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Nursery and School

Starting nursery or school is a major transition for children and families. It introduces new routines, relationships, expectations, environments and practical responsibilities.

This page focuses on helping families understand and manage the child’s journey through nursery and school. It is different from the broader childcare guide, which compares childcare providers, contracts, fees and care arrangements.

Education systems, terminology, admission processes, inspection bodies and additional-needs arrangements differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Always use the official guidance for the nation and local authority where the child lives.

How to Use This Guide

This page provides practical questions and signposting. It does not recommend a nursery or school, determine admissions or attendance law, diagnose a child’s needs, decide entitlement to an adjustment or replace a complaint, safeguarding or professional support process.

Education, inspection, SEND, attendance and home-education rules differ across the UK. Use the official information for the child’s nation and local authority.

Trusted UK Information

Understanding Nursery and School Stages

Age groups and curriculum names can sound similar while meaning different things in each UK nation. For admissions, check GOV.UK applications for England and Wales or the appropriate national admissions authority, then the school's published policy for the relevant year.

Depending on the UK nation and local system, a child may attend:

  • Day nursery
  • Preschool or playgroup
  • Nursery class
  • Maintained nursery school
  • Reception or equivalent first school year
  • Primary school
  • Secondary school

Names, starting ages and funded arrangements vary. Check the local authority and chosen setting rather than relying on information from another part of the UK.

Nursery Is Not the Same as Compulsory School

Nursery attendance is generally optional, even where funded hours are available.

Once a child reaches compulsory school age, parents must ensure the child receives a suitable education under the rules applying in their nation.

Choosing a Nursery or School

A school or nursery may look suitable on paper but still have practical differences that matter to an individual family: travel arrangements, communication, accessibility, language support and the child's experience of the setting. Use official inspection information alongside a visit and the organisation's latest written policies.

Consider:

  • Distance from home
  • Travel route
  • Opening and finishing times
  • Wraparound care
  • Environment
  • Class or group size
  • Outdoor space
  • Additional-needs support
  • Language provision
  • Meals
  • Communication with families

Visit Before Deciding

During a visit, observe:

  • How adults speak to children
  • Whether children appear engaged
  • How staff respond to distress
  • Classroom organisation
  • Outdoor areas
  • Toilet access
  • Security
  • Noise levels
  • Accessibility

Questions to Ask

  • What is the daily routine?
  • How are children helped to settle?
  • How are parents updated?
  • How are allergies managed?
  • How is SEND or additional learning support organised?
  • What happens if a child is upset?
  • How are safeguarding concerns handled?
  • What wraparound care is available?

Inspection Reports

Published inspection reports provide evidence about a setting at a particular point in time. In England, Ofsted reports can be searched by the setting's details; in Wales, Estyn provides inspection information. Check the report date and whether subsequent information changes the picture.

Use the official inspectorate for the nation where the setting operates. A report can provide information about leadership, education, care, safeguarding and required improvements, but it is only one part of choosing a setting.

Check the inspection date, the service and address, any subsequent action, leadership changes and whether a newer report or status is available.

Do not treat an old rating as a guarantee of current quality or safety.

Read Beyond the Overall Rating

Check:

  • The inspection date
  • The report details
  • Any required actions
  • Whether leadership has changed
  • Whether a follow-up inspection has taken place

School Applications

For state school places, families usually apply through the relevant local authority or national system.

For England and Wales, the GOV.UK primary school application service directs families to the correct council route.

Keep Application Records

  • Application deadline
  • Schools selected
  • Supporting documents
  • Submission reference
  • Offer date
  • Acceptance deadline
  • Appeal deadline where relevant

Admissions Criteria

Schools may consider criteria such as:

  • Looked-after or previously looked-after status
  • Medical or social need
  • Siblings
  • Distance
  • Faith criteria
  • Defined catchment areas

Read the exact published criteria for each school.

