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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If a pre-school shuts at 12 then I expect to pick up at 12 not 11.45

40 replies

haveanA1day · 31/03/2014 16:26

DD goes to pre-school for her 15 free funded hours a week. The hours are 9-12 every morning. Except in reality it is 9-11.45.

When she first started attending I would turn up a few minutes before 12 to find dd was the last one there and the pre-school staff were literally chomping at the bit for her to leave - literally rushing us out the door. They told me that although officially pick up time is 12 parents are encouraged to collect their child from 11.45. So then I started arriving at 11.50 only to find again that dd was the last child there! A couple of days I was running late and got there at 11.55 same story, dd in her coat waiting for me.

I have now started turning up a few minutes before 11.45 to ensure dd is not the last there and to avoid the cold shoulder from the staff. However, I work from home and this means that even though its "only" 15 minutes dd and I are losing out on it makes a difference in terms of scheduling work, replying to emails, phone calls etc

More importantly dd (and all the other children) are losing 1hr and 15 minutes of pre-school time a week. The government is funding 15 hours and yet the pre-school isn't providing this.

I think the issue is that the nursery opens again at 1pm for the afternoon session so the staff want to start their lunch break/prepare for the afternoon session.

AIBU to think this isn't on? On the other hand I'm sure I would be very unpopular with the staff if I made a fuss?

OP posts:

gordyslovesheep · 31/03/2014 16:28

It closes at 12. They have to get the kids out by .12

nickelbabe · 31/03/2014 16:29

tough. they should honour the hours they set.
you're right, they're making you miss out on funding.

tell them it's not on

Musicaltheatremum · 31/03/2014 16:29

But they can tidy up with your daughter there and just be ready to hand her over. It takes 20seconds to pick her up. YANBU (but don't mention the work thing as they will say they are not free child care.)

ilovepowerhoop · 31/03/2014 16:33

yanbu, if they have funding until 12pm then that is when they should leave, not 15 minutes earlier.

Poppy67 · 31/03/2014 16:33

Yanbu. School finishes at 315, kids come out at 315. I finish work at 430, I leave at 430. So if nursery finishes at 12, then kids get collected at 12 ..... They sound quite lazy.

BertieBotts · 31/03/2014 16:33

No I think this is common and pretty expected. It takes them 15 minutes to get all the children out, address any queries with parents, maybe do a final pick up etc.

I understand it makes a difference to you using it as childcare, but it's not intended to be childcare, it's education.

Do you definitely have to drop her off at 9 or could it be 8.45?

Original poster

haveanA1day · 31/03/2014 16:34

bertie but the children are missing out on over 1hrs educational time a week. That's what is more worrying.

OP posts:

Original poster

haveanA1day · 31/03/2014 16:36

And no we can't drop them off 15 mins early in the morning. They are very strict at not opening the doors til 9 at the earliest.

OP posts:

rumbleinthrjungle · 31/03/2014 16:39

......the session should run the 3 funded hours and finish at 12, not be children off site BY 12. Have you tried ringing your local authority and asking to speak to the early years advisory team? They will know all the local settings. They have certainly been in the past (last 2 years) pretty hot on all settings needing to provide the full 15 hour entitlement.

JennyOnAPlate · 31/03/2014 16:39

They are in the wrong on this one. The children are entitled to 15 hours per week and they aren't getting it.

youmakemydreams · 31/03/2014 16:40

My friend and I send our dc to preschool at 2 different local schools less than a mile apart.
Mine does the full session hers does the same as you we finish at this time but actually we want them picked up 15 minutes before that.
Older dc are in school until 3 they get out at 3. That is a lot of funded hours to miss out on in a week it's almost half a single session.

steff13 · 31/03/2014 16:40

My husband worked at a preschool/daycare that closed at 6pm. That meant the kids had to be picked up by 6pm. His actual work hours were until 6:30pm, to allow the teachers time to clean up, etc.

I think if it closes at 12, you should pick her up at 12.

ilovepowerhoop · 31/03/2014 16:41

ours used to finish at 11.30am and we werent even allowed in the doors before then. If the hours are 9-12 then they should be leaving at 12 and not before.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 31/03/2014 16:41

I really wouldn't worry about one hour per week at pre-school, it's not like they are studying the theory of evolution or anything.

