What are my choices for pre-school options for a 3 year old in Reigate, Surrey?

[barbamama]

Is it:

1. State pre-school attached to a primary (5 sessions)
2. Church hall type pre-school not attached to a school (5 sessions)
3. Pre-school at a private day nursery (all day if necessary)
4. Pre-school in the nursery section of an independent school? (5 sessions? Is this "pre-prep?")

The reason I am asking is that my 3 year old is currently in the pre-school room of a private day nursery he has been in since I returned to work, 2-3 days a week. We were pretty happy with it for a nursery but less so now for the pre-school element. We were not too concerned about this as I had applied for him to have the 5 sessions at the pre-school attached to the very well regarded state primary where we live, in Reigate, Surrey (this will be obvious to anyone who knows Reigate, I am sure).

However, despite it being our closest state primary school I have just been told that there were 105 applicants for 52 pre-school places and he will not have one of them and is not within the next 12 on the waiting list. This has rather taken the wind out of my sails as I had not considered any alternatives as I was reasonably confident of getting a place as it is our closest school (yes, naive I now know, I now realise we are too middle class to meet any of the admissions criteria and don't live on the next street which is why he is bottom of the pile, presumably).

I can't quite believe this is hapenning already, at three. Also, I was hoping he would go to primary school there but if he can't even get into the pre-school, I obviously have to consider other options. My questions are.

1. is it too late to apply to a different state pre-school (I think there is one other that does pre-school according to www.childcarelink.gov.uk) - assuming they are not oversubscribed as well.

1. How do I apply for pre-school at independent schools, of which there are apparently 2 in Reigate that do pre-school, nursery or pre-prep or whatever it is called.

Sorry for long post and bitter undertones, any advice welcome.

[LIZS]

I think you may find the other is also oversubscribed , worth calling you never know. tbh you may find a place at a church hall or stand alone preschool easier to come by, they follow the same Early Years curriculum and attendance at an attached preschool is no guarantee of a place at the infants anyway , as many found to their cost last year at that school! You would have to reapply and go throguh the applciation criteria. Not sure what you mean about class , think you may be misreading the situation tbh.

I know both of the independent schools you are referring to and there are others a little further afield. You would normally have to register on list a year or several in advance but again worth a call. As state places become confirmed so some will drop out. One in particular offered our kids (then for Reception and Year 3)places in the May for the September a few years back.

[LIZS]

oh and independent school nursery , may not strictly be part of Pre Prep (equivalent to Infants) as it is part of Foundation Stage - different schools use different names for it, both state and private.

[barbamama]

Thanks LIZS that's really helpful. Do you think he will have more chance for a reception place at that school or less given that the only pre-school selection criteria that applied to him was radial distance (presumably, as opposed to social etc factors which is what I meant) wheras, if my understanding is correct, reception is done by the LEA not the school which use nearest school (which it is) as well? Or am I dreaming. If there are children who attend the pre-school but don't get a place in reception are there equally children who weren't offered pre-school but do get reception? Gosh it must be a complex formula the LEA use!

[LIZS]

Possibly and there would be likely to be more Reception places available than for the preschool. There is a booklet, containing the relevant forms and procedures, which SCC publish each year with stats of first choice applications vs available places ar each school plus the criteria applied in priority order (usually Looked After Children ie in LA care, any specific religious affiliations for VA schools, siblings of existing pupils, walking distance etc) . Library would have a copy of this year's or it may be online. Applications for Infant/Junior are usually due in by mid October for the following September's entry.