Do Not Assume the Nearest School Is Guaranteed

Living nearby may increase priority under some admission arrangements, but it does not always guarantee a place.

School Offers and Appeals

If the preferred school is not offered:

  • Read the decision carefully
  • Accept another place by the deadline where appropriate
  • Check waiting-list rules
  • Review appeal information
  • Seek independent advice if needed

Starting Nursery

Before the first session:

  • Complete forms
  • Provide emergency contacts
  • Share medical and allergy information
  • Explain toileting needs
  • Label belongings
  • Confirm meals and snacks
  • Agree collection permissions
  • Attend settling sessions

Starting School

Preparation may include:

  • Visiting the school
  • Meeting the teacher
  • Practising the journey
  • Trying on uniform
  • Practising dressing
  • Using a lunchbox
  • Opening a water bottle
  • Using the toilet independently where possible

Settling-In Sessions

Settling may involve:

  • Short visits
  • Meeting a key person
  • Looking at photographs
  • A visual routine
  • A familiar comfort item where permitted
  • Gradually longer sessions

Separation Anxiety

Some children separate quickly, while others need more time.

It may help to:

  • Use a predictable goodbye
  • Keep the goodbye calm and brief
  • Tell the child who will collect them
  • Avoid disappearing without saying goodbye
  • Ask the setting when it will provide an update

Persistent Distress

If distress continues over time:

  • Ask when it happens
  • Ask how long it lasts
  • Check whether there are sensory or communication difficulties
  • Review the transition plan
  • Ask whether additional support is needed

Daily Nursery Routine

A nursery day may include:

  • Arrival and registration
  • Free play
  • Group activities
  • Meals and snacks
  • Outdoor play
  • Rest or sleep
  • Stories and songs
  • Collection

Daily School Routine

A school day may include:

  • Registration
  • Lessons
  • Break times
  • Lunch
  • Assemblies
  • PE
  • Reading
  • Home time

Morning Preparation

  • Check the school or nursery message system
  • Prepare clothing
  • Pack lunch where needed
  • Fill the water bottle
  • Pack books or homework
  • Include PE kit where required
  • Allow enough travel time

Collection Arrangements

The setting should know:

  • Who normally collects
  • Who else has permission
  • Any password or identification arrangement
  • Any court order or safeguarding restriction
  • What happens if a parent is delayed

Late Collection

If delayed:

  • Contact the setting immediately
  • Use an authorised alternative collector where possible
  • Follow the setting’s late-collection procedure
  • Expect possible charges where stated in the policy

Attendance

Absence, authorised leave and compulsory school-age rules are matters of law and school policy, not Kidora advice. Check the relevant nation's information, including GOV.UK school attendance guidance for England where appropriate.

Attendance law, authorised absence and enforcement differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Follow the school’s absence-reporting procedure and check the official rules for the nation where the child attends school. Contact the school early when illness, SEND, anxiety, bullying, bereavement, transport or family circumstances are affecting attendance.

This page does not decide whether an absence is authorised or provide legal advice.

Reporting Absence

Follow the school’s procedure and provide:

  • Child’s name
  • Class
  • Reason for absence
  • Expected return date where known
  • Relevant medical information

Illness

Ask the setting for its illness and exclusion policy.

It may cover:

  • Fever
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea
  • Contagious infections
  • Rashes
  • Head lice
  • Return after illness

Use NHS or local public-health guidance when medical advice is needed.

Difficulty Attending School

A child may struggle to attend for many possible reasons, including health, anxiety, bullying, sensory demands, learning needs, separation, transport or family circumstances.

This page cannot diagnose the reason. Speak to the child calmly, record patterns and contact the school early to request a support meeting and review plan.

A GP, school nurse, SEND professional or another service may need to assess an individual concern. Seek urgent mental health help when a child may harm themselves or another person, and call 999 for immediate danger.

