To think the nursery are being sneaky

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 09/01/2023 08:00

It doesn't seem that sneaky to me. They've told you about it and presumably you wouldn't have signed a new contract without reading it first?

HewasH2O · 09/01/2023 08:01

They're not trying to sneak anything through if they have written it in their contract. They're clarifying things to avoid disputes. Never sign anything without reafing it.

MelchiorsMistress · 09/01/2023 08:06

It doesn’t seem sneaky to me, they sent you the contract and expected you to read the contract. Then when you asked them to tell you more clearly what had been changed, they told you. That’s not sneaky, although I can see that training days will be inconvenient for working parents. Presumably you want the people who look after your children to be well trained though so they have to have the time somehow.

Leafytrees · 09/01/2023 08:18

They don't sound like they've tried to be sneaky in any way. They've sent you what's changing in full in writing and have outlined the changes verbally. I'm not sure what else they could do.

PuttingDownRoots · 09/01/2023 08:22

Training... inconvenient but necessary. Remember this will be stuff like safeguarding, first aid, risk assessment

Christmas Eve... quite standard really. Its a Sunday this year anyway....

Luckingfovely · 09/01/2023 08:27

How is sending you a new contract to sign and explaining the changes sneaky in any way at all? No idea where your head is at with this one.

FlounderingFruitcake · 09/01/2023 08:31

Sneaky?! They’ve sent you the changes in writing to read. How is that sneaky? They’ve also always closed early on Christmas eve, so from your perspective nothing has changed there and it’s literally just 2 days of staff training. Sorry but I really don’t get the objection.

Whatatimetobealivetoday · 09/01/2023 08:32

Personally I agree it is slightly sneaky.

Yes you should always read a contract, which you have so you obviously know that BUT, it would have been more professional and user friendly to send you a separate update outlining the changes and ask you to contact them with any questions.

Its a business and you’re a customer, they should communicate with you better.

WandaWonder · 09/01/2023 08:33

Did they tell you not to read it?

Nettie787 · 09/01/2023 08:34

Totally fine. They need training.

Surely you get paid bank holidays too, so only fair they do too? Change your working days if unhappy with it.

Nurseries are a business and need paying fairly. They provide a good service. Please value that. And no, I don't work at a nursery but I do rely on them for childcare.

oudie · 09/01/2023 08:37

What park of it do you think is sneaky?

CatJumperTwat · 09/01/2023 08:45

If they'd sent the contract with a cover emailing outlining the changes, some people would then not bother to actually read the contract and assume everything was in the outline. The way they did it, you actually have to read it all and can't later come back and say "but you didn't mention that XYZ had changed."

Supertatato · 09/01/2023 08:45

I can only assume you think It's sneaky because you were going to sign it without reading it?

Ongoing training is really important for keeping the kids safe and going home early on Christmas eve is totally reasonable and not unusual

BunchHarman · 09/01/2023 09:17

I don’t think I could be too bothered about 2/365 days where nursery staff have their safeguarding, first aid and early years training refreshed, to make them better and safer for my kid.

Also, if they’ve given you a copy of the new contract to read, then that’s the very opposite of sneaky. The onus is on the person signing to actually read it.

hoppityscotch · 09/01/2023 09:20

Please explain how you think this is sneaky? Is it written in tiny font?

Somebatshitteryonhere · 09/01/2023 09:21

Do you mean it’s sneaky for those who sign without reading? You know that thing you should never do?

Original poster

Travelplans · 09/01/2023 09:29

It thought it was bad that they didn’t have a covering explanation explaining the changes in the first place but what I thought was sneaky was that they didn’t tell me about the additional training days in their response. It feels like they deliberately hid it under “just some changes to our opening times e.g at Christmas”.

I was always going to read the contract but when I first received the contract on the 23rd December, I thought I’m gonna have to dig out the old contract and cross reference as I can’t remember exactly what was in it.

I appreciate it is ultimately for the benefit of the children and I have already signed the contract, just wasn’t feeling overly happy about how it was handled.

