Nursery doesn't start till 9am - how to get toddler there?

[crazychemist]

Hi there,

We're hoping to start DD at nursery in September (my very lovely mum has looked after her on work days till now).

We've seen a few, but the one my DH liked (which is wonderful) doesn't do early starts, and finishes quite early too.

I thought someone might know what a workaround for this is? Presumably this is true of most schools, so how do families where both parents work manage? Are there childminders that are prepared to do drop-off, pick-up and a coupe of hours after? Or do childminders generally only do whole days?

Should probably mention DH and I are both teachers, so no flexibility at all on our start time, we have to be at school before it starts so this will be a bit of a long term issue!

Most nurseries start at 8am to accommodate working parents.
A 9am start sounds more like a pre-school.
Tbh I'd go for another option. It's going to be a faff using a childminder to drop off and pick up.

A lot of schools have breakfast clubs and after school club which covers 8-6.

Are you looking at a sessional care nursery / pre school?

Most daycare nurseries start much earlier

Some people will have an aupair

There are childminders that do drop off and pick up from pre-schools but there are fewer of them than there used to be so it is worth seeing if there is one available before you decide on that setting for certain.

My son's childminder does drop off and pick up - my son is only 2 so he has a full day there but I do know it's a service she offers. Worth seeing if you can find one in your area who does IMO. I found our childminder by asking for recommendations on a local Facebook parent network

To be honest I’d just pick a nursery with better opening hours. Most round here open at 7.30. There ar childminders that just do before and after school care and you may find they would be happy to drop your child off at Nursery but it’s a lot to ask of your child, to start with two new childcare providers simultaneously.

My childminder looked after ds from 8 - 9, then dropped him off at nursery, then collected him- and charged me for the whole time because she was on call should he be ill, upset etc

What kind of nursery is it? I've looked at quite a few over the years but never one that doesn't open until 9.

Tbh I would steer clear, you'd be making you life more difficult rather than easier

That nursery doesn't work for you, however lovely it seems. Find another or supplement with another form of childcare (childminder, etc).

Find another that works. It's only for a year or two

Ah shucks, and it seemed so nice. It's a preschool more than a nursery, hence the shorter hours. One of the advantages is that it's term time only - we don't really want care for her during the holidays as we'll both be at home.

I think I'll have a bit more of a look for childminders that might do drop-off and pick-up, but try and be ready for disappointment!

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

An alternative option would be to go for a childminder (only) and then aim for the free preschool hours once your child is old enough
You would probably need to pay a retainer during the holidays but that might make more sense for you

We had this when dc's started at school nursery. Childminder did do wraparound but charged for whole day (as she couldn't find another mindee to fill her ratios for just those hours). So if your dc's nursery place isn't funded, you may be paying twice.

If you ask at the pre-school they will should be able to give you the names of the childminders who currently drop off/pick up from there.

Some nurseries will do you a term time only contract - this allows them to free up space for holiday clubs on the school holidays.

It may be tricky to get a childminder for drop offs and pick ups at a nursery. Childminders are generally only able to care for 3 preschool children at a time. Having 1 child of that age group just for a short time before and after nursery pretty much writes off one of those 3 places.
You may find someone who will do it but you may be asked to pay for more hours than you use.

its the wrong nursery for you then!

Our local ‘posh’ nursery had those kinds of hours. It was irritating as all the others, which for us were less convenient, opened at 7:30.

For preschool, the private nursery my children have been to do wrap around care for the school nursery - I drop at private nursery at 7.30, they take them for 9, pick up at 3 and I pick up from private nursery any time up to 5.30.

It’s worth asking the preschool which private settings do their wrap around care

It’s difficult, OP. I’ve found between 8 and 830 more common, which means a mad frantic dash as I need to be in work by 820.

My children went to a nursery like this which I liked as I thought an extended day was too much in a nursery setting. I had a childminder who did wraparound and that continued smoothly when they started school. It's not uncommon around here.

My 2 went to preschool and there were a few childminders who dropped off and picked up. Would your mum be able to take her a couple of days maybe? My mum used to love taking mine to nursery

I can’t help but am sympathising - DS’ nursery opens at 8am but I have to be at work for 7.30am a 45 minutes drive away. Most of the time DP is around to drop DS off but over the summer season can start work at 4am at short notice so we are stuck then!

I'm a teacher and I have managed to find 3 full day nurseries that offer term time only so have a look around. My 3rd (final!) daughter currently goes to a nursery in a village near me, I pay by the hour (although currently that's covered by 30 hours free-I'm part time) and extra cost for before 9am which was recently introduced as a separate charge because they were struggling due to the free hours!

Some nurseries require a retainer over summer if you want term time only, some don't charge at all.

Check out how they charge because at my first nursery you had to pay in sessions so if dd1 was there for the afternoon I was paying 12-6 even though I was picking her up by 4.30 most days.

But definitely worth shopping around!

When I had 2 in nursery the only one I could afford was right across town then I had to drive back across town and onto the next one and would only get to school just in time for briefing! It was really tough but doable! The new nursery I use now is 5 mins away so much easier!

You really do need to see several nurseries as it's about how you feel as well as coach convenience and there may be some compromise (such as driving across town!!) also if you live in a town worth looking at outlying villages as their often smaller nurseries but less was to fill spaces so more flexible. Plus my daughter does forest school at hers which she loves!

Current nursery starts at 7.30 btw