I am also from the UK and took a while to get to grips with the school system here. My middle child has just started prep at the hours described by HotI above, and my twins will be going full time into the kinder room at CC from next week. I did try my middle child in kinder but the hours were difficult with my eldest in school, and he really did not benefit from the structure (ie no schooling, all play) which was so unlike Nursery in Scotland so I kept him at home until he started school last Friday. It may have just been the kinder I chose, but I do not see the benefit of kinder over home educating for 4yo's here unless there is a specific concern over your child having time with their peers.