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Original poster

Nursery charging extra for early pick up?

177 replies

Northtosouth · 16/08/2023 17:19

I’ve recently put my DS’s name down at a local nursery to start when he is 1 for 2 days a week. The nursery day is 8.00am - 600pm which I understand is needed for parents working however I’m able to either drop off later or pick my child up earlier than this but the nursery want to charge me extra for this.
Am I missing something here? What is the added cost involved? Is this normal practice at a nursery?

OP posts:
Arthurnewyorkcity · 16/08/2023 19:16

Do you pay or get free hours? Our nursery sent something before about qualifying hours and how a child needs to attend in order for them to claim those funded hours... it was something along those lines!

Arthurnewyorkcity · 16/08/2023 19:16

Just seen the age, ignore me!

Darkacademic · 16/08/2023 19:19

Sounds like epic CFery!

Dixiechickonhols · 16/08/2023 19:20

Put email or section from contract on here with names redacted. I can’t believe that’s their policy. It really sounds like a misunderstanding eg sometimes parents think they should only pay for time used and they have clumsily said you pay for whole session.

Blueink · 16/08/2023 19:21

No, never charged extra on top for late drop off or collecting early from nursery.

mandlerparr · 16/08/2023 19:24

So, they are already getting paid for a full day, you are offering to reduce their workload and still pay them the full day, but they want to charge you more to pick up early?
Maybe they are worried that agreeing to this will lead to you dropping off and picking up willy nilly? Or possibly they don't have the staff available to do a pick up as they are all in classes with the children?
My advice would be to see if they will agree to an earlier set time that you will always show up at and then charge you if you are late. Otherwise, you can just pick the child up early and pay the fee, pick them up at pick up time, or find a different nursery.
Is whatever reason you want to pick up early worth the fees? Think of what you can do in that time. Grocery shop, errands, start laundry, take some me time, etc.
Are you sure you are not throwing away a gift? Not many of us get an hour or two of free time per day to do with what you will. And you are not losing out on kid time, because you would be doing the chores you would usually have to do and that is not really quality time with the kid/s.

clarehhh · 16/08/2023 19:24

At 6 all children will be in an area near pick up point so one member of staff not escorting your one child alone and leaving everyone under ratio.

feathermucker · 16/08/2023 19:24

Dixiechickonhols · 16/08/2023 19:20

Put email or section from contract on here with names redacted. I can’t believe that’s their policy. It really sounds like a misunderstanding eg sometimes parents think they should only pay for time used and they have clumsily said you pay for whole session.

This

Namechange202323 · 16/08/2023 19:26

Definitely not normal. I’ve always paid for 8-6 and could drop and pick up however I liked between those times, used 3 different private nurseries over a period of 6 years

AntiSocial6DaysAWeek · 16/08/2023 19:27

clarehhh · 16/08/2023 19:24

At 6 all children will be in an area near pick up point so one member of staff not escorting your one child alone and leaving everyone under ratio.

How do they manage toilet breaks, staff having lunch etc? What happens if Ia child injures themselves or falls ill so a member of staff is needed to concentrate solely on one child?

hiding5675687 · 16/08/2023 19:27

That is ridiculous. There may be windows in the day where they don’t want drop off or collection e.g. breakfast or nap time. Never heard of extra charges. Like others have said, doubt they can enforce it.

Hufflepods · 16/08/2023 19:28

clarehhh · 16/08/2023 19:24

At 6 all children will be in an area near pick up point so one member of staff not escorting your one child alone and leaving everyone under ratio.

Have you ever actually used a nursery? This is not how it works. You pay the full day and you pick them up when you like.
It is not normal for them to hold kids hostage until 6pm to save someone from walking to the door.

SnapdragonToadflax · 16/08/2023 19:29

Nope, not normal. I think you must have the wrong end of the stick, people will be picking up throughout the afternoon - normally a lot before/after school pick up of older kids, and then another batch at 5.30ish after work.

Our nursery is open 7.30-6.30 (commuter town), but I don't think any of my son's room use the full hours.

