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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Staggered Nursery dates so losing 15hrs free funding -can I request earlier start date ?

30 replies

HalestormRock · 31/08/2015 17:45

Hi, My DS is due to start Nursery (5 mornings 9-12am) and the school has staggered the intake.
Intake starts on 4th and children trickle in so my DS start date isnt until 10th Sept. Therefore I am losing 15hrs funded time as he is starting 7 days later then official beginning of term time.

As a part time worker I was previously sending him the same hours (funded) to the schools pre-school meaning I had Thurs and Fri mornings for housework/grocery shopping etc.
I understand I will only be affected for a week, but feel a tad annoyed about this. I will also have to pay three full days childcare to childminder as rather then 3 half days childcare for the Mon-Wed when I am at work, so am considerably out of pocket financially too. There are plenty of SAHP at the school and many of their children are starting on the 4th - no discussions were taken regarding financial impact or childcare issues of these staggered dates for those parents who work (as usual we always seem to be an afterthought). No offence intended to SAHP purely looking at this from a practical point of view.
Would it be unreasonable, seeing as there is a gov obligation for the 15 hrs to be provided, for me to ask they allow my DS to either start on the 5th - giving me the chance to arrange on the 4th which will be my earliest chance, or request they allow him to attend the pre-school to make up the lost 15hrs.
Opinions welcomed please.

OP posts:
Norfolknway · 31/08/2015 17:48

Many nurseries are like this.

I think you just have to deal with it. Someone more knowledgable may tell you differently, but we just sucked it up.

Norfolknway · 31/08/2015 17:50

And, they do it for the benefit of the children. So they are not so overwhelmed

comingintomyown · 31/08/2015 17:51

Its just one of those things where the cookie hasn't crumbled in your favour which is annoying but no big deal

Fuckitfay · 31/08/2015 17:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OddBoots · 31/08/2015 17:53

You can ask but there is no requirement - it isn't a government obligation in quite the way you appear to think, particularly not for the sake of a few days. There is no harm in asking though.

MsJamieFraser · 31/08/2015 17:54

yabu, nursery isn't childcare, they do the staggering for the benefit of the children, not the benefit of childcare.

Bumbledumb · 31/08/2015 17:56

Have you tried explaining the situation to the nursery? One of my friends was in a similar situation with reception year. Her DS was not due to start until Thursday, but they let him start on Monday as she was due back at work.

The reason for staggering the input is not to have all the kids having their first day together. The numbers taken in each day don't have to be exact.

NotMeNotYouNotAnyone · 31/08/2015 18:02

It's worth asking but yabu to expect them to work around you, they're working for the benefit of all the children, not any particular parent. Maybe the children of SAHP are less used to group childcare setting so benefit more from the smaller group initially?

TeamBacon · 31/08/2015 18:05

I don't think you would be unreasonable at all to request he starts on the 5th, not in the slightest

Original poster
HalestormRock · 31/08/2015 18:06

I think I will talk to the school. I understand that it isn't 'childcare', however i really can't afford to be paying out an additional considerable amount of money if it can be avoided.
Double costs throughout the school holidays have almost taken us into the red, so I guess it won't hurt to ask.
I do feel that they need to address this issue in the future, will mention it to the Parent Council I think.

OP posts:
Original poster
HalestormRock · 31/08/2015 18:12

Also, I would say that 80% of the children starting have already previously attended the pre-school, and these include all of the children of SAHP that attended too. So have no idea how they have prioritised who starts when.

My DS can't wait to begin, he is so excited about it that I know there will be tears if I have to drop my DD off and then take him off school grounds again with me. He'll be confused and disappointed I think.

OP posts:
ProcrastinatorGeneral · 31/08/2015 18:23

You can ask, but you will just sound like a whiner. You also have a snotty attitude to non-working parents too which isn't pleasant.

TeddyBear5 · 31/08/2015 18:42

The 5th is a Saturday??

MiaowTheCat · 31/08/2015 18:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 31/08/2015 19:03

I wouldn't ask for the sake of one week. Our pre-school stagger starts over the whole of September. Not everyone can start straight away. You would come across as being petty.

MiaowTheCat · 31/08/2015 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BedTimeNow · 31/08/2015 19:13

Op, the start dates may have something to do with your dc birthday or month they turned 3. (I'm sure that's what the teacher said).
my DD has the same start date as your dc.

comingintomyown · 31/08/2015 19:23

Whether or not parents are working is absolutely nothing to do with it why do you keep mentioning it ?

Gymbunny1204 · 31/08/2015 19:24

It's just part of parenthood. My child didn't do full time until mid January and any working parents had to sort new child care arrangements. School are not going to change things for you or else they'd have to for everyone. You'll just have to accept it and try and save for any future unexpected expenses.

hollieberrie · 31/08/2015 19:24

I'm a Nursery teacher. When working parents ask we always rearrange so that their child can start as early as possible. Same for Reception and their staggered intake.

Its a bit late though - did you only just get the start date? Never mind, still ask. We always say yes - 1 child extra on this day or that day doesnt really make much difference.

JawannaDrink · 31/08/2015 19:25

Of course nursery is childcare. Its not school.

WaxyBean · 31/08/2015 19:28

My Ds doesn't start nursery until 29 September - despite having done the summer term there. As not all children have done this they are staggering the intake and doing a lot of induction (home visits, hour long sessions with parents) which I've refused as it will just incentivise DS to play up. I've written a complaint letter to the head that states all this, still waiting for a reply....

bimandbam · 31/08/2015 19:28

I had similar with dd when she started. Annoyingly she already attended the school as I used their 0-3 childcare. It meant I was paying for wraparound care even though she had officially started ft school.

I brought it up with the head and got no where with it. Very frustrating.

Spartans · 31/08/2015 19:29

For the love of God.

Ds starts full time on Wednesday except te teachers have decided to do Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon then the first full day on Friday.

It would make my life easier if he went full time on Wednesday. Wouldn't dream of moaning about it.

Most schools/ nurseries do staggered intake. It should not be prioritised on who works and who doesn't.

Spartans · 31/08/2015 19:30

Also how long have you known about this? It's next week, we got our start dates before the holidays.

Have you only just been told? Because I think it's a bit late to start requesting changes