Not sure whether to move DD to new nursery...advice pls!

[Lioninthesun]

DD is 21mo and has been having 2 half days at nursery since 13mo.
The nursery is very expensive and takes me half an hour to walk to - which up to now was a sacrifice I was willing to make.
However about 3 months ago her key worker, who is lovely, mentioned that she would be ready to move up to the big room soon and there was a group going up with her. However the group moved up (all of the friends she played with) and she is still stuck in the baby room. I was a bit surprised at this as she seemed to be more able than some who went up, but assuming it would only be a month until she went up, said nothing. I think I thought that perhaps they felt she wasn't ready after all.
However the next month came and went. No news. So I asked. Key worker said she is definately 'ready' but I would have to speak to the head of the new room. I did this and she made it clear that it isn't because of my DD's ability but because she is August born, they left her to last as they have no room at present (or no staff more to the point) and are at max.
Apparently DD will have to wait until July now!
It shouldn't bother me as I know she loves her key worker, but she is constantly looking over the fence in the garden at her old friends playing on scooters and big slides and asking to play with them. Instead she is stuck in with the babies and a sandpit.
Am I right in considering moving her to a closer and cheaper nursery where she can play with kids her own age. I am pretty annoyed tbh.
2 months(it will be 5 in total) shouldn't be a big deal, but she will be youngest in her year anyway so I feel nearly half a year could be really detrimental...or am I over thinking this?
Help! (And sorry for the essay!)

Lionisthesun it is absolutely your right to ask! You are definitely not a nagging idiot for asking the question, I feel for you DD. It would be absolutely fine to ask in a really nice & friendly way what they have planned for your child & you should definitely not feel guilty or bad about it! It is your right to know & be involved and informed. Always.

They were probably bit hasty telling you she was ready to move up & perhaps it was beyond their control. Often keyworkers don't get involved in these decisions or aren't aware of the wider centre implications. But whatever the reason, please just know that you are always entitled to ask about the planning for your child, how they are extending her interests, how they are supporting her learning, how they ensuring that she is challenged & engaged. Never apologise for asking :) I wish more parents did!

"Most of the nursery workers on this thread appear to think what they are doing is fine and I am a nagging idiot who shouldn't be informed of changes or kept in the loop, or be able to ask."

What they are doing might be fine but I don't know all the details. You should be informed of changes and be kept in the loop. You can also ask, but if the answer is no because there is no room then don't keep badgering them.

They were wrong to say children move up 18-20 months because you can't garuntee what space you will have in a years or so, and parents get upset if their children don't move up. You get occasional 'lumps' in the ages of children meaning one room is fuller than planned which might mean children moving up from it earlier and children entering it later.

"the school year seems to kick the moving up order out of kilter" Not half! With one school intake in september (Where I am) it means that a quarter of the children in the nursery leave in one go. July and august is really cramped and september really quiet. It's very hard to staff. Nurseries miss the 3 intakes a year of olden days.

She'll still be playing with coco-pops when she's 4 at nursery.

" the old nursery can go back to rubbing their hands thanking heaven that another mummy took their child out of their nursery". If they're full they must be popular which means they can fill your space easily.

Teacher thank you. It has been made clear by some on the thread they think I am being very pfb and nagging

Tiggy they aren't full, they are understaffed. As I said at least one other girl has been taken out of the baby room this month for the same reason - only discovered that this morning. She is an Aug baby too.
I haven't badgered them - I only asked twice. Now wish I had done more asking earlier as could have realised months ago that she would be waiting until July.

I am appalled both as a parent and a nn that your dd feeds these babies there milk. Handing out food fair enough as it teaches some responsibilty. But I would be unhappy to be a parent of one of those babies!

Yes num3 I was when they told me too, but then my friend lets her do it so for her DS now, so I suppose I kind of think perhaps it is something they let her do under, hopefully strict, supervision.

All the nurseries my three have been to have moved children up in age order when there was space.
I think under 3's need a 1:4 ratio, so if they have 3 staff in that room they can't have more than 12 children.
I wouldn't move her unless she is unhappy. 2 months is nothing. You certainly won't stunt her development.

Oh move nearer, it makes more sense anyway. Expensive isnt always best. I@m as cheap as chips and bloody marvellous.

lion I think you did the right thing to change nurseries.

I think the lack of communication and the August birthday waiting reason are side issues to be honest.

Your daughter is my ds age and is much more advance than him it sounds, in areas of speech/communication and social skills anyway. So I thinking if he was at this nursery that made their decisions on development then this would not be fair either as he would not be happy being left in a room with pre walking or just toddling babies, especially if he could see the bigger children playing with more exciting things next door!

So I think the problem is that the nursery was unable to meet her needs and stimulate her enough. I think at this age toddlers are not invested in 'friendships' anyway and as long as the nursery is catering and planning for needs/interests the toddler should be happy and stimulated enough.

For instance, all my ds needs to be sufficiently interested an occupied are some bikes and some other children to run about with!

I hope your dd settles in well.