Pre-schooling in the United Kingdom

The term “kindergarten” is rarely used in Britain to describe pre-school education. Pre-schools are usually known as nursery schools or playgroups. However, the word "kindergarten" is used for more specialist organizations such as forest kindergartens, and is sometimes used in the naming of private nurseries that provide full-day child care for working parents.

In the UK children start attending nursery at the ages of three or four years, before compulsory education begins. The details vary a little between Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Some nurseries are attached to state infant or primary schools, but many are provided by the private sector. The government provides funding so that all children from the age of three until they start compulsory school, can receive five sessions per week of two and a half hours each, either in state-run or private nurseries. Working parents can also spend £55 per week free of income taxes, which is typically enough to pay for one or two days per week.

The Scottish Government defines its requirements of nursery schools in the Early Years Framework and the Curriculum for Excellence.

The curriculum aims to develop:

Successful Learners

Confident Individuals

Responsible Citizens

Effective Contributors

Nursery forms part of the Foundation Stage of education. Children start school either in the term or year in which they will become five depending on the policy of the Local Education Authority. In Scotland, schooling becomes compulsory between the ages of 4½ and 5½ years, depending on their birthday (school starts in August for children who were 4 by the end of the preceding February). The first year of compulsory schooling is known as Reception in England, Dosbarth Derbyn in Wales and Primary One in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Vocabulary

describe provide care attend attach compulsory income tax enough define requirement framework confident responsible contributor Stage depend on

United Kingdom

In the UK, pre-school education in nursery classes or schools is fully funded by local government for children aged over three.

Pre-school education can be provided by childcare centres, playgroups, nursery schools and nursery classes within primary schools. Private voluntary or independent (PVI sector) nursery education is also available throughout the UK and varies between structured pre-school education and a service offering child-minding facilities.

England

Each child in England at the first school term after their third birthday, is entitled to 15 hours per week free childcare funding. This entitlement is funded by the government through the local council. Pre-schools in England follow the Early Learning Goals, set by the Early Years Foundation Stage, for education produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families which carries on into their first year of school at the age of four. This year of school is usually called Reception. The Early Learning Goals cover the main areas of education without being subject driven.

These areas include:

Personal, social and emotional development (prime area)

Communication and Language (prime area)

Physical education (prime area)

Literacy (specific area)

Mathematics (specific area)

Understanding the World (specific area)

Expressive Art & Design (specific area)

Many nurseries have the facilities to take on babies, using the 'Early Years Foundation Stage', framework as a guide to give each child the best possible start to becoming a competent learner and skillful communicator.

Wales

Early years education in Wales is provided half-time for children aged 3–4 (Nursery) and full-time for those between the ages of 4 and 5 (Reception).

'Foundation Phase' covering 3-7 year olds is being rolled out across Wales from 2008, with a focus on 'learning through play', which covers seven areas of learning:

Personal and Social Development and Well Being

Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

Mathematical Development

Bilingualism and Multi-cultural Understanding

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Physical Development

Creative Development

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland funded Nursery School places can be applied for from ages 3 and up. Preschool education is provided also by Pre-Schools(Playschools or Playgroups).

A Nursery School is allowed to enroll up to 26 children into a class, with the curriculum being arranged by a qualified teacher and a Nursery Assistant.

A Pre-school, which delivers the same curriculum, is also permitted to admit a maximum of 26 children to any single session. The Preschool must have one qualified adult for every 8 children. Funding is applied for through PEAGs ( Preschool Education Advisory Group). Both nursery and preschool settings are inspected by the Education and Training Inspectorate. Preschools are also subject to inspection by local Social Services.

Scotland

In Scotland children are entitled to a place in a nursery class when they reach their third birthday. Pre-school education in Scotland is planned around the Early Level of the Curriculum for Excellence which identifies Outcomes & Experiences around the following eight curricular areas:

Expressive Arts,

Health & Wellbeing,

Languages,

Mathematics,

Religious & Moral Education,

Sciences

Social Studies

Technologies

Responsibility for the review of care standards in Scottish nurseries rests with the Care Commission.

Vocabulary

Available throughout offer child-minding entitle local council carry development literacy expressive cover roll apply arrange qualified deliver permit admit setting identify review responsibility rest

READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

Victoria at School

Victoria goes to Carlton Hill Primary School. The school is about ten years old. Altogether there are only about 100 children in the whole school. There are four classes with about 25 children in each. Vicky is in introductory class which means her class has some 4-years-olds and some 5-years-olds. When Vicky reaches 6 she will go into another class.

There are five desks in Vicky’s classroom. Each has their own color. There are some pictures on the pegs to hang their coats, so they can easily recognize their own.

There are a lot of interesting things on the walls such as Alphabet posters, shapes, numbers, picture cards with words to learn, posters of animals, paintings done by people. There is a nature table with buds and flowers. All the different kinds of flowers are labeled. There are shelves with books on and a rack covered with books.

There is lovely Wendy House which takes up one corner of the room. It is made out of wood. You can fit about 6 or 7 children in and they will not be cramped together. It is just like a miniature ideal home.

Near where all the books are, there is a big carpet with an armchair. Miss Jones, Vicky’s teacher, sits in this arm-chair when she reads them, and when they sing songs, all the children gather round her on the carpet.

Questions.

1. What school does Victoria go?

2. How many children are their in the whole school?

3. How many children are their in each class?

4. Why is Vicky’s class called introductory?

5. What furniture is there in the classroom?

6. What kind of posters are there on the wall?

7. Why are the pictures on the pegs?

8. What toys are there in the classroom?

9. What is the function of the nature table?

10. What is Wendy House made of?

11. How many children can Wendy House fit?