Worst of all nursery options

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DTwins start nursery Jan when they're 3. They get standard 15 hours.

They didn't qualify for 2's as we earn over the threshold. Fair enough.

Everyone gets 15 hours at 3.

We qualify for the 30 hours BUT because they'd need to stay till end of day so over the 6 hours, it's £15a week EACH. Plus packed lunch or £22 for lunches. So £50 basically. For a week of "free nursery". Which I can't justify financially. I'm a carer so not in paid work.

If we didn't qualify then I'd have no option to send them but I do and can't make it work which is worse because it feels like I'm failing them.

13/30 kids will have accessed early years from 2. 13/30 will access 30 hours so have additional learning in the afternoons. It's possible 2/39 will have been to private nursery part time and have transitioned over to school.

2/30 have had no early years education and will only be getting 15 hours. Mine.

I feel like they're getting the worst of both options and I'm failing them in their education before they even start.

Plus they're twins and typically their speech is behind, I get no 121 time with them, their attention and ability to focus is crappy, they can't write their name, they can count to 5 but don't know their letters. All stuff those coking up from nursery will know.

Fuxk.

Write your own name is an end of early year’s goal. They aren’t expected to do so until the end of reception.

Sorry I’m not sure I understand. Why do they need to stay home til the end of a day, can’t you put them in for a morning session? And why can’t you use the 30 hours?

I thought the 30 hours was only for people who are working? 15 hours will be fine, they don't need to be in full time. I would be surprised if all the other kids are doing 30 hours, that would be unusual.

They would eat lunch at home so I wouldn't count packed lunches as an extra cost so it's £30/week. Is that more doable?

Who are you caring for and can they pay or contribute?

If you don't work then you won't be entitled to the £30 hours - just the 15 standard that everyone gets.

My children will have only done 15 hours school nursery. DD1 was partly taught at home due to covid lockdown and started school nursery been able to blend simple words and could also write her name. I wouldn’t worry about more time in nursery.

I think you’re being quite hard on yourself. My daughter of a similar age doesn’t know any letters and can’t write or recognise her name, I don’t think that’s expected at just turned 3.

We qualified for 30 hours but I chose not to send my son to nursery (and he’s absolutely thriving in school), I’m sure your twins won’t be the only kids who haven’t been to nursery full time, and spending time with an attentive engaged parent is just as valuable as an extra few hours at nursery anyway…

Op mentioned they are a carer so is entitled to the full 30 hours. Have you had a look at any school nurseries? My little one went from 3 and there were no additional costs other than providing a packed lunch.

spending time with an attentive engaged parent is just as valuable as an extra few hours at nursery anyway…

I agree but is the OP an attentive engaged parent or is she primarily focussed on her other caring responsibility? If it's the latter, I would be more concerned but it's difficult to tell without more info

What a weird thread. Where are you getting your stats from?! How can you possibly know how many hours all the other kids will be doing? I'm a sahm so my kids only qualify for 15 hours from age 3. My eldest has just started school having only ever done 9 hours a week as I didn't feel he needed the additional hours. He's exactly on track with his learning and is meeting all expectations so it's not held him back in anyway. Early years childcare is not "education" it's play with some gentle encouragement to learn. They certainly don't need to write their name or count. Some kids will go to school having spent NO time in an early years setting

£15 per week each really doesn't sound like a lot to top up their hours and you'd feed them lunch at home so the packed lunch cost is irrelevant. If you can't afford £30 a week for some additional childcare then you need to fit your life around the free hours

Is this at a school nursery? If nit, try there. Most school nurseries provide a free lunch like they do for all KS1 pupils.

Loads of children only do 15 hours before school. 30 hours isn't the majority.

If you look for a school nursery or community preschool, you might be able to find one that just offers 9-3 term time and you can bring pack lunches.

School nursery and def no free school meal. That kicks in in reception. They do provide snacks and milk

We can just do 8.40-2.40 but then I don't pick up their brother at the other side of the small building until 3.10-3.20. Another school would be a push with drop off and pick up for that child. It's here or nowhere

The lunches aren't completely an extra expense though are they, as presumably you make them their lunches at home currently? Would it actually cost significantly more to make 2 packed lunches than what you feed them at home?
I grumble about what I spend on school dinners but then when I see how my weekly shop shoots up in the holidays I realise that actually it's not that bad. It kind of feels like more when you are paying a bill as opposed to just doing your shopping, especially if you have to pay termly so its a lot in one go, but you'll offset at least some of it by spending less at home.

Childcare is in crisis at present, due to the pandemic and cost of living crisis. The idea that children are getting some kind of amazing educational advantage from settings with a high turnover of staff on close to minimum wage is a fallacy.

I understand what you mean about the different types of funding, it's not fair/ logical. But if you are the kind of parent that takes time to read with your DC at home every day, they don't need to be 'educated' at nursery.

Presumably others will be in that same position then? Is there a park or similar you can go to, or does the school offer anywhere dry for parents to wait?

My son also goes to a school nursery and I do think that the times are a bit random as if you have a kid in nursery then a kid further up the school, the main school finish 30 mins earlier than the nursery. However, I also know that a lot of families make pick up work by going to the park/home if it's close enough/shops/sharing pick up with friends etc.

If this is literally your only option then surely you either have to make it work or you don't send them? Can they do half a day then you can drop off at the same time then just pick them up to give lunch at home?

Wait, so you can access a 30 hour place, it's just mildly annoying that you're going to have half an hour to kill after school and you need to make a packed lunch?

I'm sorry, but that's just normal life with young children isn't it?

It's not mildly annoying, it's not feasible. What do u do with two three test old for half an hour every day regardless of weather?

Lunch obv isn't an issue, just that on top of the costs (which in themselves are reasonable) it's a lot of money when I don't earn.

I can't take in ironing and altho in looking for term time work, in reality it's a right line because I either need less than the threshold for claiming carers still or fair over it so I lose it but still keep nursery leave and most of that wages will be what I lose in carers /, tax credits so not the extra money for nursery

Paying for nursery so they get a decent educating might be proud parenting but it's clearly a bit I'm failing

There will be a lot of parents with kids in nursery who have children further up in the school, can you speak to the school to see what other people do?

what do you claim carers for ? If you’re experienced with caring could you get some shift work as a paid carer around school hours ?

The half hour gap is a completely normal part of parenting.

OK, so as a parent whos not done it, what do I do every day for half an hour in the teeming rain or snow with two three year olds after a day at nursery?

Valid point re lunches @MrsAvocet , I wonder if I'd actually spend slightly less cos they're not here to ask for stuff 😂

I'm a carer for my son so whisky I'm experienced in some stuff like o2 and PEG feeds and I'll be free in the day, I don't drive, and I'm meant to be using nursery so up my studying time for Uni

Can’t you just send them two days a week? Then you only have two days with half an hour to wait. By the time you’ve collected them it will be more like 25 minutes. Either take them back to the car to eat a snack and watch a show on your phone or find somewhere local to walk/play park or visit. If it’s raining make sure they have puddle suits and wellies.