Nurseries which are attached to private prep schools

[Flingmoo]

I'm have no experience of private schools at all but am considering private school for my son one day, as I believe we can just about afford to. He's only 3 months right now and by 1 year I'll have to send him to day nursery full time when I return to work.

Do day nurseries which are attached to private prep schools tend to be more expensive than an ordinary, good quality nursery?

Another question - do they tend to run a pick up and drop off service? We have to commute a long way and the school/nursery I have in mind is quite some way in the wrong direction...

Sorry, I'm clueless!

I'd say yes, they are more expensive!

Private business nurseries will most likely do longer hours, and more weeks in the year, whilst the prep schools may have a school bus but not for tiny kids and generally work school terms.

Have you any in mind? Best to go and have a look and get all the facts and figures together.

Check as one here is in fact cheaper, however it's school times. Shuts at 3 and only term time.

You'll have to check out the one you are interested in and see if it fits your needs. Private school nurseries often do operate through the holidays, as they are well aware that the service is required year round, and they are trying to attract parents who will then put their kids through their school. A good one will provide a seamless transition for your child from nursery to reception. Seems like a good start if you can afford it.
What's a pick up and drop off service - as in they collect your child from home?! I've never heard of one that does that!

Do check of its the kind of provision you want. At 3 one of the ones near me has them sitting at tables when I prefer a more play based curriculum which the local community based pre school delivered brilliantly!

At our prep school, the nursery is a pre-school rather than a 'day nursery'. It is absolutely excellent, but not really set up for wrap-around care.

Bear in mind too that if it's term-time only that will mean private school terms, which are shorter than state school.

school bus for nursery kids is very unusual, maybe for preschoolers but still unusual.
A relative of mine used to drive a private school minibus route and did have some 3 yr olds on their route, but I've not heard of any other school offering it as a service.

Isthenursery just co located or is it an integral part of the school?

The private day nursery near me which is not an integral part of the private school where it is located seems to have the best of everything. Everything you need from a day nursery but also use of the school's facilities, frequent visits to the school once they are nearly school age and the fact that a lot of the kids from that nursery then all go to reception together.

I haven't used it but know someone who did.

The ones I have used / know about have not been more expensive than other nurseries, no.
Check if they do the free 15 hours after 2 thing though, not all do!

I think the staffing levels can be different in the nursery of a private school. You will still qualify for the free hours provision & that will apply until the term after your child turns 5. Depending on the area you might be too late for a place at a school.

Depends where you live re free funding, in Wales they wouldn't fund a private nursery unless they were unable to offer you suitable state provision, which is unlikely.

They can also opt not to do the free funding, like the one we are at now does (in England), but the school itself is amazing (as is the nursery) so we put up with it!

That's also a consideration of course, check the whole school out if you are joining the nursery with plans to stay on at that school. Keep going to the open days every year too, as right now looking at a reception class will seem like another world away!

my sons went to a private day nursery which was open 7.30-18.30, then moved to the pre school attached to the prep school they go to just before they turned 4. this is only open term times and 8.30-3.30. But is still cheaper?

I've never heard of any school or nursery that would come and pick your son up. You have to transport them yourselves or get a nanny or Childminder to do it (extra cost)

At my independent prep school, nursery is our main point of entry at 3+. Pupils attend 9am to 2.50pm every day and go home at 12.00 on Fridays. So not exactly a convenient childcare option! Most families have a nanny, an au pair or a SAHP.

So yes it depends on the setting!

oh yes mine also does 12 on Fridays until the last term I forgot. I work ft so have a Childminder who picks him up, we drop him off with his elder siblings in the morning.

The one I am considering has the longest hours of local nurseries and is comparable in terms of price (not the most expensive). I don't think you'll get transport though and note that the term "nursery" at prep schools is age 3.

Yesterday I went to look at a nursery & pre prep which does take babies from 3 months (he'll be a year by then anyway) and it was lovely but quite a lot more expensive than the other nursery we looked at - which is already considered an "expensive" nursery by local people I've spoken to...

From 1-2 it didn't seem to have that many advantages over the other nursery, but from 2 they get weekly swimming, music and dance sessions included and from 3 they have lunch in the lovely dining hall of the prep school.

I can't decide now and it's not like I even have a lot of time to mull it over as you need to sign up of a place early! The prep school nursery is not very conveniently located for us compared to the other one, but I did have a better "gut feeling" about it... Hmm so hard to decide :(