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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Is this normal then for nurseries and pre schools to do this

23 replies

Saltire · 18/01/2011 21:39

Mindee 1 gets 3 hours a day funded at a pre school.(09.00 till 12)
But the children are actually only learning/playing for 2.5 hours, as the nursery serves lunch at 11.30am. And the parents have to pay for it.

i was a bit [shcok] at this, as they are surely getting funded for the 3 hours to play and learn, not to sit and have their lunch, then they get more money frm the parents for lunch.

Maybe this is normal it's been a few years since my 2 got their funded places and as recently as 2007 when i last did childminding it was only 2.5 hours.

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Jacksterbear · 18/01/2011 22:21

No, that seems a bit to me.
DS's pre-school does 3 hour sessions (8.30 to 11.30 or 12.30 to 3.30) PLUS you can elect to send them in for an extra "lunch club" hour between 11.30 and 12.30 which you pay for.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 18/01/2011 22:23

I'm in Wales, but our nursey sessions are from 9 - 11.30 or 12.45 - 3.15.

thisisyesterday · 18/01/2011 22:25

no, that's right

in fact, afaik they don't have to accept the funding at all.
but yes, it does cover the lunchtime as well.

if parents didn't like it they wouldn't send their children there would they? so i shouldn't worry about it!

LacksDaisies · 18/01/2011 22:29

Is this a private pre-school or the local primary school one?

I would imagine that private enterprises look at it as three hours funded childcare rather than three hours of pre-school education?

dinosaurinmybelly · 18/01/2011 22:29

This doesn't seem right to me. I agree with you - a 3 hour session at a nursery wouldn't normally include lunch. It should be offered as an extra.

HarrietSchulenberg · 18/01/2011 22:31

Mine doesn't include lunch, but there's no reason why a nursery provider can't. They should give you the option of providing a packed lunch if you don't want to pay for a nursery lunch.

Lunchtime does offer learning opportunities, though - especially social skills and co-ordination (setting the table, managing cutlery), and if the staff are worth their salt they could easily incorporate early years education into lunchtime (counting the number of red cups on the table etc.)

Can you ask to visit the nursery over lunchtime to see what they actually do?

LadyBiscuit · 18/01/2011 22:32

Does the preschool carry on later than that? My DS goes until 12.15 (funded) but there are other children that take their funded hours in the afternoon. Given lunch is at 12.15, their first half hour is eating lunch (provided by parents).

HarrietSchulenberg · 18/01/2011 22:34

Should add that in order to qualify for the funding the nursery provider has to be following the early years curriculum and working towards national targets, not just providing a glorified babysitting service.

ohnoshedittant · 18/01/2011 23:09

The nurseries/pre-schools in my area don't do this. Think they have snack time, but don't charge extra for it. A couple run a 'lunch-club', but that's 12pm-1pm and charge extra for it.

LadyBiscuit · 18/01/2011 23:40

Actually, thinking about it, the afternoon session runs 12.15-3.45 so they are providing the lunch cover outside of the 3 hours.

The preschool just got given Outstanding by ofsted so I presume they are doing everything they are supposed to.

Original poster

Saltire · 19/01/2011 07:02

The 3 hour afternoon sessions run from 12.30 - 3.30pm. No meals involved

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gorionine · 19/01/2011 07:07

morning session here 8.50 to 11.50, afternoon session 12.20 to 3.20 none of them involving a meal. They have a snack (fruit and milk or water) but not a meal and we do not pay for it other than the £1 a week not compulsary contribution.

Tanith · 19/01/2011 08:42

It's my understanding that the funded sessions must not include lunchtime. It used to be that we could include it (plenty of learning going on at lunchtime!), but it was to avoid precisely the situation you describe, where parents are manipulated into paying extra, that they told us we were no longer allowed to include mealtimes.

Those three hours are funded and you should receive them free if your nursery is offering the free entitlement. You should not be forced to stay longer than those 3 hours and have to pay extra.

Have a talk with the nursery and point this out to them. If you don't get anywhere with them, try the Free Entitlement team in your Early Years department.

Original poster

Saltire · 19/01/2011 08:48

I can't talk to them about it, as I am the childminder, but I pick up from their every day. I will mention it to the parents.

They aren't being forced to stay extra, but are having to pay for 1/2 hour of the funded session because it covers lunch. So mindee goes from 9am till 12 noon, but his mum and dad pay for 11.30-12.00 as it's lunchtime
It just seems odd to me

OP posts:

dmo · 19/01/2011 09:14

ould say very odd
do pre-school provide food or does the child bring packed lunch?

i would be onto the voucher people for answers

ChildrenAtHeart · 19/01/2011 09:30

The funded session CAN include a mealtime (although some LEA's may have their own guidelines on this)BUT parents CANNOT be asked or forced into paying any kind of top-up for this period, either for the time or the food. The pre-school can charge for the meal if the parent chooses for their child to have it but not for the time and the parents must be given the option of sending a packed lunch or for the child to do an alternative activity during that half hour. The parents absolutely cannot be asked to pay for the time as the 3 hours must be available totally free. Settings are permitted to charge for food and additional services (eg a language class) but these must be optional.
I would definitely be querying this.

Original poster

Saltire · 20/01/2011 15:00

Well mindee has started taking a packed lunch as he wasn't eating at all. he's the only one takes a packed lunch. However, today when i picked him up, one of the staff said "oh he's very upset as it is x's birthday. All the children get a cake made for them but since mindees parents don't ppay for lunch he couldn't have a bit"
W.T.F
He was hysterical as they were all sitting eating huge chunks of choolate cake, and he was having to watch.

OP posts:

FingandJeffing · 20/01/2011 15:07

Wow even if that is the rule that is horrible of the nursery staff not to cut the one child who would miss out a piece of cake, how mean.

Original poster

Saltire · 20/01/2011 15:16

I did ask why paying for lunch made a difference, as after all his place is funded, so they are getting money for him, surely that oculd cover the cost of some flour eggs, butter etc.

OP posts:

pippin26 · 20/01/2011 16:00

Saltire - that is horrendous. My heart breaks for the LO - that is just evil.

I would put in a very strongly worded letter.

Jacksterbear · 20/01/2011 16:13

OMG!

dinosaurinmybelly · 21/01/2011 00:53

That is outrageous. It does make you wonder if these people should be looking after children when they can't see that this is wrong. Please tell me the parents are making a complaint.

dribbleface · 21/01/2011 09:01

Sorry but that is disgusting, how could anyone leave a child out like that.

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