Is this normal for a nursery?

[Thankgodforcaffeine]

I have just enrolled DD at nursery and have been told that I have to pay for a full week even if she doesn't attend.

Now, I understand why they have this rule, and the cost of keeping people on staff, etc

However I was expecting some sort of allowance for family holidays, say 2 weeks per child per year where you wouldn't have to pay.

Am I totally deluded? Is it the done thing in most nurseries to charge for this?

Full fees are payable with a nursery unfortunately as they still have to open and staff even if your child is not there.

Childminders are different and some offer what you are requesting. I am a childminder and don't charge when I'm closed so for four weeks a year

Tis the done thing I'm afraid

No, it is totally normal to charge for when your child does not attend.

At our nursery you can have some time off but you need to give at least a month's notice in advance.

I work as a teacher and they are pretty forgiving at my changes in requirements depending on whether I am on school holidays or not, but I do book quite far ahead....and I think they're nice because they're desperate for children at the moment!

It always used to be pay 50% retainer type fee for holidays.

Posted too soon
if you have a gym subscription do you expect your gym to not charge you if you have two weeks holiday?

Our nursery does, certainly (and if you think about it, their costs are the same so if they did let you have 2 weeks "off" paying then all that would mean is that when doing their sums to work out what to charge per week they'd have divided the annual charge over fewer weeks so you'd be paying the same annual amount just at a slightly higher rate each non-holiday week).

Sorry, normal.

Our nursery used to give us 2 weeks a year for holiday if we gave them 2 months+ notice, but they've withdrawn that because they couldn't afford to keep it going.

We get a week free holiday a year for DS's Surestart nursery.

Totally normal

Normal here too... The only time I don't pay is if they actually close the nursery (Christmas). All other times I pay.

Yep same here except when nursery is closed on bh and Christmas.

They even opened when there was loads of snow in 2010 - I was amazed the staff got in as its down a really small b road which isn't gritted.

Thanks all for your answers. I am glad it seems to be the same for everyone.

It is my first child, and I have only been in the UK a few years so I am not always up to speed with things like this.