Nursery holidays

[ScariestFairyByFar]

My dd's nursery closes for 8 working days at Christmas but we are still charged for this is that right?

[JuliesSistersCousinsAuntsCat]

The way my nursery does this is they work out your annual fees, deduct all bank holidays/closures, divide by 12 to make each monthly payment the same. So although it feels like you pay on days they are closed, you are most likely not.

[Sam100]

This is essentially a maths question. The nursery have to charge enough to cover their annual costs otherwise they will go out of business. They can either do this by charging over 52 weeks and 5 days a week but this means they have to charge for bank holidays and days when they are closed. Alternatively they could just charge for the days they are open. In the first instance the costs are spread over 260 possible charging days but in the second the same costs have to be spread over fewer days (say closed for 10 days and 8 bank holidays) then costs would be spread over 242 days. So the daily charge would be more. If they are operating in an area where some nurseries charge on the first basis then they would look really expensive if they used the second basis, as their daily charge would be more. Over the year you should still pay approx the same.

[senoritachiquita]

I just turned down a nursery place I had accepted, because when I got the contract it turned out they were charging me for all the bank holidays and also 3 weeks when the nursery was closed per year. That adds up to over a month of childcare that we're paying for but not getting!

The manager was pretty pissed off with me and said this is standard practice, but we have been offered a place at another nearby nursery that does not do this. I thought it was taking the piss to be honest but sounds like it is normal for some places.

[sleeplessinderbyshire]

our nursery is closed next week, we don't get charged for that week. they also do not charge for any bank holidays

[Jayne266]

Am in the north west and my
Nursery doesn't charge for bank holidays. They told me this when I first had a look around and it's in my contract.

[notcitrus]

My nursery is open 51 weeks of the year, but you pay monthly and December is the same price. One reason why dd is starting after Christmas rather than before. It's cheap as local nurseries go, though, so can't really complain. £2/day less is a lot better than not paying for one week.

[brettgirl2]

I dont see what the fuss is about, you pay what you pay. A nursery could put its fees up 2 pounds a day then not charge for 2 weeks it comes to the same thing surely?

[Sirzy]

Our nursery is closed from Friday til 3rd january but we aren't charged. We do pay for any time he is off on holiday during the year

[Splatt34]

our nursery closes on Friday until Jan 2nd. Fortunately this year I'm off work (vvv unusual) but also, fortunately they don't charge when shut

[DottyandSpottyWot]

Ouch! The nursery I use closes for Christmas Day & Boxing Day, and the 1st&2nd Jan, we are not charged for these days as they are not providing a service. Standard practice in my neck of the woods (east coast of scotland)

[ScariestFairyByFar]

Sorted 50 weeks paid for in 12 instalments.

[Mandy21]

We're in the NW, have used 3 different nurseries over the course of 7 years and they've all charged at Christmas when they're closed - just standard practice in my view.

[ceebeegeebies]

Auntycupcake it is common practice for nurseries to shut for a whole week and still charge the parents - I am so grateful that mine doesn't do that

They shut on the bank hols only and don't charge for those days which is favb - however, it was taken over a while ago so I am expecting this to change as it is very unusual.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Are you sure you're paying for it? I think most nurseries work out the annual fee (depending on how many days per week you go, etc) and then divide it into 12 equal payments over the year.

[fledtoscotland]

Our nursery is shut from 22nd until 3rd but we are only billed for 50 wks per year (split into 12monthly bills)

[ScariestFairyByFar]

It probably is in the contract but I've moved twice in the last year and misplaced it . Ive emailed them asking what the situation is, just wondered what other people's situations were. It's made more confusing as different parents seem to be on different contracts. There closed from the 21st when they close after the Xmas party so 3pm until the 3rd and as my dd is only in mon, tues and wed, she'll miss two full weeks. If I am paying for it I'll ask them if I can have the thurs and fri. I know there quiet on a Friday so could give me that day if they wanted too.

[PrincessOfChina]

Are you certain they're charging and haven't just amortised the discount over the year? That's what ours does so we may the same every month rather than variable amounts.

[LadyWidmerpool]

Ours is private and only closed on the bank holidays (4 as in Scotland). I'm taking two weeks off but our daughter will be going in for three days over this period as we would be worried about her settling back in if she was off for the whole time. Plus it's paid for and I need some sleep. They don't close on the other bank holidays
(which is a blessing as everyone in Scotland seems to get them at a different time.) This is all in the contract.

[auntycupcake]

based in the southwest!! i honestly cant believe you can be charged when the nursery has chosen to close-they dont have to close over xmas!! i bet they make a fortune over xmas.
but its the parents who have to work that i feel sorry for especially at this time of year. who has enough money to pay for a nursery that isnt open, pay for alternative childcare and then buy their children's wish lists!!

[LaCiccolina]

Aunty, where in uk are u? We will all move! Every nursery on south does this? That said the days are known by or available to the prospective parents as are usually the obvious ones like Xmas. It is in contracts.

Staff costs and business costs are 365. Wish were not as pain in bum more than anything else :(

[auntycupcake]

ScariestFairyByFar - i havent heard of any nurseries that charge parents when they are closed
i work at a private day nursery which closes only for the bank hols and we do not charge parents for these sessions.
also we close earlier on a xmas eve and new years eve, however the parents are discounted for this time.
i totally understand that the nursery has to pay bills however surely there must be some sort of discount due to no food having to be bought, no nappies being used, etc.
legally i would take a look through your contract as it should clearly state in there about nursery closures and whether your still liable to pay nursery fees whilst the nursery is closed. if there isnt anything in your contract and you werent made aware of these closures (eg during a prospective visit to the nursery) then you need to speak to the nursery manager asap as this information is vital when making an informed choice of which nursery setting to choose.
but in my opinion, the nursery has chosen to close on these days and therefore parents should not be charged! afterall they are not providing the service you are paying for.

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

Re having to work over xmas - One would hope that you would Of considered that when enrolling your child in the childcare, or at least at a point prior to now, christmas is after all the same time every year . Doctors nurses etc have to work, its a consideration you make knowing your own childcare requirements, a setting can only suit you so far. I am not saying it isn't a potential inconvenience but it would be something made clear well in advance and not something to begrudge, nursery staff are often paid minimum wage and have children of their own.

My own nursery (when I used one) would bill you less one weeks fees a year, but split over the whole year, so while you may still be billed a months fees, you should check this isn't the case. I dont think they are Obligated to do this though.

[ceebeegeebies]

I am lucky that my nursery only shuts on the bank hols but I know that the majority of them do shut down for the whole festive period.

Strawberries - not everyone has time off work for the whole period. I have to work on 27 &28 Dec so what would I do if nursery wasn't open??

[tacal]

The Nursery I use does not charge us for one week at Christmas and one week during the year. You should hopefully have all the information in your contract.

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

The people saying its annoying... Surely you are off for that time so would choose to care for your DCs yourself anyway? They (nurseries or CMs) provide you with (presumably) a great service the rest of the year, I think its a bit begrudging to begrudge them the closure time, its a business after all not a charity.