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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect pre-school to sort out childcare during holidays

341 replies

Springishere0 · 23/05/2017 13:39

My toddler will be eligible for 30 free hours' childcare from September. We have two options for pre-school: one at the primary school near us and one at the private nursery he goes to now. It's great that they offer this, but the only problem is that both do not have any childcare cover during holidays. My husband and I both work and do not get enough holidays to cover 13 weeks; plus, it would be nice if all of us could be off at the same time!

Holiday clubs etc. do not cater for three-year olds and we do not have any family that could look after our child for a whole day. My sister lives abroad and says their pre-school offers paid childcare all year round. AIBU to think that it's ridiculous that pre-schools are not sorting out cover during school holidays? What are we supposed to do?!

OP posts:

cherish123 · 24/05/2017 17:43

Private nurseries are normally open over holidays unless attached to a private school. The paid 30 hours can usually be spread across the full 52 weeks (which means you would be entitled to fewer hrs free per week).

GlitterGlue · 24/05/2017 17:43

It is bizarre to swap to only the 30 hours at three if they offer full time full year to under threes. Is there definitely not an option to have full time?

Sausagehead · 24/05/2017 17:43

also you will benefit from a reduced nursery bill with 30 free hours compared to what you must be paying noe so think youre lucky to just top up the difference
im just grateful for any free hours frankly. i only work part time and at the moment most of it pays nursery fees.

OnionKnight · 24/05/2017 17:45

This reply has been deleted

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katiekrafter · 24/05/2017 17:47

Unbelievable. Welcome to being a parent.

paxillin · 24/05/2017 17:48

What are you supposed to do? Pay a babysitter, nanny or childminder. Club together with other parents, you take 3 kids one day, the other two days kids are with the other 2 families. Change nursery to one that offers the hours you need, even if that isn't next door.

It is a problem all working parents of pre-school children have, so hardly an untrodden path.

Nousernamefound · 24/05/2017 17:49

You knew this when you signed up with them. If you don't like it find somewhere else that offers you free childcare during the holidays. The 15 free hours is pushing many nurseries to their financial limits so with the 30 free hours you're going to loose a lot more decent settings. It depends what you hope to get from your childcare too? Outstanding care with experienced childcare professionals or time with unqualified teenagers just out of school.

BWatchWatcher · 24/05/2017 17:51

Hahahaha

purplebunny2012 · 24/05/2017 17:52

Our child went to private nursery, and it was only free 15 hours a week term time then, so think yourself damn lucky

Mmerish06 · 24/05/2017 17:55

Yes. Completely unreasonable. We've all had to do it OP. At least you have a partner to help with the load. I had to do it on my own! DD is 10 now. I never got any free hours so had to pay the whole lot myself and get 7 weeks a year off - YOU JUST FIND A WAY. My DD was going to a nursery and 2 different childminders at one point as it was all I could get. There's always an option, be grateful for what you DO have instead of whining about what you don't.

maybeitssomethingelse · 24/05/2017 17:58

Why don't you use a childminder, they are available all year round. However you 30 hours free childcare only covers term time only, so you would need to top up the fees whom ever you choose. Reality is, every parent would love to take their holidays together

OkPedro · 24/05/2017 17:59

Has anyone actually RTFT?!

The op current private nursery don't offer the 30 hours free care.

The preschool does but they close during the summer the same as schools.

The op wants to avail of the 30 hours (as she should)

When the op starts school there will be after school clubs and holiday clubs.

At the moment her child is 3 so can't avail of after school clubs and holiday clubs

DeadGood · 24/05/2017 18:00

"Would you like my sisters, who both work in wraparound childcare to have no holidays ever just so you can have an easy life."

Er, bit of a leap there.

People on this thread are being... odd.

OnionKnight · 24/05/2017 18:00

*Has anyone actually RTFT?!

The op current private nursery don't offer the 30 hours free care.

The preschool does but they close during the summer the same as schools.

The op wants to avail of the 30 hours (as she should)

When the op starts school there will be after school clubs and holiday clubs.

At the moment her child is 3 so can't avail of after school clubs and holiday clubs*

How is any of that the Pre-School's problem?

Queenofthedrivensnow · 24/05/2017 18:02

Our old nursery had holiday opening. Dd2 went to the ore school attached to the school and could go in their holiday club from 3.

The holiday club is only 8.30 to 5.30. Now that's U!

Queenofthedrivensnow · 24/05/2017 18:02

Furthermore one of the local pre schools is only opening morning and afternoon - not lunch time!! God forbid you want to work...

LagunaBubbles · 24/05/2017 18:02

Dont private nurseries open practically all year round?

plaintomatopasta · 24/05/2017 18:03

@gemma19846 only the Labour Party have said they will go ahead with 30hrs for 3/4yr olds and the others have said it will keep the 15hrs and make the remainder either means tested like the 2yo provision or not offer it. A Tory vote however means loss of free school meals too which will be hard for a lot of low income families. I'll admit to being a Tory voter in the past but right now I don't know at all. That's another thread though and not getting into politics!

The fact remains regardless though that if you are going the preschool route you'll have to sort your holidays out yourself as you'll need childcare outside of school hours anyway. I think a private day nursery is your best option. As others have said they will be able to split the allocation across the 12mths so you can just pay the difference in hours every month. We are lucky enough that our nursery does collections too so in January when he is in school half days they will pick up the rest. Just to let you know though my nursery said today that if we do get the 30hrs provision it'll just be with them. You can't split it with some nurseries so we can't do school nursery AND private nursery unless we lose 15hrs and pay nursery. The 30hrs have to be with them or not at all.

OkPedro · 24/05/2017 18:04

She's not saying it's the pre school problem ffs!

It's pre school so of course it won't open outside of term.

She was asking for solutions

paxillin · 24/05/2017 18:05

Has anyone actually RTFT?!

Yes I have. Starting with "AIBU to expect preschool to sort out childcare during holiday".

Bit like AIBU to expect Tesco to sort out grocery shopping time at 2am?

Headofthehive55 · 24/05/2017 18:08

Our holiday club only operates 9-3pm.

Budicus · 24/05/2017 18:09

Yes you are!

TrinityTaylor · 24/05/2017 18:14

Op just put him in preschool nursery and tell the nursery you're currently at you'll still be sending him in the holidays

Charell20 · 24/05/2017 18:15

You will have to pay the private nursery during holidays like most of us do....

TrinityTaylor · 24/05/2017 18:15

Also its literally for one year, just suck it up ffs

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