Securing a place for second DC

[Teapleasemilknosugar]

So my toddler is in a nursery for 2 days a week. Loves it there, has adored going and been totally happy attending since 11m (now 2.5yrs).

Baby number 2 is arriving imminently. I am taking a year for Mat Leave and the toddler is still going to continue nursery during that time.

I've approached the nursery for a space for baby number 2 from Easter 2024, happy to pay a deposit now to secure the place etc, so both DC would then attend same nursery on the same days when I go back to work. They have said they only guarantee spaces for September this year and can't guarantee a space from Easter 2024 (even if we were to pay the deposit).

How do others handle this situation? Is it the same in other nurseries too? It's a private nursery, year round, not attached to a school or restricted to term times.

Is our only option to find a new nursery setting for both DC?

Toddler will be eligible for funding from Jan 2024, if that makes a difference.

surely you just wait until december time to then secure a place from Easter?

Are you saying that you can only reserve spaces that start in the September of each year, or are you saying that you have to wait longer until Easter 2024 spaces become 'released'?

If the former, I'd be tempted to look elsewhere tbh. If the latter, ask when they will be releasing Easter 2024 spaces/running a waiting list.

Their message said:

For business reasons the owner likes to fill all available spaces in September, the start of the academic year. Spaces do sometimes arise thereafter due to children moving from the area but we cannot predict when they will open up.

No mention of a waiting list, and they cannot guarantee a space will be available at Easter 2024.

So could you pay a retainer from September?

Unless you are willing and able to pay for those two days for the baby from September, whether you use them or not, I can't see why they would be able to keep a spot empty to guarantee your baby's place 7 months later.

This is just one of those risk it and see things. Check in with them after the Christmas break.

Or you could book for September 2024 and find a short term option like a cm,

I could pay a £250 deposit now but it wouldn't secure a place.

I could pay a £250 deposit now and for the space for 2 days a week from September so a further £3275 for the (unused) 6months.

Do all private nurseries operate in this way?

Two separate drop-offs isn't manageable unfortunately

No, they don't.

I can't unfortunately due to notice periods at work, I'd have to leave my job.

What do other working families do?

Do the drop offs not depend on where the second location is? Or you drop both to a cm and they take dc1 to nursery. Could it really not work short term? Could you extend your ml or your oh take some parental leave to cover to September?

Think about it from their perspective - in September they loose lots of children to school each year so they can be sure to have places, otherwise you are relying on someone pulling their child from the nursery other than to start school, the only way they can guarantee you a place is to keep it empty from September to April, this simply isn't viable. They will know their normal turnover rate and I'm sure if you reserve a place and one came up sat in January you may be able to negotiate a retainer but they can't predict it yet.

So you're suggesting that no-one starts nursery unless it's September then?

I know this won't fully fix it, but quite a few children at nurseries do term time only so you would be likely to get a place at the start of the summer holidays (so late July) as opposed to September.

I did have a childminder myself and wanted to switch to a nursery, wasn't places in Jan when I tried but when a child left in March mine was taken on

Very not guarenteed. Worth looking at a childminder as you may need them at least short term

No option to extend mat leave and no option to tack on annual leave to extend either. DH cant take parental leave as there isn't anyone to cover his role - he's not taking/can't take pat leave for the same reason (but that's another infuriating story in itself) 😔

I'll have a look into childminder as a wraparound for drop-offs l. Hadn't considered that, thanks.

Our nursery don't offer term time only, it's full year round or nothing, don't know why 🤷

I think the point is that children are only guaranteed to leave nursery at the end of August/start Sept as they start school.

A nursery needs to run at full capacity to stay viable, they can't hold a place for you for 6 months without you paying full rate.

It's not normal, but I understand it because if they can fill ALL spaces in September then that's better than holding a space open up until Easter.

If you definitely want this nursery, I think the best you can do is wait until the end of September and check the lie of the land. If by then they still wouldn't commit to a place, there's no point because you can't plan.

But equally you are asking the nursery to essentially lose this 3k by turning a possible other customer away and keeping the space empty at a financial loss to them.

Did you mean to quote someone else here as you've not really answered my post in the comment.

I’m confused. If you are talking for a baby do they only take babies in September or are they thinking you mean for a funded nursery place for your older child?

Surely all nurseries take babies into the relevant room at the age appropriate time for that individual child and they all move up to the next room when they reach milestones or stages?

I'm talking about baby joining a baby room. Apparently babies only start in September.