5. A) Read the text about pre-school education in Britain and fill in the table below.

Pre-school education in Britain

Pre-school education aims to encourage children aged between two and five years old to learn, play and develop. Children do not have to have pre-school education and as a parent you can decide whether your child will benefit or not. It is generally considered that children find it easier to go to primary school and do better if they have had pre-school education, but this may not be the case for all children. Children at pre-school are encouraged to learn through play. The staff at any pre-school centre will arrange activities to help the children learn and develop.

Local authorities provide pre-school education in the form of nursery classes in primary schools and nursery schools. However, local authorities also make arrangements with private and voluntary centers to make sure that there are enough places available to meet the demand. This means that there is a variety of different types of pre-school providers: local authority nursery schools and classes, nursery classes in independent schools, child and family centers run by social work departments, community childcare centers, private day nurseries, playgroups.

Playgroups. Children are usually able to start a playgroup between the ages of two and three and can keep attending until they start reception. Most pre-school playgroups offer short sessions (often mornings) to help “ease” your child out of the home into a more sociable childcare setting and learning environment for toddlers where they can play, learn and have fun with other children of a similar age, introducing them to the ways of education without their parent present. Pre-school playgroups will also help your child build confidence, social and cognitive skills, and provide a good transitional base between home and “big” school. Each group will have a varied mix of toys, games, singing, story-time, reading, painting, art and craft activities, with a free play or outdoor area for children to run around in.

A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of three and five years, usually for the year before they start the first school year. They are staffed by suitably qualified professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare. Most nursery schools are state schools, but there are also some independent nursery schools. They are sometimes attached to a primary school. Nursery schools work during school hours (9a.m. - 4p.m.) and observe school holidays. They intend to provide an introduction to primary education and grounding for the child to start school. Many parents use a nursery school as a stepping stone from pre-school playgroup to school, or from home to school.

Day nurseries are great for giving children a variety of organized activities and for fostering important social skills, like sharing. The day nurseries who cater from babies to four year olds (in separate rooms and with separate staff) can offer continuity of care for children and parents. A day nursery meets a social need: it looks after children while their parents are at work. Day nurseries will be registered and inspected by Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). Nurseries which cater for babies have a lower staff to child ratio: one member of staff to look after three babies.

The big benefit is that you can rely on nurseries to provide full time, hassle-free day care throughout the year, unlike arrangements with a nanny, child minder or au pair where you are reliant on the individual person not becoming ill or needing time off work. As well as full-time day care, most nurseries also offer shorter sessions, for example, for a morning, afternoon, single day or half week, which may suit if you work part-time, flexibly or simply want your child to socialize away from you.

According to Daycare Trust’s childcare cost survey, the typical average cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two for 25 hours is £96 per week, but prices can vary quite dramatically. Nurseries are usually cheaper than a nanny and more expensive than a child minder.

Nurseries are usually open from 8am to 6pm, but some will also open outside these hours but parents may have to pay an additional amount for their child to attend earlier/later.

Age	Type of school	Main task	Work time

b) Make up five true and five false sentences about the pre-school system in Britain. Compare your answers with your partner.

Example:

A: – Pre-school education is compulsory in Britain.

B: – No, it’s not true. A parent decides whether his child will benefit or not.

c) In the text above find three reasons for children attending a nursery school. Compare your answers with your partner.

6. a) Listen to the speaker talking about the function of a kindergarten. Does the speaker mention anything from your list?

Note the difference in terms. In American and Australian educational systems the term kindergarten stands for a nursery school.

b) Listen again and fill in gaps using no more than three words.

Mrs. Popping has been (1) _____ for 16 years. Children learn (2) ____ playing with other children and this helps to shape their personalities. The other advantage is that children are prepared for (3) _____. 3) Children are taught (4) ____ and ____ activities as well as (5) ____ such is more, less, heavy, light, full, empty, whole and part and so on. The children are taught (6) _____ but it’s not like in army. Children learn to follow a (7) ____ and there are classroom rules which teach (8) _____and ____ for the classmates and the teacher. This way they are prepared to (9) _____ primary school.

c) Work in pairs to discuss why many parents prefer their children attending a nursery school. Use the Essential Strategy Language.