To ask term time workers about their childcare for preschool children?

[Numtum]

I have just been offered a term time position starting August.

Last night I emailed DDs nursery requesting an increase to her days as for the time being she'll need a 5 day placement. As I know the woman I was emailing I said the reason for the increase was because of this job (mentioned term time)

She wrongly assumed I was after term time only childcare but it hasn't crossed my mind. However, when I spoke to someone else they said they think some nurseries charge less during school holidays if the child isn't going to be in. A retainer I guess.

Can anyone who works term time tell me what their situation is?

I only pay for term time childcare as both DH and I are teachers. Other nurseries in the area continued their normal rate in the holiday. We picked out nursery because of the term time package.

I've generally found nurseries will either charge a retainer during hols or some even full price.

Childminders are often different. Mine only charges me for term time. She's wonderful

Oh, Teacher here too

Depends on your nurseries policy. We used one that gave a 30% discount for any holiday with 2 weeks notice. However friends of ours who are both teachers get no discount at all. They would lose their place if they didn't use it over the summer.

I now use a combo of pre-school and childminder term time and dh has the kids in the holidays when I am at work.

I work in school admin and have a childminder. We pay every week for childcare but only the amount for term time hours. We spread the cost over the whole year to make it easier for us and so she always gets a wage.

I've always had term time only, two different nurseries, no retainer or anything. One allowed ad hoc days in the holidays which was lovely!

I'm a childminder and offer term time only contracts. They are great because I get more time with DD in the holidays and can usually juggle to get the odd day off because I find my clients appreciate my flexibility so are happy to accommodate the odd request from me!

Both nurseries I have used have charged a small retainer over holidays, with the option to send them in for one day instead (I usually do this!)

Although saying that, my current nursery has never charged for half term or Easter.

We only pay for term time. Except the summer holiday where we have to use of for half a session a week. Great opportunity to get on with some jobs!

I used to work term time only and found it hard to source childcare but recently, I've noticed more and more childcare providers offering flexibility for term time working parents.

I have a term time only contract with childminder too. It works for me as I only pay for childcare when I using it and it works for them because they look after school aged children during the holidays.

The nursery I used didn't charge in the holidays because they had some term time staff so were happy to have some term time children.

Dd's nursery charge for one day during the holidays. (I'm a teacher too) She goes in for that day though which gives me extra flexibility too- I can do school work or housework without her under my feet.

Nursery then add up the 1 day a week weeks, and her full time weeks and divide this equally so that we pay the same each month.

DD is at nursery. I pay for 2 days (and usually use them) in the holidays.

Teacher here. We always had to pay full rate at nursery all year round... The nursery only closed for one week at Christmas and there was (of course) no charge for that.

Admittedly this was many years ago and things have moved on- I was very envious when some of my teacher colleagues got term time only places for their children. I know for some of them, their nurseries offered a limited number of term time places. Childminders tend to be more flexible, though even when we used one for a while it was half rates during holiday time.

I've been lucky enough to find a nursery that offers term time only contracts. Previously I used a nursery where I had to pay full rate all year, even though we didn't use 13 weeks' worth of care. Luckily it was on!y 2 days a week, but my current nursery is saving us a fortune! We don't even have to pay a retainer.

The full day care nursery I used for dd had another one attached that they run as a term time nursery and then use it to run holiday care for older kids. Check out private schools too. At dd's school nursery can be from 9-3.30 and nursery children can also use the aftercare 8-6. They accept the 15 hours funding too. This would have been a cheaper option than daycare nursery for us but didn't realise until dd started school there.

Thanks everyone

In my nursery we offer term time contracts
You only pay for the term time and payments are split over 11 months so you don't pay for August at all

Im green with envy here, we're five years into paying full time 52 weeks a year, even though I work term time and my OH works shifts and can often be off for most of the working week. If I was to add up all the childcare we've paid for over the years and not used, I'd probably cry!