As a result of the Blanquer reform and the law establishing compulsory schooling at the age of 3, the kindergartens should disappear in 2024 to the chagrin of some parents of students who are mobilizing for their survival.
Blanquer law: the end of kindergartens?
On April 12, more than 200 people gathered in Paris to protest against the closure of kindergartens, according to the DECOLLAJE collective (DEfense COLLective des Amis des Jardins d’Enfants). Because with the Blanquer reform, adopted in 2019, and which provides the start of education from the age of 3, these kindergartens, which welcome children from two and a half years old, are dedicated to close their doors from 2024 or change shape. The future of these structures with alternative pedagogy therefore worries parents as well as staff, who are mobilizing and launching a online petition for their preservation. All hope that suitable solutions will be proposed by the municipalities.
What is an awakening garden?
Alternative to nursery and kindergarten, the kindergartens or kindergartens welcome children aged 2 to 6 years. Created in 2009, these reception structures generally offer a part-time care extended over a period of 9 months and a maximum of 18 months. The professionals who look after the children are educators of Young Children, childcare workers, nurses, psychomotor therapists and childcare assistants. In addition to caring for your offspring during the day, the early learning gardens offer educational activities promoting the awakening of children.
Kindergartens: at what age, what differences with the crèche?
Contrary to the nursery where babies are welcomed from 3 monthsyou cannot enroll your child in a kindergarten only from the age of two. This mode of reception also favors a part-time childcare whereas in crèches, toddlers are generally present full time. On the other hand, the two structures have the same objectives: to offer playful and adapted activities allowing the development of the child and to prepare his next integration in the school environment.
What are the advantages of the awakening garden?
- The big advantage of the kindergarten compared to the school is that children do not have to be toilet trained while cleanliness is often a sine qua non for entering kindergarten.
- For children under 3 years old, the cost is also found to be lower than that of a crèche or childminder. In particular due to the fact that your toddler is rarely kept there full time.
- Toddlers also enjoy a social environment more suitable than those kept with a nanny, which then facilitates their integration into school. On the other hand, for parents who have opted for parental leave, this allows the child and parents to start the separation phase gently and to be able to allow himself some free time during the hours when he is looked after.
- Another strong point of the awakening gardens: the reception of children with disabilities is easier in kindergartens,
- Ultimate benefit for children aged 3 and up, the number of children is much lower in kindergarten than in kindergarten classes often bordering on thirty students per class. Indeed, in the gardens of awakening the reception is of 12 places or 24 places divided into two sections.
What are the disadvantages of the awakening garden?
Nevertheless, this type of structures also has some disadvantages. The fact that children are rarely full-time can be a hindrance when both parents work full-time or are looking for work. second downside, reception in kindergarten does not begin until 2 years old. This involves going through 24 months of parental leave first, working part-time, or starting with another form of care such as nanny employment until they reach the required age.
Finally, the selected kindergarten must be authorized to welcome children aged 3 and over, i.e. have a “maternal” part so that your toddler can follow the 24 hours of compulsory weekly teaching of the national education program. If this is not the case, some structures only take children from 2 to 3 years old, placing your child there for a single year may seem irrelevant.
Garden of awakening: how much does it cost?
The cost varies between 42.5 euros and 178 euros monthly, depending on family income or family quotient. These costs are subject to a tax credit. On the other hand, for private play gardens, the applicable rates are free. For more information on the rates that apply to you, the kindergartens near your home and the registration procedures, go to the website of the family allowance fund (CAF).
Some Jardins d’éveil specialize in Montessori pedagogy. Thus, just like in a classic kindergarten, the child can enter it from the age of 2 and stay there until he is 6 years old. The principle of the Montessori awakening garden? Help the child to become autonomous and to learn with pleasure by letting him evolve at his own pace, with free access to the different areas of the class specially designed within their reach. The numbers are smaller there than in school, with always two Montessori educators per room, which makes it possible to offer children a personalized follow-up. Moreover, the age groups of 3 to 6 years are mixed. In terms of schedules, parents can leave their child there full-time or part-time. the cost is higher than that of a public kindergarten and can vary (between 300 and 600 euros monthly) from one Montessori establishment to another.