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Original poster

Private vs school nursery

39 replies

Bree82 · 10/03/2023 19:48

Hey everyone,
just wondering about private vs school nursery funded hours when LO turns 3. Which is not anytime soon but I always think ahead lol.
So for people who has their little ones already in a private nursery before 3, did you stay with the private nursery for the funded hours, or switch to school nursery, or not if both, and why?
curious to see benefits to all choices :)
thanks :)

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OnlyFoolsnMothers · 10/03/2023 19:50

Stayed with a private for my first as it was open all year round- with second because we already have a parent at home we went for a term time only nursery.
If you use a private nursery you will likely pay a top up fee.

mynameiscalypso · 10/03/2023 19:53

We stayed at a private nursery. We needed full time bourse (8am - 6pm) and I didn't see the point of disrupting DS for a year. A few of his friends left to go to school nurseries last year but it was generally the ones who had a non-working parent.

FraterculaArctica · 10/03/2023 19:53

We are switching DS to school nursery in September (he will be 3.10) because

  • siblings already attend the primary school, will be more convenient to have all DC in one place
  • it's massively cheaper, even allowing for cost of holiday and wraparound care
  • as he's old in his year (and has two older siblings) I have no concerns about him going into a school environment at this point
  • geographically school is much closer than nursery.
Don't know how many of those are relevant to you!
ellesbellesxxx · 10/03/2023 19:57

We stuck with the private nursery as we needed the 8-6 times a day a week. We would have done a mixture of private and school preschool but having had so much disruption with covid closing nurseries and not everywhere allowing two settings we decided to keep things simple

MissDollyMix · 10/03/2023 19:59

For childcare whilst I was at work we stayed with a private nursery for all the reasons listed above. I then sent them to the school nursery for a bonus morning once a week.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 10/03/2023 20:41

I stayed with the private nursery as needed all year round care and hours to cover when I was at work - so DD was in nursery 7.30am - 6pm.

kitcat15 · 10/03/2023 21:12

My GDs were at a council nursery ( not attached to any school) from 1 year to starting school ( open 8 to 6 ) from 3 years they got from 9am to 3pm completely free Monday to Friday

BridieConvert · 10/03/2023 21:25

My nearly 3 year old has just started in a private nursery that she will be going to when her funding kicks in at the end of April. I would've preferred her to be in a school nursery (purely my own bias coming through because I work in a school nursery) but the school nurseries are all full as it's the summer term so it was private or nothing.
I am really happy with the nursery so will keep her here for now, especially as my other daughter will go to this one when I go back to work from maternity. But I'd like her to be in a school nursery for her preschool year as I just feel they'd better prepare her for school!

LizzieBet14 · 10/03/2023 21:29

If you can manage the 'school' hours & holidays ie have a childminder to fill the gaps then school nursery every time. They will be taught by teachers, use many of the school schemes & therefore the transition into school will be so much better.

FraterculaArctica · 10/03/2023 21:35

Just to add the wraparound provision at our school accepts children from their 4th birthday (rather than from start of Reception). So we only have half a term to muddle through to cover working days, and we are already well used to working around school and extended provision hours with our older ones.

areweonabreak · 10/03/2023 21:42

I moved my twins from a private nursery to a school nursery and don’t regret it at all. They’ve progressed so much, they are taught by teachers and have mixed with so many other children. I am lucky in the sense that I only work 2 days per week and my parents do the pick ups on those 2 days.

isthisit83 · 10/03/2023 21:43

We chose school nursery but I wasn't working at the time so didn't need full time nursery hours. I preferred the school nursery to the private nursery that DS was attending previously just because it was a school and not childcare. It had a whole different vibe and felt much more holistic. I felt it was a better environment. I think most people make the decision based on childcare needs.

Lavender2021 · 10/03/2023 21:44

We are sticking with the nursery we have been using since 11 months old. My daughter knows all the staff as it's pretty small and is very happy.
I also need the longer hours and no school holidays just yet as finding holiday cover with no local family isn't easy for a 3 year old.

PuttingDownRoots · 10/03/2023 21:52

DD1 stayed in the community preschool/nursery. It was term time only like a school nursery... but her younger sister went there too.
The school nursery was a free flow reception/nursery with 100 children sharing the area. It just seemed a bit overwhelming for her.

