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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

3 Years Waiting List

17 replies

StacieBenson · 09/05/2023 16:52

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant - I went to see a nursery last week and filled out the application form for baby to start nursery in 15 months time. They've told me they can't offer me anything until September 2026, when baby will be 3 years old. Is this normal?!? Starting to panic as I can't even get other nurseries to call me back/offer me tours....

OP posts:

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Statsinyoureyes · 09/05/2023 16:56

Are you sure they take children under 3? A three year waiting list isn't normal no. People don't even know they are having a baby 3 years beforehand

Original poster

StacieBenson · 09/05/2023 16:58

They definitely take children from 3 months onwards - I checked the age range and saw the babies there when I went on my tour last week.

OP posts:

VivaVivaa · 09/05/2023 16:59

Not remotely normal. Presuming most people have 9-12 months maternity leave, who reserves a place at a nursery a year before even getting pregnant? Do they definitely take children under 3? Some nurseries around us have 1-1.5 years but 3 years I’ve never, ever heard of.

Alloveragain3 · 09/05/2023 17:00

Seems crazy.
We started looking at nurseries when my son was 2.
Most were full for the year but had space for when he was 3.
He ended up starting locally at 2.5 when a space came up.

Statsinyoureyes · 09/05/2023 17:00

That's really odd then, I mean how can the baby room be full for 2 years when those babies aren't even conceived yet?

Try another nursery, the most I've ever heard for a waiting list is people booking when still pregnant, which is what you are doing. I'm sure you'll be fine!

Original poster

StacieBenson · 09/05/2023 17:29

I don't understand it myself - I went back to confirm it wasn't a typo and apparently it's definitely a 3 year waiting list.

OP posts:

MymateDave · 09/05/2023 17:33

Huge waiting lists in our town op. My friend was told a 2 year wait. It’s not even just babies and toddlers, I have never been able to get any of my 3 children into a breakfast or after school club.

Saffronn · 09/05/2023 17:33

Only thing I can think of is that they have a lot of siblings signed up?

But it is odd - I’m in a competitive-parenting nappy valley hotspot, and waiting lists are more like a year.

Boxbedbank · 09/05/2023 17:36

I'd have a look around at other nurseries too, I actually had dc1 in a nursery near work (and looked at a couple enroute). Worked better logistically for me.
Also look at childminders if not in different locations. At this stage don't worry about them going local so they'll be with the dc they go to school with. I have 3 dc and none went to school with dc from nursery and it didn't effect friendships.

FlounderingFruitcake · 09/05/2023 17:37

That’s really weird! I guess if their baby room is very small and they have sibling preference I guess they might be anticipating that all spaces will go to siblings with no space for anyone else until preschool- I’ve come across this before but it was in the US so 12 weeks was the typical age to start which meant them being in the baby room for much longer. Or maybe they’re planning on closing completely but they haven’t announced anything yet so they’re fobbing you off. Doesn’t make a great deal of sense though.

CMOTDibbler · 09/05/2023 17:39

Years ago when we moved there was a nursery which had a similar wait list as they only really had an intake in the baby room, then at 3 and the children all stayed until reception. So if you didn't get a place starting at 6 months, you wouldn't get one till 3 if there was still one then. And as all children left in August to go to school, there weren't places at other months

LIZS · 09/05/2023 17:47

Do they only intake/move rooms in September. It could be that they already have enough for the first room but take more at 3 when ratios change.

KateyCuckoo · 09/05/2023 18:09

Statsinyoureyes · 09/05/2023 17:00

That's really odd then, I mean how can the baby room be full for 2 years when those babies aren't even conceived yet?

Try another nursery, the most I've ever heard for a waiting list is people booking when still pregnant, which is what you are doing. I'm sure you'll be fine!

It's difficult to explain but essentially the baby room is full whilst OP needs a space in the baby room, then after that when they'll have a space, it will be the toddler room she needs and that is full with all the babies from the baby room etc etc...

Capitulatingpanda · 09/05/2023 18:13

My son was on a waiting list for a nursery that you start at 3 years old. He was on since birth and never got a place in the 5 years on the list, a paid waiting list too. Some places are popular and sometimes siblings and children of staff get priority.

Sallyanne1983 · 09/05/2023 20:43

KateyCuckoo · 09/05/2023 18:09

Show quote history

Oh that makes sense…

belladonna22 · 10/05/2023 15:21

That sounds ridiculous, and I'm in super competitive SW London, waitlist central. When I phoned around for my son (a few weeks after he was born, looking to start at 10mo), places said they wouldn't have space, then lo and behold a few months later I was told that they would in fact have space. Get on waitlists now, just in case things open up. Obviously you can't count on that, but it can't hurt (beyond any sort of registration fee). Good luck!

Tweetinat · 10/05/2023 18:55

The sector is suffering a chronic recruitment problem and is even worse in certain locations. Nurseries close to me have 2yr waiting lists at the moment simply because they can't get the staff to open the baby room. one manager was saying she has the space for an additional 14 children, but can only have 6 currently due to staffing. She closed her waiting list in October as she knew she can't meet the need. It's horrendous and only going to get worse once the funded hours kick in from 9 months.

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