Nursery won't change dates. What to do?

[Nikitasol]

A nursery based query. I'm trying to change a few nursery dates over the summer with a fair bit of notice (switching for some dates in the autumn) but have been told this isn't allowed. Has anyone else had this?

It means paying for 6 days that won't then be used so will be fairly costly as a result. I'm pretty cross about it but not sure if that's a policy in nurseries in general. Although they did let me make a couple of changes last year with notice.

Can anyone advise before I go back to them again about it? I thought they'd at least let me switch some dates.

They've been so crummy I'm almost feeling like looking for another nursery.

I'm a freelance single parent so it almost means no break away with DC if it can't be changed.

The nursery we use (which isn't crummy) won't let you swap dates - if they did then lots of people would swap dates in the summer for other times. I would imagine that their policy would have been in their terms and conditions when you signed up?

Thanks. DC goes Tuesdays and Wednesdays every week but he'll miss 6 days over the summer for various reasons. I'd hoped with enough notice we could switch for dates in the autumn and winter.

They did let me switch a few dates last year but not now.

I just wasn't sure if that was the norm or no.

Hello,

I work in a nursery and we don't allow parents to swap dates and if your not there ( let's say for a two week holiday) you would still pay for the sessions even if you let us know 12 months in advance! I understand it can be frustrating but that's our policy .. you should've signed a policy about dates when your child joined :)

I've never known a nursery to do this. They have strict limits on staff to child ratios and can't just bung an extra one in the room for a day or two. Staff still need paying even if your child doesn't go in.

I think this is normal practice for childcare. You've signed up for set days and the nursery will still have the same staff costs and overheads on those days regarding whether your child attends.
I'm a childminder and do have some flexibility to switch days for parents but I wouldn't allow someone to effectively carry forward their holiday time.

Did you literally spam the site with this same question? It's sprouting up everywhere!

I agree that's standard. We use to do just Mondays (had to be Mon or Fri if you did one day as quietist days) and had to pay for bank hols but not use them - with new nursery we agreed Mondays but with a swap to Fridays in bank holiday weeks, but that's pretty generous.
It's a sunk cost to keep your place.

Standard here. They still have to pay the staff even if your child doesn't go. Same if they're sick.

This is one of the reasons I love my childminder, she'll swap at a days notice!
(Sorry, not helpful)

Is this your third thread about this?

That's totally normal. Sorry OP, you need to suck it up.

Nursery manager here and I agree with everyone else
We would still charge you
It's in our terms and conditions that every parent is given and is pretty standard
I have to ensure I maintain ratios and I also have to pay staff and all the overheads
We don't have staff on zero hours contracts and our rent and other bills won't decrease if children don't attend
Nurseries have to be run as a business because the legal requirements require us to maintain certain standards. Childcare is a highly regulated sector
Do you pay less at the gym because you've been away on holiday?
No, your monthly subscription will be the same

It was the same when my dc were in nursery. Is it possible that last year you were swapping for other summer holiday dates? We were able to swap a date once but only because others were on holiday. In the autumn/winter people are less likely to be away.

They just couldn't accommodate different people wanting different days like that. It would be far too complicated

Totally get that it's annoying (DH and I are also self employed) but it's pretty standard I think. They all seem to charge for bank holidays too which is one reason I'd never ask for a Monday. DD1's first nursery charged you even for Christmas and Easter which was a bit steep I thought! Especially as they quoted a day rate rather than termly/annual fees. We took her out in the end and the new nursery charges for bank hols, any hols you take, inset days and sick days as usual, but has two weeks off at Christmas and a week and a half at Easter where no one pays.

Apologies for spamming. I've been dim and not realised that you only have to post in one forum for people to see thread. Mea culpa