Funded hours with childminder

[Scottishgirl85]

DD2 will be going to a childminder from age 1. Thinking ahead, how do the 15 or 30 hours funding work with a childminder? I'm planning for her to attend pre-school with the funded hours at age 3, with childminder doing the wrap around care. But it seems I'll be charged full day rate as, understandably, we'll be taking up a space. This would mean we'll pay full childcare fees until school. Just wondering what others have done in this situation?

For background, DD1 attends a private nursery so we've benefited from her funded 30 hours which has been a godsend.

Thanks.

Use the funded hours with the childminder? All my mindees do this.

Why are you considering changing to preschool? As both settings (as well as nursery and school nursery) work to the same standards and offer the same curriculum what is your perceived benefit of changing? Make a list and then ask her how she provides these things. Ive had 2 children leave for school nursery and then return as they did less there and started to revert, the others have all gone straight into reception and teachers were impressed with how well prepared and independent they were.

If you're using 30 hours at pre-school why cant you use the CM for breakfast and afterschool hours like other school kids do? Is it to do with age?

Yes it’s age/ ratios

Thanks for the replies.
I was assuming that pre-school provided a better social environment that better aligned with school. I'm worried if she's at a childminders until school she'll have very little interaction with a mix of children her own age. For example my older daughter has playdates lined up every weekend as she has several really close friends from nursery. I work full time if that has any bearing. Our local school does an early years class a year before Reception which I think sounds really beneficial.
I hadn't realised some stay with childminder right up until school. Do they work to exactly the same early years curriculum? Hmmm lots to think about. Thank you.

Exactly the same curriculum and as a childminder, we socialise a lot each morning and then have quieter, more individualised opportunities for learning and nurturing due to my low ratios. I know the children and their families very well and they learn to be around older and younger children too.

My ds stayed with a child minder until he started school. He had absolutely no problems fitting in.

Yes, offer exactly the same curriculum, with the advantage of less children so a more personalised offering as I can focus on the child's interests more.

As for the social side, I ensure that children meet their peers at groups and softplay. If I have children who will attend different schools I make sure I attend groups close to both to ensure they are with some of their cohort.

You also have the option of splitting the hours, if a minder will do that. I do as a favour for some families.

You can split the hours over different settings - eg use 3 hours a day for pre school and 3 for childminder? Might reduce both a bit?

My dd went to a childminder and she did struggle with settling in at school, particularly the amount of noise at lunch time. Looking back I think she would have struggled even if she went to preschool first as she’s quite shy.

I didn’t want my ds to feel the same so he went to a mixture of preschool two days and one day at the childminders. (I work part time).
The preschool was good for him but I’m so grateful we split our 30 hours over that and a childminder as I feel he got a lot more out of being with a childminder.

What I’m trying to say is I’d definitely recommend looking at using both settings.

Thanks everyone this has been so helpful. I really wasn't sure what to expect the childminder to do with the children. This has really put my mind at ease. Thank you!

My mindees stay with me until they go to school and do their funded hours with me. They mix with a lot of other children at toddler groups, parks, etc. I have had a lot of compliments from reception teachers about how well the children have settled in to school.

I took a 3 & 4 year old to the park today and they went off and played, made friends, etc, in just the same way as they would in any other setting.

I'm a childminder and currently have one doing their 30 hours with me, one splitting some days with me and some with a nursery, and one doing the full 30 hours at preschool and I just do wraparound.

Thanks everyone.
@smoggle, for the wrap around mindee, do you change full day rate?

the children starting in school at 2 will be the first institutionalised children staying in a rigid classroom for 16 years before 3 years in Uni. when we were at school we started at 5 and had to serve a mere 11 years. We seem to be forgetting the benefits of learning and experiencing community life visits to woods, pond dipping and splashing in water, rolling down hills where you can learn everything including maths, science and early writing,
My children socialise with at least 10 children of their age and go to parties, play dates etc before entering school together but they have a lot of fun and variety doing it. They are not forced into this terms theme that may well not interest them. We take a camera on are walk and use what interests them to support activities around their next steps so if one is fascinated by an insect they can explore that whilst another may be looking at drains and what happens under are roads because the workmen were repairing a road this morning. They still learn about themselves and their communities but not by being forced to make a paper plate face in a class project.

No I treat them as an exception to my normal 3 under 5 ratio so fill their place (eg I have 4 under 5s for about 30 minutes in the morning and an hour after school every day) so just charge for the wraparound hours. I only do this because they are doing a whole school day though - I would charge if it was just 3 hours (in theory - actually I don't offer lunch time pick ups/drop offs).