Private Nursery

[fairydust]

Our dd is 21 months and we are currently looking into state nursery's

Having just moved into the area - everyone we speak to recomends the private day nursey 5mins from our house.

Someone mentioned we could get vouchers from the state for dd to attend is this so?

And does she already have to be going there to qualify for this.

any help would be apreciated.

Hi Fairydust,
as far as I'm aware this only applies after their 3rd birthday. I'm happy to be corrected but this was certainly the case with dd & private nursery, i paid full rates until she was 3 and then was entitled to five sessions. Usually they do have to be going there already if paticularly if it is very popular. Hope this is of some help.

hi FD
IME the vouchers kick in the term following their third birthday e.g DS1 is 3 in April, vouchers kick in in September

so can i registar dd to go there - after her third birthday??

yes you can - plus you don't need to worry about sorting out the vouchers yourself - the nursery apply for them.

A child is entitled to free 5 x 2.5 hour sessions a week.

thanks slinky - that makes sense now - and has made e really happy

My dds nursery is £9.50 a morning and the voucher doesnt cover all of this so i have to fork out a load at the start of each term. Is that the case for everyone? Or am i being ripped off??? I thought the vouchers were worth a certain amount of money and whatever else it was over i have to cover.

yes that will be the same for me, fees only go down to £5 from 13 when vouchers start.
But that is very very cheap for a private nursery where I live in North London.
I know plenty of people paying £1120 per term for 5 mornings at a Montessori

Double-check with the nursery though - not all are part of the scheme as I think that it means that they are buying into a Government inspection package (ie OFSTED etc). Also I have found that the dates from which funding is available varies - it depends on the local council I think.

thanks all - have spoke to dh and were gonig to try and visit it in the next couple of days

Thanks for reassuring me!

150percent

All nurseries/playgroups/pre-schools MUST be checked by OFSTED - it is not an "opt-out" thing.

Just pasted this from the OFSTED website:

"Important information for day care providers
Do you work in a nursery or a facility that provides day care sessions such as playgroups, crèches or school clubs? If so, you should know that your establishment must be registered and regularly inspected by us.

If your establishment receives an educational grant the inspection will also involve an assessment of the educational provision. If not the inspection will only look at matters related to the physical environment and the quality of care provided."

Slinky, so presumably not all places are getting the educational grant then? Ie not all nurseries will give the free/discounted places?

You should eventually receive "vouchers" from all childcare settings.

They usually "kick-in" the term after the child's 3rd birthday (it used to be after 4th, but Government policies changed so that all 3yos would have access to free "nursery/pre-schools".

HTH

I think the availability of vouchers depends on age and area of country. The original criteria was for the term after child turned four with a Government aim to cover all three yr olds by a certain date. However it depends on the finances of each LEA as to how far they are towards meeting that aim.

Slinky, I'm still not convinced that that is how it works. My understanding is that the LEAs have to ensure that sufficient nursery places are avilable for the 3/4 year olds in their area, and that there should be a mix of state run and private providers of nursery education, but this does not equate to EVERY provider being able to provide funded places ("vouchers" have disappeared!). I guess this can best be seen in the arena of private schools, some of which have nursery classes. Whilst they can provide funded places in my area I've only found one to do so.

Whilst most childcare providers will be desperate to offer funded places (they'll proably lose business if they don't), not all will. The local prep schools don't as if parents don't sign up to the nursery year, then they have a much lower chance of getting a place at the "main" school. So if the law is different, would love to have proof as I would get £1,100 or so off my school fees! I still think that Fairydust has to check with the nursery just in case...

150%, my first dd is at a private prep school - she did join at just before three and I get the free sessions. I didn't ask before she joined so maybe I got lucky - ie, it's one of the few that do it. Would you like me to ask the bursar there if it's applicable to all preps/whwat the restrictions are/aren't?

150%

I'm not sure how the "private sector" runs with regards to vouchers - so apologies if I've given false info.

I'm only familar with childcare settings such as state/private day nurseries/ playgroups/preschools, ie those that fall under the Early Year Development and Childcare Partnership.

I've tried hunting around on-line but can't find anything, so I'll ask at work tomorrow.

We have a local Independent school that takes children from 3 years, so I shall find out if they accept vouchers.

From April all 3 year olds will be entitled to the NEG, at the moment it depends on your counties funding and if it is an area of hardship.

The school, nursery, playgroup or childminder has to be registered with the EYDCP, the best place to find out is from you local Children's Information Service.

The grant is worth roughly (02/03) £410 a term, it can be split betwen providers as well, ie 2 sessions childminder and 3 private nursery.

If you tye ' nursery grant entitlement for 3 year olds' and your county into google, it will bring up the relevant info.

To find your local CIS phone number or details of nurseries, schools registered go to here

The child I looked after got funding for her Montessori and the parent just paid the top up fee. The nursery did all the claiming for the funding. With private nurseries it tends to be the term after they are 3, not the term in which they are 3, or 4 depending on your area. In Herts it was the term before she was 4, for 2 or 3 terms depending on when she started school.

DD's private school are registered for nursery vouchers, as are all the others in the area. The grant is worth about £406 per term which they take off the bill. To be able to accept vouchers they have to fall in with the LEA's Early Years practice and I guess there are still schools which prefer to avoid all contact with LEAs. I think market forces have prevailed up here though. DD will get vouchers for 2 years, from the term after she's 3 (i.e. from April)to the term she's 5, this means that 2/3 terms in Reception will be subsidised.

Different areas have different rules about funding for 3 year olds, so in Herefordshire funding for 3 year olds is only given if you live in a postcode which is classed as deprived or within an Education Action Zone.

visited the private nursery 2-day and they do the "vochers" so have put her name down.

I didn't know this. My ds is 2 in April and attends a private nursery. So I have this to look forward to next year. Fab!