to not want to pick up ds early everyday?

[stinkysox]

My 1st post on aibu so please be gentle!

Ds attends pre-school, afternoons, 12.15-3.15. It never opens early (usually closer to 12.20) It is attached to an infants and primary so the majority of the parents collect their dcs just after 3 when the older children get out.
I usually get there around 3 but today I didn't arrive until 3.10. As I walked up to the school I heard one of the teachers say 'oh here's mummy, ds' I looked up to see ds at the window wearing his coat & waving.
I got to the door (outside door to reception, there is then another door to classroom) and instead of being let in as normal, ds was ushered out to me with a quick goodbye.
I explained I had fees to pay so they let me in, halfheartedly looked around the office for a few seconds, complete with eye rolls, then said they couldn't find the receipt book and could I pay tomorrow. I said fine, and noticed a few of the staff members already had their coats on ready to leave.
AIBU to think this rude, and that I shouldn't be expected to pick ds up 15 minutes early when I pay for him to be there?

Huh. If they do end up asking you to sign for more hours, make sure you mention the pressure to arrive late/close early, when you report to Ofsted!

I'll be asking the morning parents if they have the same problem tomorrow. I think I definitely will have to say something, I'd never really added it up before or realised just how much time per month I'm paying for without him actually being there. Another good point that was mentioned, are the kids getting ready to leave at 2.45? If so it's very wrong.

most parents pick up at 3

I would say.
Ah yes that would be fine to end 15 mins early. I'll adjust the fees by an hour a week. No? That doesn't work? Okay then I'll come at 3.15.

What strategies will you be using to ensure dc is still learning/playing until I come whilst the other children put on their coats and leave? Obviously dc can't just sit in his coat for those 15 mins.

That's another problem holiday.
There's no way of knowing what is actually doing for the last half hour if they are busy getting the other dcs ready to leave.

I would be unhappy too. Please make a point of saying that you will be arriving between 10 and quarter past and could they not get him dressed in a coat prematurely.

DS2 is always the last to leave his nurseries (I get there just before 6pm - usually with about 4 minutes to spare!) and the staff at both are always playing with him when I arrive, so he never feels like his mummy is late. In fact, I generally have to coax him away so the staff can leave!

Nor am I made to feel bad on the rare occasion that the traffic situation means I am a couple of minutes late)

He usually has his boots on ready as they know he makes a song and dance about getting them on, but he's always 'busy' when I arrive.

pooperdoodles- I can understand getting children ready for late parents, that would be helpful, especially if the parents turns up flustered & panicky!But to get children ready during session time, then have them sitting & waiting is not a good use of their time. Not when they are only there a few hours a week- a few minutes every day of sitting and doing nothing, is not good. Unless you are using it as a learning experience- learning to put own shoes on, do buttons up etc... maybe occasionally.

OP- you have every right to assert yourself! They are treating both you & your DC unfairly, they would be completely out of order to treat your child any differently for raising it. Just mention that since the finishing time is 3.15pm you want your child to make the most of it.

Ask to see their timetable to see what is supposed to be scheduled during that time and mention that you don't want your child to be made to feel that you are running late when you are not.

Please use this as an opportunity to stand up for your child, I know it's not easy to do- but you are completely in the right here.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Ds is in tomorrow so I'll have a word and report back.

Just dropped ds off and decided to take the advice given and use the mn direct approach.
'Just to let you know, I won't be collecting ds until 3.10-3.15. It seems silly that I fight for parking at 3pm when I don't need to.'
Their response:
'As long as you're not late, you get charged when you're late.'
Me:
'No, I won't be late, I'll be here by 3.15. I'm only mentioning it because when I arrived at 3.10 on Monday I was made to feel like I was late, & ds was sat with his coat on. I'm just letting you know not to expect me at 3.'

Go me

YAY! Go you indeed!!

Well said you. And still they felt the need to tell you not to be late, when it is clear that you know very well what the closing time is...

I hope they were reasonable when you picked up this evening. :)

Yes, what happened today at pick up OP?

I'd be (casually) asking DS if he's been sitting with his coat on for ages. As someone upthread said, if the others are arriving at 3 they'll be getting them dressed at quarter to'ish. Poor DS if he's sat around in his coat for 30 mins.

Go stinkysox

Pleased to say he didn't have his coat on. Another child had fallen over though so they were a little preoccupied.
I was also told ds had been put down for the full 15 hours from Jan when he gets funding, even though I'd told them a couple of es before he'd only be doing 9 hours (3 days). She said this was in case I changed my mind. I reiterated that I wouldn't, at least 1 day a week we visit my dm. She made a few more grumbles about places filling up quickly, and I would only have to pay snack money the days he attends. I told her again he would definitely not be there everyday until she eventually said ok, I'll just put him down for 4 days then!

Couple of times that should read

Well done you for standing up to them.

They don't sound particularly obliging, do they?!? It could be they would prefer to give places to every-day attendees and somehow feel they have to fiddle the books so it doesn't look too bad on that score.

I don't know how nursery funding works, but if your DS is on their books for 15 hours, even though he's not there, will they get paid for 15 hours? Are they trying to stop another child physically being there those extra hours so they have some actual work to do?

A provider cannot insist you redeem all your funded hours throuhh them in order to have any sessions at all with them, YSWIM. However I don't think it's necessarily contra the rules for the preschool to give priority in places to every-day attendees and their viability probably depends on having all places filled.

The way I see it, if it were my business I wouldn't pencil in a student for more hours than they were actually going to attend, it would make much more sense financially to keep those extra hours open for another child. The only reason I can think of is that they apply for the full funding for each child, regardless of how many hours they're actually doing, to make more money.

Of course they want the extra funding!

If you said to them that you were going to use the other 6 hours somewhere else, they'd have to fill the form in right.
I agree that they're after the extra money - it could go wrong for you if they check up on it and you've signed for 15 hours.

Baker sorry I missed your comment before. Yes they will. Tbh I don't think they are in any danger of being full whether my ds does 5 days or not.

I too think this is totally unacceptable. Speak to the manger. Say I came in, this happened, is there a problem, because I pay until 3.15, but if you need me to collect earlier....... Embarrass her into realising that this is totally unacceptable.

I do think that the nursery are not being great but, then again, maintained nursery schools (e.g., attached to schools, sounds like this is one) are expensive to run, often employing qualified teachers, and the amount paid by LAs for the 15 hours is not typically very generous to say the least. Private nurseries have greater opportunities for revenue raising elsewhere and I would guess typically employe less well-qualified staff.