What you know as ‘home daycare’, ‘in-home daycare’, ‘group daycare’, ‘family day care’, ‘day home’ or in Quebec a ‘garderie’ are all names for a ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘daycare centre’ or ‘pre-school’ would in the UK be called a ‘nursery’

What you know as ‘assistant maternelle’ is called a ‘childminder’ in the UK
What you know as ‘creche’ is called ‘nursery’ in the UK
What you know as ‘nounou’ is a nanny. ‘Nanny share’ is less common than in France, but is still possible and many people do it

What you know as a ‘tagesmütter’ is a childminder in the UK

What you know as ‘kindergarten’ (kita) is most equivalent to a ‘nursery’.

There are differences: UK nurseries take children from younger than German kindergartens (as young as 6 weeks, although 6-12 months is a more typical age to start), and children leave them a bit younger too, to go to school – typically at the age of 4 years old, or less usually 5 years old

What you know as ‘creche’ is nursery in the UK. UK nurseries also cover ‘junior infants’ stage. Many will also stay for ‘senior infants’, although it’s also common to go to a specific nursery attached to a school for this stage

What you know as a ‘childminder’ is also called a childminder in the UK

What you know as ‘gastouderopvang’ is called a ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘kinderdagverblijf’ is called a ‘nursery’ in the UK

Both are similar in terms of the ages of the children that they cover, but Dutch parents are more likely to work part-time than British parents, so children go more days per week on average to their childcare in the UK

For ‘buitenschoolse opvang’ (BSO) after school care, UK children would typically use an after-school club, a childminder, or an after school nanny. School ends a little later in the UK than in the Netherlands, usually 3:30pm.

What you know as ‘family daycare’ or ‘home-based childcare’ provided by a ‘home educator’ is called a ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘a childcare centre’ or ‘daycare’ or ‘early learning centre’ is called ‘nursery’ in the UK.

What you know as ‘pre-school’ or ‘kindergarten’ (kindy) is also covered in the UK by ‘nurseries’, rather than in a standalone centre.  Most UK nurseries cover all ages from babies – as young as 6 weeks in some cases – all the way up to school.   The babies are usually in a separate room from the older kids, but the same building.  UK nursery hours are longer than a Kiwi kindy – typically 8am to 6pm – although not as long as some Kiwi daycares. And it isn’t free like in NZ, sorry!

Some UK nurseries only cover the older age group and are a bit more like a Kiwi ‘kindy’. In the UK, these are called ‘pre-school’ nurseries and are typically attached to a school, start at age 3, offer shorter days (9am-3pm is typical) and only during school terms when the school is open. 

What you know as ‘nanny’ is… a nanny! That one’s easy.

Sadly, there’s no real equivalent of the Playcentre movement in the UK – and, not surprisingly, no puna reo or kohanga reo

Finally, starting school on your birthday is quite a Kiwi thing! In the UK, all the kids start together at the beginning of the school year. (The compulsory school age in the UK is the term after their 5th birthday, but in practice most UK kids start before this)

What you know as ‘dagmamma’ is called ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘barnehage’ is ‘nursery’ in the UK

A difference is that UK nurseries take children from a younger age (as young as 6 weeks, although 6-12 months is a more typical age to start), and children leave a bit younger too, to go to school – typically at the age of 4 years old, or less usually 5 years old

What you know as ‘dagmamma’ is called ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘förskola’ is ‘nursery’ in the UK

A difference is that UK nurseries take children from a younger age (as young as 6 weeks, although 6-12 months is a more typical age to start), and children leave a bit younger too, to go to school – typically at the age of 4 years old, or less usually 5 years old

What you know as ‘home daycare’ or ‘in-home daycare’ is called a ‘childminder’ in the UK

What you know as ‘pre-school’ or ‘Pre-K’ or ‘Pre-K3’ or a ‘daycare center’ are called ‘nursery’ in the UK. What you know as ‘daycare’ is also ‘nursery’!  UK nurseries cover all ages from babies – as young as 6 weeks in some cases – all the way up to school. The babies are usually in a separate room from the older kids, but the same building. Some UK nurseries only cover the older age group. These ‘pre-school’ nurseries are typically attached to a school, start at age 3, and offer shorter days (9am-3pm is typical) and only during school terms when the school is open.  

A big difference between the UK and the USA is that nurseries and childminders all follow a national curriculum (the EYFS), regardless of the age of the child, and there are strict requirements about the staff being qualified to deliver it.  

What you know as ‘kindergarten’, i.e. the first year of formal schooling, is known in the UK as ‘Reception’. Some children will have already done a year at the school called ‘Nursery’ before that, if there is a nursery attached to the school.  Many others will join the school for the Reception year. 

What you know as ‘nanny’ is… a nanny! In the UK a ‘babysitter’ would typically look after your kids in the evening or on odd occasions during the day, whereas a ‘nanny’ would be more regular day-time care, and would be more likely to be experienced and potentially qualified. Don’t call a ‘nanny’ a ‘babysitter’ – they might be insulted by that

Some other words in the education system that Americans in the UK need to know:  

 What you know as ‘elementary school’ is called ‘primary school’, and what you call ‘high school’ is called ‘secondary school’ in the UK

What you might call a ‘public school’ is in the UK called a ‘state school’.  In the UK, ‘public school’ refers to a small number of centuries-old private schools. (The word ‘public’ was historically used to distinguish them from private tutoring at home.) . ‘Private school’ is also used to refer to these schools and any others which are not state schools

In the UK, the word ‘school’ is never used to refer to a university, only ever the earlier years of education. If a British person says ‘when I was at school’, they mean primary or secondary school. If they mean ‘university’, they say ‘university’ instead 

Meanwhile the word ‘college’ means something totally different on each side of the Atlantic. In the UK, ‘college’ doesn’t mean university, but rather means either (a) a standalone school for the year or two before university (a ‘Sixth Form College’) or (b) a place you go instead of university, much like a community college in the USA.  The exception to this rule is that some universities, notably Oxford and Cambridge, are made up of many ‘colleges’. Yes, it’s confusing! 

As for the names of the school years, here’s a guide for Americans:

 The UK ‘Nursery’ year is roughly equivalent to ‘Pre-K’. This is an optional year, often done in a nursery attached to school.  Not everyone will do it, but many parents like it as a good ‘on-ramp’ to formal schooling – and it often brings admissions points which are an advantage in getting children into the desired school for later years

The first year of schooling is ‘Reception’ year. This is roughly equivalent to ‘Kindergarten’ in the USA, although the children are a little younger on average. In the UK, Reception children are often aged 4 when they start, although many will already be 5 years old.  (The compulsory school age in the UK is the term after their 5th birthday, but most kids start before this in practice.)

Similarly, ‘Year 1’ in the UK is roughly equivalent to ‘Grade 1’, but the children will again be slightly younger on average — often aged 5, many aged 6 

Throughout primary education, the timing of age cut-offs is a little different too; in the US, enrollment typically goes by the age of the children by mid-October. In the UK, the key date is usually at the start of September.