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Original poster

Nursery holidays

29 replies

ScariestFairyByFar · 16/12/2012 13:43

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

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NickNacks · 16/12/2012 13:45

What does your contract say?

I'm always staggered by the amount of people who ask this question. How come you don't know?

StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo · 16/12/2012 13:46

Yes that is standard with all profit making nurseries, they still have to pay their rent, insurances and staff.

LIZS · 16/12/2012 13:47

8 seems a lot but think it is normal (staff get paid for holidays and fixed costs still apply)

melliebobs · 16/12/2012 13:52

Tends to be the norm. It's annoying paying for something that's closed. Dds nursery charges half fees for Xmas

We were going to get a childminder but they've started doing the same round here

StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo · 16/12/2012 13:57

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.

tacal · 16/12/2012 14:03

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.

ceebeegeebies · 16/12/2012 14:07

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??

StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo · 16/12/2012 14:21

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 Wink. 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.

auntycupcake · 16/12/2012 15:25

ScariestFairyByFar - i havent heard of any nurseries that charge parents when they are closed Envy
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.

LaCiccolina · 16/12/2012 15:34

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 · 16/12/2012 20:12

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!!

LadyWidmerpool · 16/12/2012 20:21

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.

PrincessOfChina · 16/12/2012 20:21

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.

Original poster
ScariestFairyByFar · 16/12/2012 20:36

It probably is in the contract but I've moved twice in the last year and misplaced it Sad. 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.

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fledtoscotland · 16/12/2012 23:13

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

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 16/12/2012 23:17

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.

ceebeegeebies · 17/12/2012 08:51

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 Smile

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.

Mandy21 · 17/12/2012 13:49

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.

Original poster
ScariestFairyByFar · 17/12/2012 13:50

Sorted 50 weeks paid for in 12 instalments. Grin

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DottyandSpottyWot · 17/12/2012 16:31

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)

Splatt34 · 19/12/2012 06:51

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

Sirzy · 19/12/2012 07:23

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

brettgirl2 · 21/12/2012 09:19

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?

notcitrus · 21/12/2012 10:34

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.

Jayne266 · 21/12/2012 21:01

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.