OP posts:

TheKeatingFive · 09/01/2023 09:32

Presumably you were planning to read it before signing?

AbreathofFrenchair · 09/01/2023 09:33

Travelplans · 09/01/2023 07:59

Had an email from my daughters nursery saying they’ve amended the contract, please sign.

I emailed them to say what changes have you made. They replied saying just some changes to our opening times e.g at Christmas and including some details on eyfs and ofsted.

I read the contract and they’ve actually snuck in that they’ll close for 2 days a year for staff training and they’ll close half day on Christmas Eve. They’ve always closed early on Christmas Eve but I didn’t realise it wasn’t in the contract. There will be no adjustment for fees, if it’s on your day then tough luck.

My daughter attends on a Monday so we already lose out on all the bank holiday days, which we still have pay for.

They also already close for a week between Christmas and new year and we pay 51 weeks to compensate which is fine.

My daughter loves the nursery so I’ve signed as I’m not going to find her somewhere else, but aibu to be really annoyed that they’re trying to sneak this through?

Why annoyed? They haven't snuck anything in? They've re wrote their t&c and gave it to all parents to sign. Your free to sign or not sign and withdraw your daughter if you are against them.

No point bitching about it. They've been completely transparent.

And yes you pay for bank holidays because staff still need to be paid and fees pay wages. Or would rather staff were unpaid so you can pocket the difference?

The ignorance of parents never fails to astound me.

MissOldCadburys · 09/01/2023 09:42

I think you are lucky they are open Christmas eve even if they close early, mine are shut.
As for the 2 training days, yes it's a pain but things come up all the time with kids like illness, so I couldn't get too worked up about that.

ReiRay · 09/01/2023 09:43

Anyone who is asked to sign a contract should be reading it first. I see your point about the training days could have been a bit more of a focal point, but even if they were mentioned in a covering letter would it have made a difference to signing it? I don't think they've been particularly sneaky, it's on the reader to read it and sign it.

Original poster

Travelplans · 09/01/2023 09:46

@AbreathofFrenchair No need to be rude!

I’m not ignorant, I understand that staff still need to be/ deserve to be paid for bank holidays and training days, I’m not expecting anything different. I just think it should be dealt with differently than those who attend on that day lose out.

OP posts:

CatJumperTwat · 09/01/2023 09:48

Travelplans · 09/01/2023 09:29

It thought it was bad that they didn’t have a covering explanation explaining the changes in the first place but what I thought was sneaky was that they didn’t tell me about the additional training days in their response. It feels like they deliberately hid it under “just some changes to our opening times e.g at Christmas”.

I was always going to read the contract but when I first received the contract on the 23rd December, I thought I’m gonna have to dig out the old contract and cross reference as I can’t remember exactly what was in it.

I appreciate it is ultimately for the benefit of the children and I have already signed the contract, just wasn’t feeling overly happy about how it was handled.

As my post predicted, when they did provide an explanation you assumed it would include everything rather than just a summary. That's exactly why they didn't send a summary when they issued the new contract. You've proven why they were correct not to.

Catspyjamas17 · 09/01/2023 09:50

I think they haven't been as transparent about the changes as they could have been, but this is probably down to poor communication/laziness rather than a deliberate attempt to trip you up.

AbreathofFrenchair · 09/01/2023 09:51

Travelplans · 09/01/2023 09:46

@AbreathofFrenchair No need to be rude!

I’m not ignorant, I understand that staff still need to be/ deserve to be paid for bank holidays and training days, I’m not expecting anything different. I just think it should be dealt with differently than those who attend on that day lose out.

So it sounds like your grumbling about nothing as there isn't really a problem.

They've been transparent but you've got it into your head that they are being sneaky and you also don't think its fair that you have to pay for a bank holiday, despite staff needing paying and you want a fairer way.

How could it be more fair? Either way you need to pay so staff can get paid. What solution do you propose? You knew before your child started nursery that there were bank holidays on a Monday every year.