They probably want to close their doors at 12, not start getting rid of the kids at 12 so time to put coats on, get backs, speak to parents etc etc it could easily take that last 15 mins.

If they started getting ready to finish at 12 then they won't get out till later, the staff will be moaning they can't do over time and need to be gone by 12.

My job is 9-5 - i am out the door at 5, not starting to get ready to leave.

WooWooOwl · 31/03/2014 16:42

Thing is that the funding the government provides simply isn't enough to pay for what sessions actually cost, so nurseries will cut corners.

If they have pick up at 12, it's likely to be at least ten past by the time children are out the door, and it will easily be later when parents need to chat or sign the accident book. Then if they need to set up and have lunch before the second session starts that's not really leaving much time.

Time spent talking to parents counts as part of the early years education as parents are supposed to be fully involved.

It's shit, and I'm not saying the nursery should be doing this because they shouldn't, but is think it's understandable given how little money they receive, and personally I'd choose to let it go.

NigellasGuest · 31/03/2014 16:44

in fact, you could argue they are defrauding the local authority by taking the funding for the children but not doing what they are supposed to do in return. The nursery is given the funding by the LA in return for those exact hours (15) of early education. They will have signed to say they are delivering the 15 hours, so they are not delivering what they are supposed to.

ilovepowerhoop · 31/03/2014 16:44

its the principle though - hours of preschool are 9-12, not 9-11.45 so the children should be picked up at 12. Its not the childrens fault that there is another group in an hour later so why should they miss out.

OOAOML · 31/03/2014 16:47

Do you know anyone with a child at the afternoon session? If you find out they are getting 1 till 4 it would strengthen your argument that the morning children are missing out.

RiverTam · 31/03/2014 16:52

at a friend's DD's pre-school all the parents would gather at just before 12, pick up their child's coat and bag from the pegs, the the doors would open and the children (who were all sitting in a circle) would be called out one-by-one. Place seemed tidy so I guess the children help tidy for the last 10/15 mins, which seems perfectly reasonable.

I would be dead underwhelmed by that. It is 15 hours. It is for the children - the people who run these aren't volunteers, they are paid, and they are paid to provide pre-schooling for those hours. Their lack of organization is not yours or the children's concern.

Original poster

haveanA1day · 31/03/2014 16:53

rumble that is an excellent suggestion about contacting the early years advisory team, thank you.

DD has already missed out on two sessions this term as the school was closed (and thus, the nursery) due to strike action. I may ask what happens to the funded hours the children miss out on when the pre-school is closed as a result of a stike.

All these "missing" hours do add up.

OP posts:

fluffyraggies · 31/03/2014 16:53

I can see why they'd like a clear childless hour to tidy up, have their lunch and be at their stations ready for the next session at 1. IF everyone picked up at 12 there would be enough time for this easily. Perhaps in the past there's been lots of 10 past 12 pick ups and 15 min past 12 pick ups and they have struggled?

fluffyraggies · 31/03/2014 16:55

I do agree though that with good organization it is possible for one member of staff to do 'carpet time' with the children while the others clear up near to pick up time. Then get coats on ready for 12.

GuybrushThreepwoodMP · 31/03/2014 16:58

I think yanbu. Especially if they are so strict about not opening the doors until 9am! If they want it to be a bit more relaxed and flexible, that have to as well. I pay for my dd to be at nursery 8am-3pm. I drop her off at 8 on the dot and I arrive at 2.55pm to collect her. Collecting her doesn't take 15 minutes even if I do have a quick chat with the staff. I wouldn't dream of trying to take her in at 7.45am because I haven't paid for that time. But I would be happy to leave her until 3pm because I have paid for that time. It's not free childcare for those fifteen minutes- it's paid for.

Viviennemary · 31/03/2014 16:59

I sympathise. The time they finish is 12 and the parents should be there in time that is by 12. Not 15 minutes before or else grumpy looks. It's the management at fault here and nothing to do with the OP how these staff are paid and if they are paid a lunch hour.

I agree with ringing up the early years team.

nickelbabe · 31/03/2014 17:12

BettySwollocks
if your job is 9-5, you should be starting work at 9 and finishing at 5, not ghving left by 5. that's also rude and unprofessional.

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