Wraparound care

[purpleme12]

My child currently goes to private nursery while I work.

When she starts school I'll have to move her to a different nursery to get wraparound care and in holidays too. So I'm thinking maybe I should go look at some now?

Your won't find out what school you get til april, may will you so you can't know what nursery would be best to go to. Now starting to wonder if they get too full up if you don't tell them before then.

It's been a while since I looked round a nursery and obviously this time it's for wraparound rather than baby care etc so I was just wondering if anyone could help me with questions to ask when I look round?

[purpleme12]

Anyone?

[CryingShame]

does the school not do wraparound care on the premises? many schools do and it's easier to drop off at school first thing e.g. so you know at the start of the day if the school's closed for snow etc. rather than dropping at a nursery for a further trip on to school.

[purpleme12]

Only one school does before and after. The others only do morning.

And the one that does both we ideally need to drop off earlier than they open anyway (otherwise it'll be changing work hours which will mean less hours to work which don't want to do).

And we'll need holiday care anyway

Just wondered if anyone could help with what they looked for in a nursery for wraparound care and what questions I should be asking really

[starsky22]

I'd ask the nursery about how they get them to/from school, what activities they do, whether children get some downtime, what food they give them.

However, I'd recommend using the schools morning club if the times work, as dropping them off at school, means you are there to deal with all the school admin (there's lots) and I think it's an easier start to their day. Two drop offs for the child, nursery & then school could be a lot to deal with.

Also have you considered a childminder? My son was in nursery, but now goes to a childminder after school and loves it, he's exhausted after school and I think he prefers the home environment there, plus she gives him tea, so I don't have to worry about that when we get home.

[thepatchworkcat]

I’m not aware of nurseries doing wraparound care like that, not where I am anyway. I think you’d need school wraparound care or a childminder.

[jannier]

Nurseries occasionally do wrap around but its unusual asthey tend to be geared up for younger children.
A child-minder will be registered and inspected in the same way as a nursery and the school nursery and works to the same standard. Typically they will care for your children at all times the school is closed training days, now days, boiler break downs and also through the child's school life until you decide they are old enough to be home alone. so one change sees you through the next 7 or 8 years.

I do homework support, craft activities, free play and parks on the way home. In the holidays we are always out, farms woods, national trust, pond dipping, museums. we also do cooking yesterday it was Pudsey cakes. The children can have a snack or if going to clubs later will have dinner and be changed ready to go. Its like a second home with them popping in at weekends and even the teenagers coming to see me. (One is doing her work experience with me next year).

[purpleme12]

Thank you.

There's only that one school that does the after school bit!

I know there are some nurseries that do it. It's a case of finding ones that do it for which particular school.

Starsky childminder has crossed my mind and may still be an option. I'm opting for nursery because that's all she's known really and I've been happy with the nursery she's at (although it is quite a small nursery) and I can't help thinking it's helped her confidence rather than a childminder where she'd have only been with a couple of other children her age. And I think I'd be sad if she went to a childminder if I'm honest I would worry about if she'll get a stronger bond with her (blush) and forget me which maybe is stupid but I'm already worrying about this whole going to school thing. What made you decide on childminder rather than nursery if he'd been in nursery before?

[thepatchworkcat]

My son has a childminder from 8 months until 3 because we wanted a homey environment but also she had several children of various ages and went out and about most days so it seemed like the best of both worlds. Then from 3 he went to both nursery and the childminder - and nursery was great for him for lots of reasons as well. Very glad he had both experiences! Now he’s at school we’ve got another childminder before and after school (the old one moved away) - and that was led by him to be honest, I think he was missing that close relationship with someone and wanted that homey environment after a hard tiring day at school. In fact they go to the park most days after school which he loves too.

Please don’t worry about your child bonding too much with a minder - obviously you want them to be close but they’re never going to replace you!

[starsky22]

We actually ended up with a childminder because we couldn't get all the days we wanted at the after-school club (not actually at the school), so he does 2 days at the after-school club and 1 day at the childminder, he much prefers the childminder and is asking to stop the after-school club. I think he likes the peace and quiet at the childminders after a busy day at school! He gets lots of interaction with other kids/chance to build confidence at school, so not worried about him missing out on that after school.

Hadn't consider him getting a closer bond with the childminder, but he's only with her a few hours and he is always very happy to see me when I pick him up, so I'm pretty confident he still loves me!

His nursery didn't offer wrap around care, so that wasn't an option, but to be honest he had grown out of nursery by the time he started school and would not have wanted to go back there, he felt it was for little kids and he is a big boy now! So if you do go with a nursery, then I would ask about how many other school kids are there and whether they are in their own room, or mixing with the nursery kids to make sure there will be similar aged children with your child.