4 days one week: 3 the next

[FantasticMrsFoxx]

I know I ought to speak to my local nurseries about this, but just wondered if someone could give me a 'head's up' before I do.
My OH and I are considered our (currently FT) working hours when I return at the end of my ML.
I've pretty much decided that I'm going to drop my hours to work a 4 day week. My OH is considered working a 9 day fortnight.
Would a nursery accommodate a request for childcare 4 in 5 days one week, and 3 in 5 on the alternate week? Is it more likely we would have to pay for the 4th day just to 'keep it open'?
(I'll probably take a Wednesday, and he a Tuesday if that makes any difference.)
Can anyone advise if 4/5 days per week is considered 'full time' and therefore eligible for a (small) discount off the fees? I'm assuming not, but I'm not sure if FT means 8-6pm, Mon-Fri, or just 'not ad hoc'.
Thanks for any advice.

Unlikely a nursery would want to accommodate that unless they were pretty empty and needed your business.

Tre nursery we use would accommodate that. Other parents include 2 paramedics (get their irregular shifts 6 weeks in advance) and a member of airline cabin crew (2 weeks on, 2 weeks off).

Also a parent who works a 9 day fortnight.

It will depend on the individual nurseries. When I went back to work after dd I was doing a 6 on 4 off shift pattern and meant that some weeks she could be in nursery full week of days 8-6 and other weeks we just needed a couple of shorter days.

When we looked around most of the nurseries said that we would have to pay for full time hours but the nursery we sent her to were happy for me to request her hours monthly based on my shifts. I've noticed that they now advertise as fitting around shift hours as there are so many people in need of more flexible childcare it makes good business sense to do so.

Pretty sure ours would as they would consider it quite close to full time and have lots of kids doing far less.
I think discounts vary but at ours yes you would pay slightly less for this many days.
Also day of week may make a difference as at ours Wednesday is always full whereas they would welcome more attendees on a Friday- and to a lesser degree Monday with many part time working parents having these days off.

We would not be able to do it in the nursery where I work. We are full, and would not be able to use the extra day for anyone else. You would have to pay for 4 days each week and then decide for yourself whether to use the 4th day in the 2nd week.

Same as little fish
We do offer a 10% discount for fulltime, which is Monday to Friday
We do offer term time contracts based on a minimum of 3 days booked as we have lots of teacher parents

You couldn't at our nursery as its full, I do a 9day pattern with either Mondays or Friday's off dependant on my diary. DD has a booked full time place whether she uses it or not.

TBH it's useful to be able to have a day off and still send her so I can get things done or recovery from sleep deprivation!

The nursery we use happily does it. Mine do 3 days one week and two the next, equates to ten days a month.

My nursery does this for shift workers so it really is on a case by case basis. Ring round and see what people say, no point falling in love with a nursery if it's going to bankrupt you

Thanks for all the responses. It's good to know it's potentially possible, but obviously depends on how busy the nursery is and/or the local need to offer shift/flexible childcare options. One more question to add to the list.