Pre-school education
Mumsnet
This extensive site covers almost all of the subjects that would interest a pre-school mother, from pushchair reviews to advice on holidays. It's easy to navigate and you can also consult discussion groups and share parenting tips or get expert advice on areas such as teaching your child to swim or count.ChildcareLink
ChildcareLink provides lists of all types of childcare providers, from nursery schools to child minders and pre-school playgroups. It allows you to search by area and also offers general childcare information. Navigation between pages can be cumbersome and sometimes frustrating, but the information, once you manage to access what you want, is fairly extensive. Montessori St Nicholas Centre
The site gives a thorough introduction to Montessori schools, with an introduction to the Montessori teaching methods and information for anyone wanting to train as a Montessori teacher. Users can also purchase Montessori equipment and learning materials and search for the Montessori schools in their area. The site is easy to use, if a little unimaginatively designed. Flametree
While Flametree's searchable childcare directory is not as extensive as ChildcareLink's, the site also gives advice on assessing childcare options, from au pairs to nursery schools and after-care facilities. It also has talk boards where you can ask advice from fellow parents. Another feature is a health section where you can ask health experts for advice, with links to an NHS emergency line and NHS practitioners and pharmacies in your area. Urbia
The website's childcare section features a tool to search for nannies, child minders, au pairs and playgroups, as well as a host of features on topics such as potty training and coping with temper tantrums. The education section contains a schools guide and advice on choosing a primary school and on financing your child's education. There are also discussion groups and opportunities to email childcare experts. Department for Education and Employment
The government's pre-school section has too much departmental rhetoric, but does contain some useful information. It features links to ChildcareLink and Sure Start, as well as contact lists for parents with gifted children or children with special educational needs. Sure Start
Sure Start is a government-sponsored programme set up primarily to tackle child poverty and social exclusion. The site's users can search for Sure Start programmes and childcare facilities by area. They can also access news and government information, as well as links to various childcare and charity organisations.
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