How often are nurseries closed

[SS1983]

Can I ask how often your nurseries close during the year please. I have twins who have recently started nursery.

Nursery is closed two weeks over Christmas, two weeks over Easter and bank holidays. Not sure if this is the case with other nurseries as dates aren’t published on websites.

It’s just a bit hard as twins are still young and would mean using most of annual leave on these days as closed so much. I was hoping we could use term time for breaks etc at least before they started school (which is still a few years away!)

Tia!

Ours are open 51 weeks, they close for one week over Christmas, and bank holidays, which seems pretty usual amongst friends as well..

Open 51 weeks a year. Closed bank holidays.

My ex nursery only closed bank holidays.

Ours shuts for a week at Christmas, all bank holidays and 3 training days a year.

The nursery we used was only closed 4 days, 2 for Christmas and 2 for New Year. It was all states in the info pack they provided when we had a tour.

1 week at Christmas, bank holidays and 1 training day in September

Sounds rubbish for staff only go on holiday at Easter or Christmas as using all their 4 weeks plus bank holidays when it’s closes so not a single day to be taking at their choice.

Chose a different one. Not normal.

Week at Christmas is normal as is bank holidays

Ours only closes bnak holidays. One suggestion is to look at a nursery serving NHS staff, so one on or near a hospital or near their transport links. Majority of the parents at ours are NHS and the manager likes to support them by making hours/days as stress free as possible

Closed 1 week at Christmas & bank holidays

Ours had a week at Christmas & bank holidays.

It's unusual but at the same time not unreasonable - it might be 4 weeks but with the amount of bank holidays during this period it's more like 3 weeks max. Aside from Easter why wouldn't you want to take 2 weeks at Xmas unless it's difficult/stressful to get the time off from your work?

My 1 year old twins are on a term time only contract to make it more affordable so we've just had to get used to all annual leave being split between DH and I

It's a question to ask before you set up a tour - we only wanted a nursery that did 52 weeks a year (except bank holidays), and one that did an 8-6 day to let us get to work and pick up after a full day.

why wouldn't you want to take 2 weeks at Xmas

Because it's a waste! DD is at school & we've been off for nearly 2 weeks but didn't go away & it was really boring at times. I imagine it would be worse with 2 babies to entertain

I'd much rather have the flexibility of using annual leave when i want to. The beauty of pre school DC is being able to go on hol term time when it's cheaper.

I've never heard of nurseries closing so much, I would definitely look for another.

One shut between Christmas and new year otherwise open
One open all year around
None open bank holidays - I think that’d be unusual and I’ve been round a lot of nurseries!

Thank you for your replies

Yes I should have checked re this before they started, and it’s not something I even thought of during tour to be honest. I got a lot of things wrong or not thought out as well as I liked during maternity leave with twins to be honest

@ChimChimeny exactly everything you said I agree with! Whilst they are still younger, we would like to take the flexibility to do things during term time when it’s quieter and cheaper. Work is a bit more relaxed during Xmas etc , there are many reasons. It’s also the additional days over Easter.

I don’t know if it is worth considering changing nursery whilst twins are younger and making sure we move them somewhere which is open more days of the year and they settle for longer term, or leaving them given they are settled. But i definitely don’t want to move them when they are older and it would be harder (for them )

Most Nurseries are Privately owned businesses so can set their own T&C.
Where I live, about 1/3 are term time only.
Then many offer term time only places even though they are open all year.
But most Nurseries that are there to provide childcare for working parents only tend to close on BHs and some for the days between Christmas and New Year.

Our nursery was just closed bank holiday and usually shut early on Christmas Eve.

Open 51 weeks ( closed Xmas week and all BH)

Open 51 weeks a year

Ours is open 51 weeks a year. It closes for a week at Christmas. And it's closed for bank holidays.

Thanks all , appreciate the input

Mine is closed for a week at christmas and a week in the summer. The summer shut down is for maintenance that can't easily be done with children around. eg building an internal wall, replacing carpets/lino, painting etc.

Ours is only closed for bank holidays and rare staff training day.