Communication with Nursery or School

Settings may communicate through:

  • Email
  • Apps
  • Text messages
  • Paper letters
  • Parent portals
  • Meetings
  • Learning journals

Keep Contact Details Current

Update:

  • Phone numbers
  • Email addresses
  • Home address
  • Emergency contacts
  • Collection permissions
  • Medical details

Raise Concerns Clearly

When contacting staff:

  • State the main concern
  • Provide dates and examples
  • Explain the impact
  • Ask what action will be taken
  • Agree a review date

Use the Right Contact

Possible contacts include:

  • Key person
  • Class teacher
  • Form tutor
  • Head of year
  • SENCO or equivalent
  • Designated safeguarding lead
  • Headteacher

Parents’ Evenings

Useful questions include:

  • What is going well?
  • What is the next learning step?
  • How does the child manage socially?
  • Is attendance affecting progress?
  • Does the child need additional support?
  • What can be practised at home?

Nursery Updates

For younger children, ask about:

  • Meals
  • Naps
  • Nappies or toileting
  • Mood
  • Activities
  • Accidents
  • New skills

Meals and Snacks

Ask:

  • What food is provided
  • Whether menus are available
  • How allergens are managed
  • Whether packed lunches are allowed
  • Whether meals cost extra
  • How selective eating is supported

Food Allergies

A diagnosed allergy should be supported by a clear individual plan.

Confirm:

  • Allergens
  • Cross-contact precautions
  • Emergency medicine
  • Staff training
  • Trips and celebrations
  • Where medicine is stored

Follow the child’s professional healthcare plan. Do not replace it with general online advice.

School Meals and Packed Lunches

Check:

  • Meal eligibility
  • Menus
  • Payment arrangements
  • Allergy procedures
  • Packed-lunch policy
  • Whether lunchboxes are refrigerated

Uniform and Clothing

Read the current setting policy before buying.

Check:

  • Compulsory items
  • Logo requirements
  • PE kit
  • Footwear
  • Outdoor clothing
  • Jewellery
  • Seasonal options

Label Everything

Label:

  • Coats
  • Jumpers
  • PE kit
  • Shoes
  • Water bottles
  • Lunchboxes
  • Bags

Lost Property

When an item goes missing:

  • Check the classroom
  • Check PE bags
  • Check after-school care
  • Visit lost property promptly
  • Ask staff where unclaimed items are stored

Toileting

Tell the setting about:

  • Potty training
  • Constipation
  • Bedwetting on residential trips
  • Continence products
  • Help with fastenings
  • Medical or sensory needs

Children should not be shamed or punished for accidents.

Medication

Follow the setting’s medicine policy.

Provide:

  • Medicine in original labelled packaging
  • Written consent
  • Clear dose instructions
  • Emergency care plan where needed
  • Current contact details

Safeguarding

Concerns about abuse, serious neglect or immediate harm follow safeguarding and emergency routes, not ordinary customer-service or school complaint procedures. The NSPCC's reporting guidance explains how to raise a concern about a child.

Every setting should have safeguarding procedures.

Parents should know:

  • Who the safeguarding lead is
  • How concerns are reported
  • How visitors are managed
  • How collection is controlled
  • How allegations against staff are handled
  • How photographs and data are used

If a Child Discloses Harm

  • Stay calm
  • Listen
  • Take the child seriously
  • Do not promise secrecy
  • Avoid leading questions
  • Record the child’s words accurately
  • Report the concern promptly

Immediate Danger

Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

For other safeguarding concerns, contact the setting’s safeguarding lead and the relevant local authority children’s social care service where appropriate.

