Free Part-time Nursery, at 3 years old - I don't understand the £ I'm getting - HELP

[Oblomov]

Dear All

Ds 3.5 has just got a letter from nursery , saying that he is entitled to £539.00 this term.

Great.

But I don't understand how the system works:

childcarerules

But surelty this is disciminaing against certain children.

On page 3, it says:

"3 and 4 year olds have a right to free part-time nursery, for 2 years, before they reach compulsory schhol age.

But ds is born Feb.
So he will be getting this entitlement in the summer. When he wull be 3.5.
H e will get it until next summer, when he will be 4.5 and then he will go to school in the september.

But this means that I get free-nursery fro one term this academic t=year and then 3 terms next academic year = 4 terms.

It says "free nuresery for 2 years"
= 6 terms.

But I am only getting 4.

If another child was born at a different time of the year and ther local school , as many do, took them when they were already 5, then they wouldg get OVER 2 years of free nursery.

How is this fair ?

Am I missing something ?

[Blu]

Oblomov - the fictional boy you cite would be going to school earlier than you say, if he was 5 in August.

And in the e.g you give in your OP, yes the child would get more terms nursery subsidy, but less time in school for the first year.

The system is based on it being a subsidy of private nursery care in lieu of an unused school nursery place. So it runs in line with the state school nursery place you would get. It isn't a childcare subsidy based on the child's exact age. It doesn't discriminate any more than the school term system does.

DS started school in a January - and so had an 'extra' term nursery subsidy (Setp-Dec) ...but he 'lost' a term of state school.

[beckybrastraps]

But after free nursery comes free school. What's your point?

[Oblomov]

O.K sorry.
I don't want to piss you off, with something, I, for some unknown reason, can't get my head round.
I will have to let this go.
Thank you anyway everyone.

[zubb]

going for 3 - I don't know what the difference between free and funded is?

At the pre-school where my kids go / have been altough the funding covers 2.5 hours and the sessions are for 3 hours we don't have to pay any extra.

Ds1 has a January birthday and started pre-school in teh January - but we had to pay a term as he was about 4 days over the cut off point. So he started going just a couple of times a week. After one term he was funded and went 4 times a week, going up to 5 just before he started school.
Ds2 is a November birthday, started pre-school in the September so I paid a term again - but he'll get an extra term funded compared to ds1.
Ds3 is a September birthday so will start in teh September but I'll fund a term.

I am just grateful that it is funded when they are 3 - certainly don't think it is an entitlement to have the same amount spent on each child. With Ds1 he was the first year where the 3 year olds had been funded so that was good timing!

[BizzyDint]

is this confusing for you because you're talking about private, fee paying schools?

[oliveoil]

[zubb]

but if she put her son into nursery at the same age that you put your son in she would have paid the same.

[goingfor3]

she will get a funded place as she was three a couple of weeks ago just not the free one.

[Oblomov]

Let me play devils advocate here.

Lets pretend that's theres a boy in ds's class.

He is born in aug, thus gets the entitlement strarting autumn term - sept.

He gets it for 6 terms, up until august, when he is 5.
Then he starts the same school, as my, ds in the sept.

My ds is born feb. He gets it from the summer term. He gets 4 terms entitlement. Then at 4.75 starts school in the sept.

Other mother and I pay the same childcare costs.
Yet she got 6 terms entitlement and I only got 4.
She paid less for her nursery fees than I did.

[zubb]

going for 3 - depends on when her birthday is.

They are also starting to extend the scheme to cover 5 * 3 hour sessions rather than 2.5 hours - think it's being phased in over a few years.

[goingfor3]

I was told that DD should be getting a free not funded place next term but I found a leaflet in the library which said that the free places for 2 1/2 hours x 5 scheme starts in Jan 08.

[BizzyDint]

think of my dd with her may birthday, so she is funded from the following autumn. ok. then after 3 terms (one year) she is able to start normal school. i could, however, keep her going to nursery instead, keep paying the fees, with the funding subsidising it, then after another 3 terms (one year) she will be into the term following her 5th birthday so funding stops and she HAS to start normal school. but she'll have missed the first year of formal schooling by then. SO, she'll have funding for just one year, then start normal school, which is free.

[AlienEars]

If you want to take the long term view, the funding you are missing out on now may come your way in 13 years time. My birthday is in June and I got 'free' education until I was 19, so did another year after A Levels whereas some of the others on the same course with birthdays earlier in the year had to have their course fees paid for by their parents.

It's probably all different to back then though now...

[BizzyDint]

oblomov- every child is entitled to 2 years funded YES? however, most parents choose not to fully take this up as by the time the september they can go to normal school anyway so have no fees to pay anyway. if you are going down private school route then it's even better for you because you keep getting the funding.

[zubb]

This payment is to make sure that all kids have access to early years facilities. Most pre-schools don't take children until they are 2.5, with some preferring them to be 3 - so the money covers the majority of the time they are there.

[mumto3girls]

I don't understand this...if your dc goes to school then you won't be paying any nursery costs anymore..so what does it matter? Am I missing something here?

[oliveoil]

and I am pleased that she sneaked in in August, a week later and I would have another year of childcare

[oliveoil]

BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT IS!!!!!!!

dd1 will know more re letters and numbers etc than dd2 as she will have more time at playgroup

I am not getting worked up over it, swings and roundabouts

[zubb]

There has to be some cut of point, and it is now the term after your 3rd birthday. Before it was from 4 so it's getting better.

Also they fund 5 sessions a week - if your child does less you are not ENTITLED to the extra money.

[Oblomov]

But oliveoil, that is what I am saying, how can it be right that one of your daughters gets the full 2 years, and the other 1.1 term ?

In theory you , as the parent have paid the same amount of money for each child's childcare, but on one occassion, more money, is ....'paid back to you' / entitlement. than the other dd.

I am sure I am missing something, but I don't know what.

[oliveoil]

I could in theory keep dd2 out as she will literally be just 4 - born August 27 - but I want her to start with everyone else and not be the new girl on her own

[cazzybabs]

You don't have to send him to a privte school 0 just tell your state sschool you do not wish him to start until he is 5. Although if your nursery costs anything like my nursery, you'd be better off being less bitter about it and sending him in September.

[oliveoil]

I really don't see what you are complaining about tbh

it is just how the system works

you get it the term after they turn 3

no one is being swindled!

[BizzyDint]

i dont see it as a swizz, dd's a may birthday and will go to state school, so she'll only actually be funded for 1 year, 3 terms.

[BizzyDint]

they are funded from the term after they turn 3, then in theory until the term after they are 5 when they have to start compulsory school. however in reality, most children would start school the september, not waiting until the term after they turn 5.