30 hours free entitlement

[DamnedRose]

DS has been going to his current nursery since he was 1 and goes mornings Monday - Friday, so he currently does 5 half sessions a week.

I’ve contacted nursery to ask what happens once he is entitled to his 30 free hours early next year and they have said that he would need to do the equivalent of 3 full days and this would include 22.4 funded hours per week (all year round) and then the additional hours and lunches would be chargeable.

They’ve confirmed that these can include half days sessions. As I need childcare on mornings this would mean DS would have to do 4 half days and 1 full day. I don’t want him to do a full day because:

• I don’t want to have to pay for the extra hours when I don’t need them.
• He’s currently waiting for an ASD diagnosis and I think it’s best not to disrupt his routine by sending him for one full day out of 5 (nursery are aware of this and are currently applying for funding for 1-1)
• His little sister will be starting nursery around the same time and I don’t want to have to pick up twice in one day.

Is this a typical offer from most nurseries?

Surely 30 hours per week decided by 5 mornings per weekday means you'd be covered for 6 hours per day? Can you not spread it like that? You'll have to pay full price during school holidays and half terms though regardless.

Divided*

There is no typical as each private/community/charity run nursery or CM who does the free hours loses money by doing them. They break even by charging you for an extra session or day.

If you only want the free hours then nurseries attached to state schools often only do the free hours.

Mine offer a fully funded place which could be used over 5 days termtime only, doesn’t include any meals or snacks etc, but they have limited numbers of these places. Most people just get the equivalent amount deducted from their bill for 3, 4 or 5 full days.

A school nursery might be a better bet for the hours you’re after?

It is a school nursery. He currently goes 27.5 hours a week so obviously I’m happy to pay for lunches and the extra 5.1 hours that I need childcare for, it just seems silly to pay for the an additional 5 hours on top of that when I don’t actually need them or even want to use.

Childcare providers can choose how to offer the 30 hours, Many nurseries run the 30 hours on a sessional basis - ie the 30 hours can only be used between certain hours - for example 9-12 or 1-4 so that any hours used outside of these sessions must be paid for.

Also you only get 30 hours during school term time or 38 weeks of the year - if they are prepared to stretch it over the whole year it is approx 22 hours per week that you get

Yes it works out as 22.4 funded hours a week and DD currently goes for 27.5. Nursery are saying to qualify for the funded hours we need to up his attendance to 32.5 hours

Nursery can not demand you pay for additional hours but they can determine their sessions talk to your local authority for clarification

That’s really helpful thank you. I’ve managed to find the following guidance online so will speak to them next week.

‘ A childcare provider cannot insist that a parent pays for additional hours in excess of the funded hours. Providers will need to be clear with parents on the pattern of funded hours they are able to offer. Obviously, if a parent wants additional hours they must
pay for them but parents must not be required to take any additional hours as a condition of taking up their child’s free entitlement place’

School nursery since 1? Is that an independent school? I’ve never heard of a school nursery taking from 1.