Bullying

Possible signs include:

  • Reluctance to attend
  • Missing belongings
  • Unexplained injuries
  • Sleep difficulty
  • Withdrawal
  • Sudden friendship changes

Responding to Bullying Concerns

  • Listen without blaming
  • Record dates and examples
  • Contact the setting
  • Ask for the anti-bullying policy
  • Agree actions
  • Set a review date

Friendships

Children may need help with:

  • Joining play
  • Taking turns
  • Resolving disagreements
  • Recognising unsafe behaviour
  • Managing changing friendship groups

Behaviour Policies

Ask how the setting responds to:

  • Hitting
  • Biting
  • Disruption
  • Unsafe behaviour
  • Repeated distress
  • Exclusion from activities

Children should not be humiliated, threatened or physically punished.

SEND and Additional Learning Needs

A child may need support with:

  • Communication
  • Learning
  • Attention
  • Mobility
  • Sensory processing
  • Social interaction
  • Emotional regulation

Families in England can use the official GOV.UK SEND guidance.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use different systems and terminology.

Who to Speak To

Possible contacts include:

  • Key person
  • Class teacher
  • SENCO
  • Additional learning needs coordinator
  • Pupil support lead
  • Headteacher

Preparing for a SEND Meeting

  • Write down strengths
  • Write down concerns
  • Bring reports
  • Provide examples
  • Ask what support is already in place
  • Ask how progress will be measured
  • Agree a review date

Reasonable Adjustments

Possible adjustments may involve:

  • Uniform
  • Seating
  • Toileting
  • Communication
  • Transitions
  • Sensory breaks
  • Access to buildings
  • Alternative formats

Medical Needs

Children with significant medical needs may require a written plan covering:

  • Medicine
  • Emergency response
  • Personal care
  • Feeding
  • Mobility
  • Trips
  • Staff training

Language Support

Families can ask about:

  • Interpreters
  • Translated information
  • Support for children learning English
  • Use of the home language
  • British Sign Language access
  • Easy-read materials

Homework and Reading

Ask:

  • How often homework is set
  • How long it should take
  • Where instructions are posted
  • What to do if the child struggles
  • How reading is recorded

Do Not Complete Work for the Child

Support may include:

  • Reading instructions
  • Breaking the task into steps
  • Providing a quiet space
  • Noting genuine difficulty for the teacher

School Trips

Before a trip:

  • Read the letter
  • Return consent forms
  • Check clothing
  • Confirm food arrangements
  • Provide medicine through school procedures
  • Check departure and return times
  • Tell staff about accessibility needs

Residential Trips

Discuss:

  • Sleeping arrangements
  • Toileting
  • Bedwetting
  • Medication
  • Allergies
  • Dietary needs
  • Phone contact
  • Homesickness

Clubs and Wraparound Care

Check:

  • Registration
  • Fees
  • Collection arrangements
  • Safeguarding
  • Food
  • Medical support
  • Cancellation rules

Transition from Nursery to School

Helpful steps include:

  • Sharing information between settings
  • Visiting the school
  • Looking at photographs
  • Practising routines
  • Preparing uniform
  • Discussing worries
  • Confirming additional support

Information to Transfer

Relevant information may include:

  • Development and learning
  • Communication
  • Medical needs
  • Allergies
  • Toileting
  • SEND support
  • Safeguarding information

Transition to Secondary School

Preparation may include:

  • Practising the journey
  • Using a timetable
  • Organising equipment
  • Managing several teachers
  • Using lockers
  • Planning homework
  • Understanding online systems

Moving School

When moving:

  • Contact the current school
  • Apply through the correct process
  • Transfer records
  • Return books and equipment
  • Update transport
  • Prepare the child emotionally
  • Confirm SEND or medical support

Home Education

Families considering education otherwise than at school need the legal requirements for their own UK nation, particularly where a child is already enrolled or has additional support needs. For England, read GOV.UK home education information and consult the local authority rather than relying on social-media accounts or assumptions.

Home education is a legal and educational choice with different rules and guidance across the UK. Do not withdraw a child from school based only on a general webpage.

Check the child’s current school status, any special-school placement, attendance order, additional-needs plan and local-authority process before acting. Seek nation-specific advice for the family’s circumstances.

