New to Area - Need help and advice. Bit long sorry!

[wendyders]

Hi, posted this on the main forum but no one is talking to me - perhaps the local one is where it needed to be. Sorry it is a bit long.

We are moving to Exeter at Easter and have a few issues over childcare. I teach as independent schools, have three children and they have always all attended the same establishment as myself. However when we move my oldest DD will be attending my school, the youngest DS will go to a nursery connected to my husbands job but my middle DS will have to attend the state primary dictated by the LEA wherever we end up living. I would like him to go to another independent school if he is able to get a good scholarship but my husband says we can't afford it. What I want to know is how much will before and after care cost anyway? if he attends a local state school he will need to be cared for at home from 7:30 am, taken to school and then collected again at 3 ish and taken home, until the rest of the family turn up at 6.p.m.

Do nursery school's in the area offer a similar service and would that be cheaper dropping him off there in the morning at 7:15 and collected again at 6, and asking them to do a local school run.

Beginning to stress as will only have the Easter holidays to sort out new home, new school, uniform and child care etc.

My DH and DD are already down in Exeter renting at West Hill, we have no idea where we will be able to get a rental but are concentrating on the Ottery Side of the City.

PLEASE please help if you can?

Also never had anything to do with state schools, moving mid year into the area will we get any choice on which school or will i and up having to drive anywhere for a school with a place. Concerned as if that is the system - aren't the schools with places the ones you want to avoid???

There must be someone out there who knows the cost of Before and After care in the Exeter area - please help I can't find any info anywhere.

I can't help I'm afraid but bumping this for you.

Can you ring some of the local schools to get an idea of costs?
Is there a family information service there? They should be able to advise you further.

Am not sure if nurseries do pick up/drop offs from school. We use a local childminders who do and they are brilliant - very flexible. Some schools may also do breakfast club and/or after school club - but that does depend on the school and the hours they offer may not be enough for you.

You do sound rather negative about state schools though. There are a lot of schools with an outstanding Ofsted in the Exeter area and not all of these are fully subscribed. Think you should check them out before dismissing them just because they aren't private.

A couple of things you might want to consider;

West Hill is probably one of the most expensive areas just outside of Exeter to live and rent. Perhaps if you found somewhere less prestigious you could afford more school fees.

Kings School in Ottery St Mary is probably one of the better secondary state schools in the Exeter / East Devon area.

you may want to look at the east of exeter private schools for middle child, some of them offer wrap round childcare .
magladen court for example are open 7.30 am - 6pm fees are from 2k a term. How does that compare to childcare plus state school?

Childminders will often not work that early in the morning but are typically 3.50 - 4 quid and hour. so CM would be 20 quid a day 100 quid a week, 1200- 1400 a term. IF you could find one who would do that time frame.

Some Exeter state school do offer breakfast and afterschool clubs
www.funinschoolholidays.co.uk/devon-breakfast-club/ are one provider they look to be slightly cheaper than a childminder..

How old is middle DS anyhow.

Wendyders - I live in West Hill and I know that Apple Blossom Nursery will look after children before school, take them to West Hill Primary, pick them up and look after them until about 6.30pm.
I think it is about £4.00 per hour.

Oh I forgot - there is also Otter Tots in East Hill, they offer the same service.

The DISC service as part of devon county council website lists all the childcare options in the area you can find childminders and their costs and other child care lots of infor may help you. www.devon.gov.uk/disc_services.htm

Exeter Cathedral School does before and after school care and I think St Margaret's does too. Not sure how much it costs but you could call them and enquire. Good luck.