yn ▁in ▁Wel sh ▁(" re ception ▁class ") ▁and ▁Primary ▁One ▁in ▁Scotland ▁and ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁Nur ser y ▁forms ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Foundation ▁Stage ▁of ▁education . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁England ▁and ▁Wales ▁officially ▁adopted ▁the ▁Northern ▁Irish ▁system ▁where by ▁children ▁start ▁school ▁either ▁in ▁the ▁term ▁or ▁year ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁will ▁become ▁five ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁policy ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁education ▁authority . ▁In ▁Scotland , ▁school ing ▁becomes ▁comp uls ory ▁between ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁ 4 ½ ▁and ▁ 5 ½ ▁years , ▁depending ▁on ▁their ▁birth day ▁( school ▁starts ▁in ▁August ▁for ▁children ▁who ▁were ▁ 4 ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁preceding ▁February ). ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁word ▁" k inder g arten " ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁more ▁special ist ▁organis ations ▁such ▁as ▁forest ▁kind er gart ens ▁and ▁is ▁sometimes ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁naming ▁of ▁private ▁nur series ▁that ▁provide ▁full - day ▁child ▁care ▁for ▁working ▁parents . ▁Histor ically ▁the ▁word ▁was ▁used ▁during ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century ▁when ▁activ ists ▁like ▁Ad ela ide ▁Mann ing ▁were ▁introdu cing ▁educ ators ▁to ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁Friedrich ▁Fr ö bel . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁UK , ▁parents ▁have ▁the ▁option ▁of ▁nur ser y ▁for ▁their ▁children ▁at ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁three ▁or ▁four ▁years , ▁before ▁comp uls ory ▁education ▁begins . ▁Before ▁that , ▁less ▁struct ured ▁child care ▁is ▁available ▁priv ately . ▁The ▁details ▁vary ▁between