Complaints

If a concern is not resolved informally:

  1. Read the setting’s complaints policy
  2. Write down what happened
  3. Include dates and evidence
  4. State the outcome requested
  5. Follow each stage
  6. Keep copies

Do Not Use the Ordinary Complaints Route for Immediate Danger

Safeguarding or emergency concerns should be reported immediately through the appropriate safeguarding, local authority, regulator or police route.

When to Contact the Inspectorate

Use the setting’s published complaints process for ordinary concerns unless the issue requires a different urgent route.

The relevant inspectorate or regulator may accept information about systemic concerns, registration, leadership, education, care or safeguarding. It may not resolve an individual contractual, employment or admissions dispute.

Read the inspectorate’s current complaint or concern guidance before submitting information. Use safeguarding or police routes immediately where a child may be at risk, and call 999 for immediate danger.

Product Safety in Nursery and School

Parents can raise concerns about damaged or recalled:

  • Highchairs
  • Toys
  • Outdoor equipment
  • Furniture
  • Electrical items
  • Sleep equipment

Search exact models in the UK Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls database.

Nursery and School Items on Kidora

Second-hand school uniform, book bags and suitable activity supplies may help reduce routine costs. For children's equipment, an advertised product remains the seller's listing: Kidora's payment protections are not a safety inspection. Check official recalls and any school-specific requirements.

Kidora is a UK-only marketplace where parents can buy and sell new and preloved baby and children’s items.

Families may find nursery bags, spare clothing, waterproofs, school uniform, PE kit, books, lunchboxes and water bottles. Confirm the setting’s current policy, measurements, condition, hygiene, personal labels and official recalls where relevant.

Sellers pay no selling fees and keep 100% of the item sale price. Buyers pay a mandatory Kidora Fee on paid purchases, shown before checkout.

Suitable items can be listed at £0 as FREE rather than being thrown away, helping another local family. FREE listings are collection-only and do not include a Kidora Fee.

Kidora does not inspect, recommend or guarantee nurseries or schools and does not decide whether an item meets a policy.

A Nursery and School Checklist

  • Check the correct application process
  • Visit the setting
  • Read inspection information
  • Complete medical and emergency forms
  • Agree collection permissions
  • Prepare settling-in arrangements
  • Label belongings
  • Understand attendance rules
  • Know who to contact
  • Discuss SEND and medical needs
  • Read safeguarding and complaints policies
  • Prepare carefully for transitions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a primary school place?

Use the official local-authority or national route. GOV.UK directs families in England and Wales to the relevant council application service.

What should I do if my child struggles to settle?

Ask when distress occurs, agree a consistent goodbye routine and review whether sensory, communication, health or additional-support needs are involved.

Who should I contact about additional needs?

Start with the key person, class teacher, SENCO or equivalent additional-needs lead and request a meeting with agreed actions and a review date.

What should I do if my child is being bullied?

Listen, record dates and examples, contact the setting, ask for its anti-bullying policy and agree how the situation will be reviewed.

Where can I check a school inspection report?

Use the official inspectorate for England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and check the inspection date as well as the detailed findings.

What if I have a safeguarding concern?

Contact the setting’s safeguarding lead and the relevant local authority service where appropriate. Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

Related Kidora Parent Hub Guides

About This Guide

Prepared by: Kidora Team.

Sources: GOV.UK, devolved education authorities and official inspectorates, with direct links above and throughout this guide. These independent organisations have not endorsed or clinically reviewed Kidora.

Editorial sources checked: 15 October 2026. This was a source-led editorial review, not a clinical, legal, safeguarding or product-safety expert review. Information and services may change; use the linked original sources for the latest guidance.

Important: Kidora does not provide legal or educational assessments and cannot determine admissions, attendance obligations, SEND entitlements or safeguarding outcomes. Check the relevant national guidance, school or local authority and seek qualified advice where needed.