We moved just before she started school... DD2 went on to gobto the preschool attached to DD1s school. It was a lot smaller (16 in her year!).

DD2 did a lot more academic stuff than DD1 did. But she was ready for it... DD1 wasn't. I think DD1 would gave thrived at DD2s preschool... but she wouldn't have at the one where we lived before.

VivaVivaa · 10/03/2023 21:56

We currently need the longer hours so DS is in private nursery. When I go on maternity leave we will look at moving him to the school nursery.

Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 21:59

Oh all very good points to consider!
thank you all for your insights.
I can see the benefits of both…
We will need the longer days etc and the nursery we will be using for now is so lovely.

But we literally have a school on our doorstep, and a two more 10 minute walks away.
our zoned primary school (with a bursery attached) is a 10 minutes walk but the school right across the road does wrap around care before and after school - including picking them and taking them to school/nursery., but also during the school holidays.
but then
but I guess it will depend on LO at the time and how settled also our work situation etc.

I just feel like I will have such a hard time deciding which is right!
@MissDollyMix I thought school nurseries had minimum days requirement? Maybe differs in difference areas?
had been thinking if we still loved the private nursery could do 2 days and one, and 2 days another?
but don’t know if that would be too many settings for LO, especially if then needing wrap around care at another setting!

so I feel we will have to choose on or the other..!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 22:04

Lavender2021 · 10/03/2023 21:44

We are sticking with the nursery we have been using since 11 months old. My daughter knows all the staff as it's pretty small and is very happy.
I also need the longer hours and no school holidays just yet as finding holiday cover with no local family isn't easy for a 3 year old.

oh good point. I don’t have any local family either…
So if LO is really settled then i might fee based to switch nursery!

OP posts:
snowtrees · 10/03/2023 22:06

Our school nursery had full wrap around so 7.30-6 but as lot dont

Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 22:08

FraterculaArctica · 10/03/2023 19:53

We are switching DS to school nursery in September (he will be 3.10) because

  • siblings already attend the primary school, will be more convenient to have all DC in one place
  • it's massively cheaper, even allowing for cost of holiday and wraparound care
  • as he's old in his year (and has two older siblings) I have no concerns about him going into a school environment at this point
  • geographically school is much closer than nursery.
Don't know how many of those are relevant to you!

We have 3 schools nearby and the one acrosss the road does wrap around care, which is not the zones school so certainly by the time LO is in primary - it will be wrap around care before and after school with pick up ups and drop offs included.
I just looked it up prices for wrap around care and is £10 a session (3-6pm) or £24 a day.. so because they do in the holidays it is still cheaper over all. I think lol.
I know at the private nursery if we stay for funded hours it will cover 2.5 days and then we will have 1.5 days left to pay…

OP posts:
Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 22:10

snowtrees · 10/03/2023 22:06

Our school nursery had full wrap around so 7.30-6 but as lot dont

Our zoned school is a 10 minutes walk. Literally across the road is another school with wrap around care. They would drop off LO to school
and pick up after.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 22:13

Is it easy getting into a school nursery?
more does it tend to be long waiting lists etc?
how early do we need to apply?

OP posts:
DESGUSTING · 10/03/2023 22:28

We've stuck with private.

  • need the longer hours/full year care
  • he loves it
  • staff are amazing

Our plan was to always go to a school nursery even when we first put him in private but when it came down to deciding it was a no a brainer to keep him there.

Applying for a school nursery in our area;
There is waiting lists, I rang up when DS was 1 and got him onto afew lists.

Original poster
Bree82 · 10/03/2023 22:40

DESGUSTING · 10/03/2023 22:28

We've stuck with private.

  • need the longer hours/full year care
  • he loves it
  • staff are amazing

Our plan was to always go to a school nursery even when we first put him in private but when it came down to deciding it was a no a brainer to keep him there.

Applying for a school nursery in our area;
There is waiting lists, I rang up when DS was 1 and got him onto afew lists.

Woah we have to apply that early?!
makes sense I guess - if we do decide to go with school nursery then the nursery attached to our zoned school has less spaces than primary one…

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 10/03/2023 22:43

Our local council is currently taking applications for nursery to start in September... its a centralised process. Its be admissions criteria (same as the schools) not by when you apply

DESGUSTING · 10/03/2023 22:44

Not exactly apply for a place but get their name on the list.
The schools then ring when it's nearly time for them to start.