To keep my toddler off preschool to go on a day out?

[duness]

So I have a 2.5 year old who started preschool when she was 2. She absolutely loves it and goes 3 days a week as we get 15 hours of it funded with the new working parent scheme. I've recently dropped a day in work. I've Had to drop a day that she's in preschool due to work commitments on other days. Plus, sometimes it's handy to have a day to myself to get things done whilst she's in childcare.

But I do miss her lots so every other week (sometimes once a week, just depends) I'll keep her off with me to go on a day out and let preschool know she won't be in. They've just always said yeah no problem we'll see her when she's next in. But today the manager nicely pulled me to the side and asked me if I was going to pull her out often for this day, would I maybe think about dropping the day and freeing up the space?

I was so confused as I was just under the impression that I paid for the space/ it's funded whether she was in or not? Manager clarified yeah they do still get paid but they're at capacity mostly and looking to cut the waitlist down. I just said that at the min I still do need the space on that day sometimes so would keep her in and reassess the situation often. It was fine and she wasn't annoyed or anything I just found it so odd!! Now I feel like I can't pull her out for a day and she's 2.5! Am I being unreasonable? Should I just pull her out and drop her down to 2 days to save the conversation arising again?!

Carry on doing what you’re doing, but I think it’s also fair enough that the manager is trying to get through the waiting list if possible. YNBU to do it, she’s NBU to ask.

For a day is absolutely fine but you're doing this once a week/once a fortnight and most LAs will pick up on this sooner or later and may dispute funding. I can see her point.

I think if it's at least every other week it does seem a bit pointless to keep hold of that day. Probably quite disruptive all round.

And wasteful. Someone is paying for it after all, even be that by tax!

I guess she’s thinking that there are lots of people who need the place to work and if you don’t need it then it does kind of defeat the purpose of getting the working parent payment. How do you manage childcare on the days you have to work and she not in preschool? Wouldn’t it be easier to shift her days around so you have that day with her

If they are claiming for hours your child isn't actually using it can be seen as fraud

I don’t think it’s in the spirit of the scheme to keep a place that you aren’t regularly using when there is a waiting list. If you were paying £70 per day for it I bet you would use it more frequently.

I don’t blame you for taking her out occasionally, especially when she is so young. This time that you have with her will never come again and I did this for an afternoon every week right up until DS went into Reception. But of course you will have to be pragmatic as to how often you do this, given the shortage of Nursery places!

It's fine as an occasional thing, but if you are doing it frequently and don't really need the space, I would let someone else have it. No point hogging a space someone else actually needs, and you don't use.

Thanks for all the replies!!

I didn't think of some of the things that people have mentioned hence asking for advice so thank you, that's made me re think it all a bit!

Also, I do pay for the 3rd day out of pocket as the 15 hours is only able to be used for 2 days. So I do pay for it when she's not in essentially, so I don't really see that I'm taking taxpayer money 🙈 but apart from that I see everyone's p.o.v and will definitely either try to take her out less or think about dropping the day!

Well if you are paying for it then definitely drop the day and use the money to do nice things with her! It won’t be long until she’s at school so make the most of it!

Yes I think that's selfish.
Nursery's have massive waiting lists where I am.
It puts the nursery in an awkward position because they want to be able to offer places to people who need them and the poor kids who would absolutely love to go to nursery/pre-school but can't because there aren't enough places.
My DC absolutely loves nursery and the development process they have made due to the nursery and the amazing staff has been incredible.
It's really sad there are lots of kids out there that don't get that opportunity and you are wasting that space fairly often.

I have a child doing almost 15 hours at pre school, I don't work.

I wouldn't keep pulling mine out - I think the routine is good for them and keeps them settled, even at a young age.

Plus, the staff work really hard to develop the curriculum and plan for their key children so I feel I'd be using them a bit if I did this (I also don't want to as he gets a lot more from being there, than at home!)

Plus all the other points raised here!

I'd probably just do the 2 days in your position and have the 3rd day at home and not pay!

Is it in a school, this isn't something you pay for so yeah it's kind of taking advantage. Can't you ask them to swap her day, or do half a day and half taking her out.

I wanted to take mine out 2hrs early for swimming lessons- the only available slot in my local place.
She was in funded hours- they said the only way I could and keep her their in the morning was to pay for the afternoon session as if it was unfunded- using funded hours for the morning. Couldn't just have the half day as they didn't do half days on that day.
They said that the absence would be flagged and they'd get in trouble with the funding people. I can understand why and do agree that if the government is paying for something for you then you should use it.