Nursery to admit older siblings

[pspsps]

Very casual message from preschooler DC's nursery today to say they will be admitting older siblings.

No information on age limits or number of places or which room the older children will be in or any transmission mitigation measures.

This seems at odds with the purpose of school closures / public health policy?

I am also clinically vulnerable and was already concerned with nursery's relaxed approach to COVID, things are running entirely as normal with essentially no mitigation measures in place.

I recognise I am looking at this from the perspective of not having an older child.

If you have a child in nursery how would you view this?

In England in case relevant

If they have capacity to look after more children (as the regular attendees don’t need to be there) then it makes sense. They will still have to keep to their ratios. Also, siblings = less exposure than numerous individual children.

I wouldnt be happy, and my kids are school age.

Unless this is limited to children only up to reception age I honestly cannot see how the nursery would be a suitable environment for an older child. I can't imagine they would have adequate facilities or the capacity for oldrr children. It seems incredibly poorly thought out.

The nursery my ds2 went to always offered wrap around care for children upto 8 and would take them to school and pick them up. Is it not just an extension of that? It wasn't like they were mingling with the babies.They will still have to stick to ratios. If they have capacity then I don't see why not.

Maybe financial too?
I've know 2 local pre schools to have had to permanently close due to lack of funding as lots of kids not attending

I don't quite get the worry about whether it's a "suitable environment" for children---it's probably better (from a child development point of view) than sitting in front of screens all day long while mum and dad try to work from home. Also, in many parts of the world children are in "nursery" of some kind until they are six.

As PP said, they will have to stick to their ratios so it will be literally the odd kid here and there, not entire classfuls of kids.

Most nurseries do advertise as 'up to 5 years' but as most children start reception at 4 they don't usually stay in nursery. Statutory school starting age (England) is the term after the child turns 5 so in theory they could still be in nursery when reception age. A child who turns 5 today doesn't legally need to be in full time education until after Easter. Maybe it's children of this age they mean. You just need to ask.

I'd presume there'd be age restrictions. My 11 year old would jump at the chance to go to his old nursery with his toddler sister but the nursery surely would run like hell. I guess the idea is that older siblings are in the same term pools as the children your DC knows already, so wouldn't be a greater infection risk.

Our nursery did this in the last lockdown and it was great, dd really enjoyed playing with older children. Realistically the risk will be the same/lower if siblings are attending the same setting rather than both going to different settings/schools. It’s really tough for nurseries at the moment. I’d cut them some slack if I were you.

Term pool? Wretched autocorrect. Germ pool even.

They can go up to their maximum capacity, in the ages for which they are licenced (and therefore insured)

They'll certainly be OK for all EYFS-age DC, and might be covered right up to the U8s (as that's how councils typically arrange it)

You sometimes see it happening when nurseries take back their slightly older former attendees during half terms (something mine did, and for which I was more than happy to be able to use)

The nursery should still be entirely safe, within ratios and with properly differentiated care and activities.

This wouldn't worry me

As early years childcare providers they're only allowed to admit children of keyworkers if they're school age. They should have their school places tho so it seems pointless

DD’s old daycare in the US has been doing this for ages. It’s open to siblings of existing kids which maybe minimises any additional transmission risk? They essentially babysit children aged 5-9 whilst they do their school set remote learning, they do physical activities, hot lunch is provided, kids can socialise a bit. I thought it was a clever idea and as a parent it didn’t bother me in the slightest. One of older kids we know who has signed up is the 7 year old sister of a boy in DD’s class, her school hasn’t had the kids back full time since March and the mum is a paediatrician surgeon at the local hospital.

I know it’s a bit of a different situation in the U.K. so children of key workers should get school places and the school closure is supposed to be short term but it still wouldn’t bother me.

It may be different in other home nations, but in England nurseries are not key-worker only (it was different in previous lockdowns)

As it's older siblings only, they'll not be adding households, and any temporary joiners are closer to being a 'known' quantity, rather than just taking completely new.

Nurseries are generally on v tight margins, so the imperative to fill places is obvious.

@OliveTree75

The nursery my ds2 went to always offered wrap around care for children upto 8 and would take them to school and pick them up. Is it not just an extension of that? It wasn't like they were mingling with the babies.They will still have to stick to ratios. If they have capacity then I don't see why not.

They don't normality offer any childcare for older children

I think part of my negative feeling about it is that we pay good money for a specific environment / provision and they are changing that without consultation or any details of how it would work

@Ilovemaisie

Most nurseries do advertise as 'up to 5 years' but as most children start reception at 4 they don't usually stay in nursery. Statutory school starting age (England) is the term after the child turns 5 so in theory they could still be in nursery when reception age. A child who turns 5 today doesn't legally need to be in full time education until after Easter. Maybe it's children of this age they mean. You just need to ask.

I have asked what ages they are talking about (the message actually implied all ages under 13)

Not received a response yet

Would imagine people might not be happy to pay as other kids are going in free to school

I think this sounds like an excellent idea, and much better than 4/5/6 year olds spending all day in front of screens while parents work.

As a PP said, they are siblings anyway, so very little additional transmission risk and they would be accommodated within their own age group, in a bubble essentially.

DD (11) would absolutely love this, although I think she would be less keen not to have any contact with the little ones, as she has always loved the idea of going in with DS(3) and basically looking after him and his little friends.

When she first went to school, she used to go back to nursery in the half terms and holidays and the idea was that the older children would have their own age-appropriate activities. It fizzled out in the end because the nursery never really had a sufficient uptake but DD loved spending her days with the babies.

DCs nursery did this in Lockdown 1. Was great for me, only one drop off (key worker). Both DCs loved it. There is very little increased risk. It'll only be under 8s anyway and they still have to maintain ratios.

@Looneytune253

As early years childcare providers they're only allowed to admit children of keyworkers if they're school age. They should have their school places tho so it seems pointless

The message specifically said this is for older children of non key workers.

"Would imagine people might not be happy to pay as other kids are going in free to school."

True, but if it is short term and allows someone to keep a job they are otherwise unable to do, it might be worth the cost.

@meditrina

They can go up to their maximum capacity, in the ages for which they are licenced (and therefore insured)

They'll certainly be OK for all EYFS-age DC, and might be covered right up to the U8s (as that's how councils typically arrange it)

You sometimes see it happening when nurseries take back their slightly older former attendees during half terms (something mine did, and for which I was more than happy to be able to use)

The nursery should still be entirely safe, within ratios and with properly differentiated care and activities.

This wouldn't worry me

"properly differentiated care and activities."

I've no idea how they would do this - they don't have spare rooms

My sons nursery is licenced if that's the right word to have 20 school aged children.
It's not something that they currently do but they did consider using one of the playrooms for the older kids.

Many parents find it convenient to have nursery do wrap around care for primary kids as it means one drop off / pick up. And if you need wrap around care you likely need holiday cover too.