To have given the nursery honest feedback?

[hidinginthenightgarden]

DD has been in nursery for a year, she went to the same one as her brother went to and only because we knew she would settle well as she had been constantly exposed during my time off with her and always wanted to stay when I dropped him off.
Since xmas we have been unhappy with some a number of things. They have lost 10 member of staff since feb, the staff never mention they are leaving (one I bumped into said they aren't allowed) new ones never introduce themselves and I wasn't even introduced to her new keyworker or told who it was. Communication is terrible - they notify the day before if they want kids to dress up for world book day/royal wedding etc.
Also had an issue with DD potty training. She is dry on days when I certain member of staff is about but not on days when she isn't working.

The last week of term they sent out a new fee structure. DD is term time only, they are putting her session up by £7 a session! They are also putting up the top up we pay for funded sessions from £2.50 a day to £7.50 a day. Another £5 increase and half day sessions are going up by almost £8 a session.

This would be an extra £800 a year for us and given our concerns we had a chat and agreed we would rather pull her out and look for a new nursery. When I emailed the nursery to inform them they asked why and I told them the above. They never replied.

Was I harsh? It is hard to tell as when I informed them my son was leaving their afterschool club they didn't bother replying at all. I only knew they had received it because I didn't get a bill the next month. WIU? Or is honesty the best policy here?

Gosh, no, you need to tell your childcare provider if it’s not doing what you want. With 10 members of staff going it sounds like it has many problems.

Yes Jen, The staff are clearly unhappy!

You were not being unreasonable - of course not. They sound like they are going through some major issues.

You are right to be moving her, and you were right to give honest feedback.

I'm guessing the fee increases will be related to wages increasing to the 'living wage' so you may find all of the other nurseries are increasing their fees too.

However, the rest of your concerns are absolutely valid. If I was a business owner, I would want honest, polite feedback but not everybody thinks that way!

Ten staff leaving

Blimey

I'd be outa there too

Thanks ladies. Ms Vestibule, I agree with them increases their prices. I know the costs are increasing and the funding is a problem. But they are asking more than the nursery down the road that just got named best in the country!

They aren't worth the price they are asking for.

Should have added then that they are asking at least £3 a session more than other nurseries plus no other nursery asks for more than £2.50 to cover consumables. They are now asking for £7.50 for this.

I heard a couple of weeks ago that something like 1 in 5 nurseries are making a loss because of the 30 hours free childcare. It doesn’t surprise me that places are putting their prices up. They don’t get a lot from the government for those 30 hours, it probably doesn’t cover their running costs.

If staff aren't happy then kids won't be happy imo

Yes Belly, one or two have closed in our city. I don't begrudge them putting the prices up, but DD is only in 3 days a week and gets 2 yr funding so we pay around £220 a month going up to almost 300 if we stay. The amount they are putting prices up by is a bit unreasonable and is well beyond what other nurseries have increased by. Full time kids with no funding will probably be paying an extra £100-150 a month.

If the nursery was good I wouldn't mind the fees so much but it is really quite poor at the moment and not at all worth the asking price.

Well no one likes negative feedback. That's just human nature. However hopefully now they'll see the error of their ways..
I'm.sure you're familiar with the saying
If you like what we do tell others.
.If you don't tell us.

That’s what it boils down to doesn’t it - if you liked the place you’d have paid it, but you aren’t happy with it. Hope everything all works out at the new place x