Yesabsolutely · 16/08/2023 19:30

The nursery taking the piss ! I collect my granddaughter at random times and never been a problem. Do they charge parents who pick up early because child unwell? No I thought not !

red78hot · 16/08/2023 19:31

No way I'd be paying it.
My nursery is 7am to 6pm, I drop off just after 7 and pick up around 4.45, on overtime nights I'll get dp to pick him up and I wouldn't want to risk being late and I want to keep his routine, plus to me they've got to clean up ready for the next morning, I think a 6pm finish is late enough for them without having to wait until people collect at 6pm and then clean up.

spitefulandbadgrammar · 16/08/2023 19:32

That’s bonkers. FWIW my lovely nursery will do bespoke rates if you don’t need a full session or full afternoon session, they’re entirely flexible and you can pick up/drop off at any time within the hours you’ve paid for, and if you see staff out and about they always stop and hug DD or high five or whatever. Find a better nursery!

watermeloncougar · 16/08/2023 19:33

Put email or section from contract on here with names redacted. I can’t believe that’s their policy.

No need to redact the name. If that's the nursery policy, why should there be a problem with it being in the public domain? I hardly think the OP will use this nursery now so no problem with letting us know where this ridiculous place is

purplejeanie · 16/08/2023 19:35

mandlerparr · 16/08/2023 19:24

So, they are already getting paid for a full day, you are offering to reduce their workload and still pay them the full day, but they want to charge you more to pick up early?
Maybe they are worried that agreeing to this will lead to you dropping off and picking up willy nilly? Or possibly they don't have the staff available to do a pick up as they are all in classes with the children?
My advice would be to see if they will agree to an earlier set time that you will always show up at and then charge you if you are late. Otherwise, you can just pick the child up early and pay the fee, pick them up at pick up time, or find a different nursery.
Is whatever reason you want to pick up early worth the fees? Think of what you can do in that time. Grocery shop, errands, start laundry, take some me time, etc.
Are you sure you are not throwing away a gift? Not many of us get an hour or two of free time per day to do with what you will. And you are not losing out on kid time, because you would be doing the chores you would usually have to do and that is not really quality time with the kid/s.

From experience, 1 year olds are pretty shattered and bad tempered if you pick them up at 5 pm let alone 6pm. Nursery can be very tiring! So if it's possible work wise, most parents will aim to collect babies earlier.

Pyri · 16/08/2023 19:41

Northtosouth · 16/08/2023 18:12

Sorry to clarify I’m not paying for a morning or afternoon session. I’d be paying for a full day at nursery but wanting to collect say 330/4ish not 6/630. And they want to charge me more on top of the full day price to pick up early.

Did you ask them why??

nimski · 16/08/2023 19:41

That's utterly ridiculous. My children's nursery was 8-6. I dropped off around 9.30 and collected at 5pm as thats what worked for us. They can't penalise you for collecting early if you are paying a full day rate. The earlier the children went the earlier they could start tidy up and go home!

PlanningTowns · 16/08/2023 19:41

Northtosouth · 16/08/2023 18:12

Sorry to clarify I’m not paying for a morning or afternoon session. I’d be paying for a full day at nursery but wanting to collect say 330/4ish not 6/630. And they want to charge me more on top of the full day price to pick up early.

Yep bonkers.

will they charge if you pick up at 5:45pm? They definitely will if you collect at 6:15pm. Have you double checked with them?

our nursery was 7:15 - 6pm and you could collect at anytime between 5-6. If you needed an earlier collection you let them know and it would be sorted!

NeedMoreWonga · 16/08/2023 19:45

rainbowstardrops · 16/08/2023 18:17

So you'd be paying for a full session and they'd then be charging you extra for picking your child up early? How on earth are they justifying that?!

Because nurseries are some of the cheekiest fuckers around.

manchesterbreak · 16/08/2023 19:47

I work on child care and I've never heard of this. Most places are flexible on pick up. It's literally a case of opening a door and handing a child over. They can not hold your child to ransom. If this is correct I'd look else where

SkinnyMalinkyLankyLegs · 16/08/2023 19:50

Have you asked for the reasoning for this? I'd assume it was a misunderstanding.

Arrgghhdecisions · 16/08/2023 19:52

Not remotely normal. We pay 62 quid a day for 3 full days a week and 35 for a half day. On her 3 full days her Father works lates so he gets her breakfast and stuff at home before taking her in at say 10.30. I normally collect her anytime between 4 and 5. They've never had a problem with this at all. Even on some days when he's running late with her cause she's had a nap, they save her lunch!
I would love the reasoning behind an additional charge for leaving early.
Do they intend to charge you extra when they call you to collect them for having a temperature?
I'd be looking at a different nursery.