Pre-pre-school: does my DD have to go every day?

[Jewelsandgems]

I mean is it like school where they have to go unless ill?

It's just my DD has just started and loves it, but we did used to spend one day a week at my parents house and we are not able to do that anymore, having to fit in with nursery. I know I can phone the nursery and ask, but just wondered if anyone could help?

For one day a week can I not send her to pre-pre-school?

Thanks

J&G

[llareggub]

Why send her every day anyway? My DS goes 2 mornings a week, leaving plenty of time for other activities.

[Jewelsandgems]

Up here in scotland you just do send them every day. It's not private nursery, it's attached to the primary school (I don't pay for it)

[Cadelaide]

No.
This idea that pre-school is compulsory has seeped into our culture.

Just send her when you want to.

[nurseryvoice]

You can sign up for 1 - 5 sessions, it is up to you, but remember if you sign up for 3 say then ask for 4 that same term you wont be able to have that for free.

Iown my nursery lots of children come for 3 or 4 sessions especially on their first term.

[PuppyMonkey]

You mean it's a local authority nursery...? I'm not sure then... I don't see why if you're not keen. But maybe they will insist or you lose the place?

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

Depends where in Scotland you are.
At my dd's old nursery there was no need to send every day. Some people did some didn't.
Moved areas and the policy here is full 5 days if the child is not ready for full sessions 5 days a week then the option is 1 hour 5 days a week this inflexibility is the exact reason ds hasn't started yet.
He isn't ready for full 5 sessions but I see on hour a day as pointless.
So you will need to contact the school.

[seeker]

What would happen if he just didn't turn up?

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

Like nurseryvoice said as well a lot of nurseries give the option of signing up 1-5 but as it's local authority not all do individual areas have different rules which pisses me off as it isn't compulsory so why can som dictate and others can't this has been bugging me in discussions with school for a while now.

[colditz]

"If they want you to send her every day, agree, then just don't. "Too tired" is a perfectly valid reason until a child is 5, IMHO.

Ds1 had a lot of sofa time off in reception. His teacher was fine with it, I just explained that he was 'offish' and she agreed better to let them rest than run them into the ground. Preschool wise, ds2 starts this term, and I wouldn't DREAM on missing preplanned fun stuff to fit in with preschool. He's not staff= he doesn't HAVE to go!

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

Seeker me? I have actually asked that.
Well firstly I am supposed to phone if he isn't going in and if I said oh he's shattered not up for it which they agree I could do and would do, it would be put down as a medical absence if I did this on a regular basis I could lose his place because school/LA policy is as I said earlier.

Basically they are saying I could do it but if they knew I was doing it as a way to get his hours down and go against policy it would be 2 fingers to me.
Don't see why it is such a huge problem though I have never known a LA nursery to do that and it has never been an issue.

It is a brilliant school in every other way this is the only thing I don't like.

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

See Colditz 100% agree and dd in ante pre and pre school had days off when she was tired/had a better offer/had visitors etc.

[seeker]

Do you have to send him at all? What I mean is, is it childcare or pre-school for his benefit?

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

No I don't have to send him so he's not going, for now anyway.
He has had a lot of problems in the past with his hearing and things and he is getting his tonsil and adenoids out in the very near future and gromits done at the same time so the school have kept his place open at the nursery to start in January with the option that I can start him anytime before then if I change my mind they just won't/can't change the policy.

It's a shame he loves playing with other children and in some ways really would benefit from it there is just no way he could cope with the full 5 2 and a bit hour sessions every week.

They are doing play sessions between now and January for the children that are not old enough to start before January so am going to take him to them.

[seeker]

Sounds like a brilliant decision. Could you find a mum and toddler group or something to take him to instead?

But what an INSANE policy!

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

It is absolutely insane.
We moved areas at easter but the LA nursery dd went to they were like sign for the 5 sessions but put her in the ones you need/want to it was no problem at all this is just crazy to me.
There is a toddler group right at the end of the road and a couple of playgroups close by so I have a few options but am sooooo annoyed at the school and none of this was ever made clear until after the holidays and he was due to start.

[Jewelsandgems]

Wow I really did think it was a legal requirement for her to go!!

I am really glad I posted on here. When we enrolled her we didn't have the option to specify how many sessions she would attend. Yes, it is a LA pre school. I will have to phone them and enquire.

I even stopped her ballet class because she would not have made it on time! If I'd have known (well, realised) that it was optional she could have continued to go..

Thankyou

[seeker]

There is absolutely no legal requirement to send them to anything until they are 5. Even where they go to school in the year they turn 5, they are not legally required to go until they are actually 5. Anything else is completely voluntary.