To not use the full 30 hours funding for preschool while I'm on maternity leave?

[Violet1988]

I have an almost three year old and also a newborn and a 5 year old. In April my three year old will be eligible for 30 hours of preschool for the year before reception and he gets an extra term because of when his birthday falls (February).
The preschool is at my older child's school. I'm on maternity leave until December 2022 and I'm at the stage of filling the forms in for DC2 and need to decide if I want him to attend 5 full school days or any combination of less hours e.g. 5 mornings 2 / 3 full days etc.
Obviously I'm home anyway but want him to go for some amount of time to benefit him just not sure on the optimum balance. Like most his age he's already missed out on a lot of opportunities to socialise due to covid. Also he's never been in nursery / to a childminder before, (was in paid for grandparent care).

YABU - he should go for 30 hours it's important for his education / development
YANBU - fewer hours would be better,you are home anyway.

I would just send him mornings. It helps develop the routine and gives you mornings to go to stuff for the baby.

I think it would depend what your intention was after you go back. I think it can be quite a good way of socialising with other parents when you have a baby to go to playgroups with a toddler so I might keep them off a couple of mornings for that reason.

Pick your baby clubs and work the nursery hours around that!

You know you child best, do whatever you think would suit best.

My children have always done best going for mornings a few times a week. It gives them time with their friends and different adults, but they get sad if they're away from me too long. The time they've been happy to be away from me increased as they goy older so I increased their hours alongside this

I'd probably start with five mornings as he hasn't been to nursery before. That is frequent enough to get to know routines and make friends without being too tiring. Next term I would do three full core days (9-3?) to build up that tolerance to longer days. The in September I'd start the 30hrs before you go back to work. Obviously if you needed him to go the full 30hrs then you do have that option too and if he settles and loves it straight away. I do find children doing the long hours are exhausted by half term and end of term. Nursery is a busy day. The children doing half days don't tend to get quite so tired by end of term.

I did mornings only and didn’t use my 30 hours.

It annoyed my nursery and they constantly reminded me that I had 30 to use
Child was more than happy though. I loved our afternoons together and it was the best of both worlds!

Either way is fine! Do what works for you and your children.

We only get 15 hours. When I could I went with 2.5 days at nursery. School only offer mornings or afternoon 5 days a week now and I prefer the morning sessions. You can't just pick and choose when you do/don't send them in without them complaining though.

You probably have to send him in for the full 30 hours in order to be able to claim it. I’m pretty sure nurseries can’t claim it in part or have a place filled by funding but the child not actually there. I may be wrong but check with the setting first before making any decisions as it may be taken out of your hands.

You are not unreasonable to not use all the hours if you think that is better for your child.

I'd perhaps do 2-3 full days giving you 2 full days with the 2 at home. The reason I say full days is that if you do the school drop at 9am, back at 12 for dc2, then back at 3 for dc1 you are going to spend all day running backwards and forwards to school. 9-3 is already quite restrictive if you want to go out somewhere. I think my youngest ended up doing tuesday, thursday, friday at that age - but partly because he went swimming on a Monday and friday was a quiet day so it just kind of worked - and preschool felt 2 days together would help him settle.

I'd note on the forms or let nuersy knos though that you want full time from Jan 23 if that is the case so he gets his place then.

Whatever works for you, my only concern would be how easy it is to then extend his hours once you return to work, eg if he just goes 2 days a week will you be waiting for spaces foe the other 3 days, in which case you might be better booking him in for 5 mornings or afternoons?

Did 3 days when I was in your position.

If they can take a booking for Jan 23 as littleowl says then def go for 2-3 full days imo

We don't use our full 30 hours DS does two full days. You don't have to use them all

I'd rather do full days. With half days I find that by the time you drop off, get home, etc. then you don't really have time to achieve much before pick-up time again and it feels a bit pointless. I'd rather do 2/3 days than 5 mornings.

I think I would go for mornings, if you can choose that option. The full days will be quite long if he's never been before.

I started on half days and increased hours nearer school age to get them used to the longer days. Depends how easily you can change hours right enough.

Just do the school days then you have 1 pick up. I'm in Scotland and have the stretched provision so my 3yo is in 8-12.45 with 6 yo doing 9-3 - with a newborn the extra school run would get old really fast!

I did 2.5 days for my eldest, and 2 full days plus 3 mornings for youngest (youngests preschool only did mornings, but you could pay for afternoons... this was before the 30hrs). I preferred having 3yo home for a whole day so we could do stuff that took longer than 2hrs, like seeing friends or a day trip (although you are more constrained by the Primary aged child)

You sign for how many hours you want..

That us what nursery / preschool want.

We do two full days and he definitely benefits from a mixture of pre-school and days at home.

@TrufflesAndToast

You probably have to send him in for the full 30 hours in order to be able to claim it. I’m pretty sure nurseries can’t claim it in part or have a place filled by funding but the child not actually there. I may be wrong but check with the setting first before making any decisions as it may be taken out of your hands.

I sent mines in for 15hrs when she was entitled to 30. It was all the nursery could offer, so not sure this is true.

I would go for full days, best matching whatever work pattern you will have when you go back to work (assuming you will as you've said you are on maternity leave).

Half days made no sense to me - once you've dropped off it's no time at all before you are back to collect at lunch and then home and then back again for end of school day.

Kids adapt to Full days in nursery too.

I'd do the 15 hours until you actually need the 30 hours tbh. It's obviously great for their social development to be in nursery, it gives you one to one time with your baby, and you don't feel guilty for putting them into full time care whilst you're at home. 5 mornings/afternoons is what a lot of children do.

Can you claim the 30 hours if you're on maternity?