

Yes preschool is free for three hours per day during school year. Kids between age 3 and 5 and half can attend.

Smondie

The free preschool is 3 hours per day over 5 days. Child must be over 3 and finish when they are no older than 5 1/2.

There are exceptions. Here's some info http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/pre_school_education_and_childcare/early_childhood_care_and_education_scheme.html

Anything over and you have to pay.

Some send thier children for 2 years of school before junior infants. The children nearly have thier leaving cert done before starting primary school.

from_atozinc

meeeeh wrote: »

Yes preschool is free for three hours per day during school year. Kids between age 3 and 5 and half can attend.

Thanks

And does the pre school continue after school year..,....and you can pay?


Or does it just stop?

from_atozinc

Smondie wrote: »

The free preschool is 3 hours per day over 5 days. Child must be over 3 and finish when they are no older than 5 1/2.

There are exceptions. Here's some info http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/pre_school_education_and_childcare/early_childhood_care_and_education_scheme.html

Anything over and you have to pay.

Some send thier children for 2 years of school before junior infants. The children nearly have thier leaving cert done before starting primary school.

Thank you.

Yeah, its full on alright, lots of classes even before junior infants.

meeeeh

Preschool my son went to was great. It was mostly fun stuff but it gets them used to routine and how to interact with other kids. If anything I would push preschool to a year later and increase minimum age for school to 5. I think Finland who has one of best education systems in Europe starts primary school at seven.

January

from_atozinc wrote: »

Thanks

And does the pre school continue after school year..,....and you can pay?


Or does it just stop?

You can pay to send them all year round, but that's usually a creche as part of a pre-school.

from_atozinc

Smondie wrote: »

The free preschool is 3 hours per day over 5 days. Child must be over 3 and finish when they are no older than 5 1/2.

There are exceptions. Here's some info http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/pre_school_education_and_childcare/early_childhood_care_and_education_scheme.html

Anything over and you have to pay.

Some send thier children for 2 years of school before junior infants. The children nearly have thier leaving cert done before starting primary school.

is the 3 hours usually from 9am - midday?

Neyite

from_atozinc wrote: »

Thank you.

Yeah, its full on alright, lots of classes even before junior infants.

It's not classes though. It's learning through play and even then, only for a short part of the day.

I don't think its compulsory but a good preschool teaches them all sorts of things that are very useful before beginning big school. Like putting on /taking off Zipping up their own jackets. Ours have nature lessons, do gardening, have civic type activities themed every week- a couple of weeks ago they had Gardai in to talk to them, show them the van (and the siren!) and explain what they do. They've learned about different types of transportation. They learned where milk comes from and how to milk a cow, the life cycle of frogs and other creatures, how to hold a pencil, all that sort of stuff. They learn to share /play together/ take turns. Little problem solving things like that. It also makes them more ready for sitting quietly for a lesson in big school. But while they are learning, its through having lots of fun with their friends too.

from_atozinc

Neyite wrote: »

It's not classes though. It's learning through play and even then, only for a short part of the day.

I don't think its compulsory but a good preschool teaches them all sorts of things that are very useful before beginning big school. Like putting on /taking off Zipping up their own jackets. Ours have nature lessons, do gardening, have civic type activities themed every week- a couple of weeks ago they had Gardai in to talk to them, show them the van (and the siren!) and explain what they do. They've learned about different types of transportation. They learned where milk comes from and how to milk a cow, the life cycle of frogs and other creatures, how to hold a pencil, all that sort of stuff. They learn to share /play together/ take turns. Little problem solving things like that. It also makes them more ready for sitting quietly for a lesson in big school. But while they are learning, its through having lots of fun with their friends too.

ah very good, sounds nice.

Moonbeam

My kids will all do 2 years before school,1 year of play school and 1 year of Montessori or Naíonra.
I have paid for 1 and the other was through the ECCE scheme
Generally a child will start at 4 years and 8 months or older, most kids are 5 or nearly 5 starting.

from_atozinc

Moonbeam wrote: »

My kids will all do 2 years before school,1 year of play school and 1 year of Montessori or Naíonra.
I have paid for 1 and the other was through the ECCE scheme
Generally a child will start at 4 years and 8 months or older, most kids are 5 or nearly 5 starting.

a child will start junior infants at what at 4 years and 8 months, yeah ?

Moonbeam

They start in Sept and can be anything between 4 and nearly 6 but it is usual to start after 4 years and 8 months .

from_atozinc

Moonbeam wrote: »

They start in Sept and can be anything between 4 and nearly 6 but it is usual to start after 4 years and 8 months .

ok, but are you talking about starting in Junior Infants., yeah ?

meeeeh

Yes.

byhookorbycrook

Each schools sets its own policy, some will take 4 by 31st of August.

Moonbeam

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Each schools sets its own policy, some will take 4 by 31st of August.

There is a year and a half between the youngest and oldest in my daughter's Junior Infant class .

Chocolate fiend

Pre-school is optional a child can start junior infants without ever going to pre-school.

from_atozinc

thanks all