Is it normal for nursery to want daily attendance

[PauseTheRain]

Finally got a place in nursery. I was hoping to have a day in the week to spend with DD and do a few full days to allow proper work or rest (have long covid), but you have to commit to daily. Gutted as when I put her name down, this was not the case (she was one), but is the case once they turn 3. Mornings only finish at 1130, so will leave me with just a bitty two hours after the school run. It will also mean either waiting around for an hour for my other kids to finish if I do full days for her on days other kids finish later or getting her home for twenty minutes before leaving again.

Our nursery does daily with a 12.30pm finish. My day is very bitty as we have different pick up/drop off times. I keep DD off for things like days out though and nursery don’t mind.

I think its pretty normal for school nurseries as they need the funding to pay the staff. They can't fill the space for one day.

School nursery? Definitely. It's part of early years education so is normal school scheduling (5 days a week and usual term times) not just a childcare provision.

I asked about if I paid for week, rather than use funded hours, but it's the same.

Are you trying to save money or just want the time with her??
If it’s just time then you sign her up full time and pay for that but then just call in one morning a week and say she’s not coming??

I had they would only let me do full time when I only needed 3 days. I told them from the beginning she would rarely be in on a Tuesday and they were fine with that. After explaining to me 12 times that I would still have to pay as if she was there. I explained 12 times i got it.

Yes it's standard, have you considered using your subsidised hours in a different setting maybe?

@PauseTheRain is this a school Nursery Class or a childcare nursery?
Because they are different environments.
If it's a school one Monday - Friday for 3 hours a day is the norm. It's part of the school and is a more educational setting.
If you are just wanting child care for a couple of days it's the wrong place for it.

Wasnt at all standard for the preschool we used. You picked your days so we built up to 2 days and then did 3 for the last term.

We moved from an area where school nursery was more common to an area where it is a mix of preschools/ nurserys and the odd school with an optional nursery year. It was just another reason to avoid a school nursery to be honest as we didn't want to be tied to 5 days a week (and that last year of trips to the farm etc on my days off were fab) as well as not wanting a school based environment.

@Smartiepants79 it's more the time. I feel I've lost so much quality time with her doing things due to lockdowns, a drastic reduction in available activities around here post lockdown, but most of all due to long covid. I know I may still not get better over the next year, but hoped with some rest on her days in, it might aid recovery enough to build up working again, or at least allow me to budget my energy to be the mum to her on free days that I was to my other kids. The cost per week is less than the cost per day of other nurseries round here. It is attached to a school a ten minute walk from where my other kids go, so would be handy for pick up and drop off on some days. It also has a good reputation and people seem happy with it.

I was fortunate as I was a high earner and we had saved enough for an extension. We are cramped, but that extension has almost been spent now on subsidising the business in lockdown, mortgage rate increase and just general living expenses. It's probably daft to pay when I can get free hours, but time with her would mean more if I get the chance.

It looks like it's the norm then for preschool attached to a school. I genuinely had no idea. Just under a year ago, a place had become available there and she was going to do three days (she lost it though as it had to go to a sibling of a child already at the school).

Have you considered a full childcare nursery? Then you can pick and choose the hours and days you want. You can still use funded hours etc.