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

[haveanA1day]

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?

I had a similar post on here a few months ago.
Ds's pre school hours are 12.15-3.15. The school next door finishes at 3 so the parents with older dc will collect their pre schoolers at the same time. I don't have older dc and found myself fighting to park at 3 so that ds wasn't waiting in his coat, with the staff being huffy. In the end I told them I wouldn't be collecting ds until at least 3.10 so could they not have him waiting in his coat feeling like he'd been left behind!
Op, YANBU. Have a word with them.

You are paying for 3 hours per day (not all children will be funded). Your DC should be receiving 3 hours of care per day. They are taking the mick.

Who is in charge? Does it belong to a school? I would be taking it much further.

No particular advice but YANBU op.

Yes I would take rumbles idea and contact LEA early years or Ofstead. They are loosing over 1 hr per week!

Nickelbabe - yes at 5 I get my coat on, grab my bag and leave, it takes me one minute as I only have myself to worry about and not 30 small kids.

But thanks for the tip :)

What a flipping cheek! If you were paying you'd be being diddled for over an hour a week.

I'd be banging on the door at 8.45 and demanding in on the basis that they want out 15 mins early.

Complain complain complain you are so NOT being unreasonable.

YANBU

If they are claiming funding for 15 hours they need to provide 15 hours.

Is it a lunch break thing?
Our local pre-school runs 9-12 and 12.30-3.30 (to tie in with attached school). They basically want the children gone by 12 or it eats into the staff's break. They have a "soft" finish so you can pick up between 11.45-12. Sounds like same thing at your pre-school.

I work for an advisory team and this is the sort of stuff we deal with daily. You must report it. 1 hr 15 mins a week per child at approx 4-5 pounds an hour is fraud. Please report it as this is not on.

Most nursery schools here seem to run 8.45-11.45 and 12.30-3.30 for that reason. Sounds like the OP's pre-school need to build in more lunch break day in their day.

Our preschool runs its 15 hours of free provision 9.15 to 12 each day. No mention ever of where the extra 15 minutes goes. And it costs us £20 per month.

Mine is similar. Can't drop off until 9 and have to pick up at 11.50am as teacher needs o have lunch before the 12.30 afternoon children arrive. I always wonder if they have to picked up at 3.20pm or also lose the 10 mins that the morning children do.

An hour is a pretty sizeable gap in the middle of the day so I dont see what their rush is.

As someone upthread said, one going round straightening, another at the door calling the kids over and one doing stories/songs. Even if they dont get sorted tjl 12.15, thats still 45 mins, quite a good size break.

I missed that they have a whole hour between sessions! In that case they are being totally unreasonably or are lacking organisation. An hour is more than enough time to have a 30 minute lunch break and clear up/set up.