HI Ruth,

You can choose whether to enroll your daughter into FS1 or FS2 directly in theory.  Traditionally schools would add additional places in FS2 to cater for joiners at that stage.  However, with the move towards more and more children entering at FS1 (and bearing in mind a) the commercial nature of schools here and b) demand historically outstripping supply), most schools now expect children to join in FS1.

You may well find it difficult to secure an FS2 place for these reasons and also because schools prefer to see children start in the lowest class and grow through the school years starting with the Early Years curriculum at the outset.  Some schools will allow you to apply for FS1 and then defer the place to FS2, but these are few and far between.  Schools would also argue that bringing a child into FS2 directly and then surrounding them with children who are familiar with the schools rituals and routines in a much larger environment and with less staff per child, is likely to add to the stress of starting school.

FS1 is very much a nursery class where the emphasis is on learning through play, although children are in larger groups than they would be in nursery and with a lower adult to child ration.  Unfortunately, nurseries are no longer permitted to say that they offer FS1 (but many do offer a class for 3-4 year olds following the UK EYFS curriculum) and this is also encouraging parents to send their children to school for FS1.

If you feel that your daughter would be happier in a nursery rather than school environment for the FS1 period, it would be worthwhile speaking with the schools that you are interested in and finding out what the options would be for securing an FS2 place.  Then look for a nursery that is following the UK Early Years Foundation curriculum so that your daughter enters FS2 having effectively followed the same curriculum as children who joined the school in FS1.