Nurseries: Free council nurseries places

[elvisjules]

Hello. My son MJ is 3 1/2 and currently goes to a local private nursery, however I have recently heard that my collegues child who is 3 has been gievn a free full time nursery place at a primary school. I was always of the impression that free nursery places were only usually a maximum of 3 hours a day... Does anyone know more about this? If so do full-time places exist and what is the selection process like? Thanks

think it depends on the school - my niece (Fulham) got a full-day place. my dd just has 3 hours. plus lunch, so four.

Does this apply in Scotland as well?

Differs by school. IN our borough, most schools give either a morning or afternoon session and it's about 2.5 hours. I do know of a couple of schools locally that do full days free (but don't get me on to that as it's grossly unfair and something I've got a bit of a thing about!!).

yes depends on your borough. Here in Rich upon thames, we get 2 and half hours at state school nursery class. When we lived in Hammersmith, we got full school day place in the nursery at state school. Criteria will be the selection criteria as per the council website for the school. Best bet is to phone your nearest school or the council.

the nursery school my dd went to only does 2 1/2 hours per day, morning or afternoon. There is no selection process - just a waiting list (although in exceptional need a child under 3 may be admitted)

tbh I'd never heard of full-time free places until now!

Thanks for that I will phone the local schools. I had heard of 2.5 hours but full-time does seem very unfair! Does anyone know whether or not your child has a better chance of attending the school if they are already at the nursery?

ds went 2.5hrs from 3.2 and then all day from 3.6. Depends on the number of places available and the number of 3 and 4 year olds wanting the places.

Attending the nursery class of a school makes no difference as to whether they get a reception place (may be different with church schools though........)

it's a lot of time to spend at school when still so young though, no?

not same as private nursery, ie. can't have nap etc.

if you want a nursery place you are meant to put their name down when they turn 2. You may be too late to get a place for nursery. You can put their name down for reception during the year before they are due to start.

Yes it is a lot of time especially 5 days a week. Can you be at all flexible with the free places like just attand 3 morning or full days a week rather than the full 5 days....

applying for nursery at a state school is like applying for reception - you have to do it the year before they would attend so for e.g. for a September start last year (2005), we had to apply by December (2004) of the year before but each school/council will have different dates so worth finding out when you call. Sounds like it may be too late but you could ask to go on a waiting list.

Our school has already allocated nursery places for Sept - we got letters end of March.

Makes no difference to entry to reception (pah!).

Agree with dinny - actually wouldn't want ds in nursery all day but it's just the principle

ej, no, we cannot be flexible - have to attend the full 5 mornings or the full 5 afternoons.

Have to attend all sessions.

Dd due to start nursery (as ds school) Jan 07 and I put her name down Jan 06.

our school you can choose how many sessions you attend.

you can chose whether to take a part time or full time place, but if you take full time you are expected to send your child every day (if you take part time you are expected to send them each morning/afternoon)

I think PAH! to all these schools that stipulate full days or every am or pm. I'd much rather have somewhere where the needs of the child are paramount!

I think a lot of children benefit from some kind of routine from about the age of 3. I don't see what's particularly wrong with the school stating which sessions are available. They have to know the maximum no. of children attending a particular session for staffing ratios.

Maybe private nurseries can provide this, I don't know.

Nursery funding is for 2.5 hours x 5 sessions a week. The only variation to this that I know of is if another organisation is also providing some additional funding to pay for more hours. This might happen if the child has special needs, or the family need respite support.

There are full time places in Wandsworth as well but they are given on a priority basis. E.G. single woring Mums would be a higher priority.

schools can not cater to every parent's wishes. If you don't want the formal enviornment of a nursery class then don't take a place there.
If you want only certain hours/days then put your child in a private nursery or whatever and let those that need/want/appreciate the place have it