Private nurseries and pre-school

[youknowwhat]

DS1 will be 3 in September and could start going to our local pre-school - for free .
At the moment, he is in aprivate nursery, has been there since 6 months old and loves it.
As I am working 3 days a week, I would like to use the financial benefit of having him at pre-school BUT they don't run during scholl hol and it is just 2.5 hours, not the whole afternoon so it is not a practical solution for me on its own.
So just wanted to see how you lot got organised to try to give me ideas. Have you carried on using just the nursery, on have managed other arrangments ?

Many private nurseries are eligible for Nursery Education Grant - they usually have to be Ofsted registered.

Check with your local council

yes youknowwhat you should be able to claim the nursery voucher money off your private nursery.

FWIW I think pre-schools are a great idea, but not as childcare, more as a social thing as pamina says.

DS2 starts at our fab council-run nursery school in September and he goes to a childminder nearby so that?s fine. But lots of people take up flexible sessions eg two full days etc, is this an option for you?

Is the local pre-school attached to the primary school he is likely to go to? If not, I wouldn't bother changing him if you can afford not to, if it is it might be worth changing him at some stage, even if it's just the nurserry year before Reception

I first thought that I would be using the Nursery Education Grant but I know a lot of parents that are leaving their chold at nursery in the morning and then the nursery is dropping them at pre-school for the afternoon. Great if both are close together but that's not my case
I think that my mani problem is the cost as what I earn just cover the nursery for both my sons and I am looking for other alternatives.
Also Iagree with Pamina3. It would be nicer for DS1 to start Primary school knowing some of the children.
Keep coming with your arrangements. That's great!!

I can't help with arrangements, but did want to point out that the law has changed recently over the nursery funding. Previously, a private nursery that was registered for the funding would deduct the funding from the fees you were paying, but if the funding did not cover the cost of their session, they could charge you a top up.

Now, nurseries are obligated to provide the 2.5 hour "free" session as a stand alone and are not entitled to charge any top up for this session (term time only of course) even if their regular charges are higher. This is of course assuming they have any spaces when you apply. However, as your child already attends the private nursery he already has the space so they could not claim no space available.

This will not help with your arrangements as such, but I just wanted to point out that you do not need to actually change his setting if you just want the "free" sessions.