laura Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 (edited) I have a question about the ages in day nursery rooms. This is obviously knew to us having come from pre-school and we used to run having all ages together in the morning, then in the afternoon we split the older children going to school from the 2 and 3 year olds. When we set up our new nursery we decided on having 4 rooms. I'll start at the older end of our nursery: Pre-school room - age 3 and 4 - this room is solely for the children who go to school the following september, I am not moving children who are funded after Christmas or Easter into this room. I feel very strongly that these children should be as a peer group and younger funded children moving into it will disrupt the balance. Tweenie room - age 2 and 3 - I've basically got this room set out that if they turn 2 before the 1st September of that academic year they go into this room although I would keep less mature children in the older toddler room for a while if necessary Older toddler room - age 1 - 2 - for children who are very mobile Baby room 0-1 - non - movers, crawlers, and young toddlers The problem I have is that parents in the older toddler room think that 2 is a magic number and should move in to the tweenie room as soon as they have their birthday, however parents in the tweenie room don't want these new 2 year olds moving up to their child's room. I have one parent go on about how her nearly 2 year old can count, knows his colours etc etc so should be in the next room. I have explained that I want to keep his peer group together, that our older toddler room is a smaller version of our tweenie room, socially and emotionally it's the best place for him, tried talking about all the other things they learn, ie it's not just about letters and numbers. They share the outdoor courtyard with the tweenie children so get to mix with this older age group, access their resources etc......I just know this is going to be a common problem... I should think they are going to think 3 is a magic number too....sigh. I obviously need to put something in our information about the ages in rooms etc but not sure how to word it, any ideas???? I just want to edit this to say that a big part of our selling point is that we are a family at nursery, the children don't stick to their own rooms all the time, they move to the snug, chill out room or soft play in small groups so they mix with the other age groups, sharing stories, songs etc. Edited September 28, 2012 by laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrison Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I have no help on how to word it but just wanted to say we have exactly the same problem too. No matter what we tell them nothing works so in the end we just have to be firm and say NO. They have the option of speaking to the manager if they arent happy but she always backs us up. I would possibly use the higher staffing ratio as a way of explaining that staying in a younger room is better as they will get more individual attention - it sometimes works for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Not sure I can help but can I ask, if the children move between rooms anyway why do you have to have such clear age differentiation at all. I can understand having to keep the non mobile babies safe from the older children but we have mixed ages children from 2-4 in our preschool and its a really strong vibrant dynamic learning environment because of it, maybe if the children were making the choice on which room they want to be in, then it wouldn't be a problem for parents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Hi Laura. If I understand you correctly, if a child reaches 2 in September (rather than before), they will then remain in the 1-2 room until they are nearly 3 as they have to wait until the next September. Is that right or have I missed the point? In that case, you will have some just over 1s and some nearly 3s...quite a big range in one space. I can understand your not wanting constant change to the group, but could you work more flexibly on say a term by term basis? And at the same time be flexible according to children's needs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Glad it's not just me then! I like the idea of stressing the higher ratios. Mundia, that's right, I have said to parents that if we felt we should move the children then we would, but I wouldn't move them without their peer group going too. It's soooo hard trying to please everyone! I totally understand thatt they learn from the older ones as that is the backgound we have come from. This Day Care lark is a totally new ball game! Max321 we move them around in small groups, rather than it being a choice due to the layout of the building. I'll keep plodding on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Sorry coming form a preschool where all our ages are together I have no advise or words of wisdom. What has struck me though (going by the parent who was telling you how clever her nearly 2 yr old was) it seems like parents are viewing these moves into other rooms as a 'reward' for their children. They're so advanced they've skipped Yr One and gone straight to Yr2 type of thing? That's th eonly thing I can think to say, that you need somehow to explain that this is not the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Im just going to say if i run a day nursery, (which is probably why i dont) i would mix my rooms. I feel that older children have so much to offer younger ones as role models, on all levels. Both i find encourage each other. I have seen a programme and have spoken to friends who have visietd Norway and i like there model. The children mix eat meals together and play. For some parts of the day they are seperated, but as the children go to school at 6/7 yrs they are much older . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura Posted September 29, 2012 Author Share Posted September 29, 2012 (edited) Thank Lynn and Sue, my friend suggested I do some sort of flower showing what they are learning at bees, each petal showing something, and that would hopefully illustrate that knowing numbers and colours etc is just one small part of what we do! I really do believe strongly about mixing the age groups after all we've done that for 25 years, but then i get a parent of a 7 month old saying she doesn't want her baby with any toddlers as she was bitten at her old nursery...... We do eat together as we have a dining room Edited September 29, 2012 by laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 all i would say is that you are running the nursery not the parents, if they don't like how you group or run your nursery, then tough. Harsh i know but sometimes you have to be.... i for example offer a daily free flow regardless of the weather, we also do 'forest school' and i always say to parents if you don't agree with children outside, getting down and dirty then maybe this is not the setting for you...... so to the point but important i think to run our setting how we want to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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