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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

How many parents (of nursery age children or younger) are aware that childminders offer funded pre-school sessions?

99 replies

KatyMac · 25/03/2009 15:08

You know the 12.5 hours a week early years education that the government provides for free?

I'm doing a survey - so could people reply

Yes they are aware childminders can offer these sessions
or
No they weren't aware (before Katymac asked)

Thank you

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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onepieceofcremeegg · 26/03/2009 21:34

KatyM my cm is newly registered (Dec last year) and I think she offers this.

My dd is an August baby and also I work shifts. Potentially I was going to partly "pay" the cm out of my gov funding (i.e. the funding for the 12.5 or 15 hours whatever it is.)

dd2 will be 3 literally days before she would start her official pre school year, and I am keen to keep her at the cm if at all possible.

I would probably/possibly book her in to a couple of afternoon preschool sessions on my days off so she gets used to a more "school" type setting before starting Reception.

Due to practicalities it is going to be very difficult/impossible for my cm to be popping back and forth to a nursery/preschool during the day to drop off and collect my dd.

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 21:38

"we have a parent in our nursery, child has been there for 6 months, she has just said she did not know she had to pay full fees in the holiday"

The nursery that DS2 was at last year, and which DS3 will (hopefully) go to in a few years time runs throught he holidays for the "free" places.

It's Mon-Thu (so not open to LEA children on Fridays - only the full time ones) and goes through the school holidays -

and OMG - I just googled the webpage for it to see how many weeks they don't get the free places for and found on the main page where it says about their OUTSTANDING Ofsted last year a picture that has my DS2 on it

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 21:38

onepieceofcremeegg - that's lovely because it's all about continuity of care and parental choice

OP posts:

ChasingSquirrels · 26/03/2009 21:40

yes I was aware. But was of the opinion that not many were registered to do so (maybe wrong in this).

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 21:44

I think you are right chasingsquirrals - but I do think it will increase now EYFS is in place

OP posts:

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 21:45

ahh - now I've got over the shock of seeing my DS2 on the front page of the website I've discovered the part-time places (the free ones) are 48 weeks of the year.

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 21:47

That is really clever.....I like that idea

PS FAQ did you sign a photo release allowing your DS's picture to be used after he had left (OFSTED were very impressed with my one - apparently it isn't a normal thing to do

OP posts:

ChasingSquirrels · 26/03/2009 21:48

yes, just read the thread now Katy.

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 21:48

I signed a form to say his photos could be used when he was there - can't remember it was for use after he'd left or not - but looks like the website hasn't been updated for quite some time LOL.

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 21:55

tbh it wouldn't have been and issue if it had been like it when DS1 was there, but when DS2 was there it was a PITA, he wanted to go to nurser in the school holidays, so some days we'd get up and take him down, Fridays were a pita for me because he was at home every Friday - there was rumour they were going to be going back to "normal" part -time hours - but I don't think they will.......

onepieceofcremeegg · 26/03/2009 21:56

KatyM do you know whether or not all cms who registered recently will be "qualified" (sorry if that is the wrong word) to offer the nursery education?

I'm really hoping that my proposed plan works out, as the cm is fab. (dd isn't 3 until next year though). As you say, it is lovely - potentially an ideal situation for all of us; cm and dd included.

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 21:57

I really really like the idea & it might work very well for me

I have to jiggle it a bit & do a spreadsheet but I think it's a fab idea

OP posts:

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 21:58

onepieceofcremeegg - it totally depends - as I understand it (very new to me) she needs to be part of a network, have a recognised childcare qualification & become accredited

OP posts:

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 22:00

yes in essence it's a good idea - I think it just irked me as I wasn't a working parent so it didn't "help" me in any shape or form - I just saw the strops and mucked up schoo holidays with DS2 wanting to go to nursery and DS1 wanting to go out for the day LOL.

I think for the working parents it was very different, as even if their child stayed on in the Neighbourhood Nursery so they had to pay for that bit it was spread evenly out through out the year - so rather than suddenly facing 6 weeks of full time places to fund it was a steady flow of part-time places (if that makes sense?)

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 22:04

That makes sense but for me it's a way of standardising my income throughout the year

OP posts:

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 22:05

well - yes I suppose the working parent scenario works the other way round for your too

myredcardigan · 26/03/2009 22:11

No, I didn't know that. It's another option for parents I suppose, though I'd be surprised if it was popular. Most 3 and 4year olds are more than ready for nursery and enjoy the complete package (setting, social,having a teacher etc)

Certainly I'd be surprised if many people just wanted the 12.5 hours from a CM. If you don't need/want the wraparound care,why not take them to the nursery class of the local school?

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 22:12

'cos the local school doesn't have one & if you don't drive you can't get to any of the local nurseries?

OP posts:

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 22:15

If it wasn't for the fact that the nursery I've got DS3 down for is so bloody good (like yourself Katy with it's outstanding ofsted) and the fact that's it's done so well for both DS1 and 2 - both totally different characters, (plus the fact that the head teacher goes to my church LOL) I would certainly consider using a child minder for the part time place for DS3.

Shoshe · 26/03/2009 22:15

I became accredited in 2003, and offered the Free session to my Parents then.

Two of my parents took it up, saying that they preferred their children to stay with me, instead of going onto Nursery, as they wanted them o continue to be able to go to Dance, Gym and swimming, and flt that they would not get the range of activities at Nursery that they did with me.

At that time, the grant was 2.75 an hour, they same as I was charging per hour, it is now 3.00 a hour whereas my charge is now 3.50, it is not now financially viable for me to continue offering it, and as most of my children are only with me on average of 18 months, and usually start at about 9 months now, I dont advertise it.

The amount of work involved was a lot more than the average CM did then, but no more now than all CM's have to do.

myredcardigan · 26/03/2009 22:16

Yes, obviously if you need it for practical reasons. Maybe it will be more popular in less urban areas where people have about 5 nurseries within 10min of them.

I'm not having a dig, was just genuinely surprised as to the need.

FAQinglovely · 26/03/2009 22:19

myredcardigan - I live in a town - the nearest decent nursery to me is a good 1/2hr walk away (and that's now the DS's can walk the mile to school in just over 15 minutes).

There is another nursery on the way to the schools, but I've not heard good reports about that (private one), and the 2 "local" schools also have one - but definitely don't want him to go there - for starters all of the children from those nurseries will be going to the local schools - and he won't, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Having lots of nurseries close by doesn't mean yo have lots of good nurseries close by.

Original poster

KatyMac · 26/03/2009 22:19

That's my point Shoshe - I think it will be more prevalent now we have to do EYFS

It's OK myredcardigan it's just different in the country

OP posts:

myredcardigan · 26/03/2009 22:21

Shoshe, we did all those in the afternoon after he finished nursery.

I completely understand it being a very good and sensible option for working parents or in areas without nursery provision.

I am just surprised parents would opt not to send their 4yr old to nursery. I don't think it's necessarily a bad decision. I was just surprised, that's all.

myredcardigan · 26/03/2009 22:25

FAQ, DS attended the nursery of our local state primary even though we then went private for Reception. But then it is a good school. Lots of kids went to nursery there and then went on to various other schools. I guess I also forget that some people live in areas without good schools or near schools that don't have a nursery class.

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