Ok, I have a 6 years old and a 3 years old...

[Summerfruit]

And I'm a childminder. I'm allowed to care for 2 children under 8 years old. My daughter who is 3 years old is going to be full time education in september. Do you think I can increas my number by one more child ? I hope I make sense !! Thank you !!

Why will your 3yr old be in FT education? Is it private or do you mean the 12.5hrs nursery funded places?

A child doesn't normally start full time education till around their 5th birthday (or the term before their 5th).
Full time education means 10 sessions per week - ie the school day 9am - 3.15 pm and its not applicable to nursery or sending your child to nursery all day

Therefore your 3yr old will still be counted within your numbers

She will be in pre-school from 9 till 3.15 from september that is why.

So she is going to be four before September?

Surely she still counts unless you will take a child after 9 and send them home before 3?

Fab - ok I get it now, so even if she is 3 but in full education she has to be 4 to be out of the number ! Thank you I didnt understand that point !

You can't be in full time education when you are 3. And no, it is not about being 4 to be out of the number it is about having to be 4 before she goes to school.

She has been given a full time place to pre-school ! So it just means pre-school is not considered as full time education then ? Sorry for being ignorant I have difficulties with the wording !

I think they can't be considered to be in full time education until they are in a reception class all day.

Pre school is not compulsory and is not true education in the sense that primary school is.

Thank you so much ! I just wanted to clarify it !

I think you'd be allowed to care for another child when your daughter isn't with you but would find yourself over your allowed numbers before and after pre-school, unless the other child didn't attend during that timw.

I agree full time education starts when they enter reception, pre-school is not compulsary so doesn't count IYSWIM.

But I find it a bit odd that you are only registered for 2 mindees under 8. Generally minders can have up to 6 mindees, 3 under 5, 3 x 5-8yrs old (less your own children of course) Can you not apply for a variation to up your numbers anyway?

Sorry Skegness but that's not correct. On our certificates it shows how many children we can MIND so nothing changes until her little one starts proper primary school education i.e. reception onwards, all day. At this point she can write to Ofsted and inform them that her little one is now a rising 5 and get them to amend the certificate

Atwork - I started with lower numbers at my old house due to space but when I moved I was allowed the full 6 under 8's (with my own child knocked off of course)

I think I 'm going to ask for a variation but if they no, nevermind ! Thank you very much for your help !!!

Oh right. Sorry to mislead. That seems like a very silly rule!

Skeggy (hope it's ok to call you that ), it IS a stupid rule!! Dh is my assistant but even if he pops out with our own children, it doesn't help with 'numbers' for me as they are not included on the certificate. If Ofsted trust us enough to let us be registered, why on earth can't they have the certificate as the TOTAL number of CHILDREN and trust us enough to knock off our own children!! That way, if someone is desperate for care in the hols and our own child(ren) go away with grandparents or something, we can actually help the other child!!! Very annoying!!