To expect Nurseries to do termly intake for 3-4 year olds?!

[thursdaysgirls]

I find it very confusing that the LEA website says my DD2 is entitled to this childcare from April 2014 yet the 2 local schools only do a September intake?

Nearest day nursery is closing in December. The next one closest to me is a bus ride away.

Anybody elses local schools only do a September intake? Is this now the norm?

We offer a termly intake, as long as we have spaces available. This year, however, we have a larger than usual January intake, so I don't think we will have any spaces available after Easter. As others have said, we can't afford to keep places open for children on the waiting list. If a child turns up who wants a place straight away, then they will get it.

In England they certainly wouldn't get an funding for an empty place - and why should they?

Because the place has been allocated to a child who is legally entitled to it once they reach 3. But the nurseries are part of the school system in a different way here.