Is this always how nursery places have worked?

[KinderWild]

Baby due mid April 21. I've reached out to local full time (51 week) nurserys about a place for April 22.
The responses have largely said that they work on a September start date. That I can go on a wait list but won't be guaranteed an April start.

I don't remember this being an issue with my first but then he is an October baby so we would have done a September start.

I can of course just register and see how things go but the responses leave me thinking I am supposed to try and make a September start work, so my options would be delay nursery start til sept 22 (doesn't work for work) or pay from sept 21 (doesnt woke financially).

I was wondering if this is how nurserys have always worked? And if they work this way where you are? Thanks!

I live in an area where nurseries can get booked up not London) and DC1 is at a private nursery. The child can start at any time as long as they have space (obviously), the baby room is 0-2, toddlers 2-3 and preschool 3-4, so they all move rooms around the time of their second and third birthdays, which means gradual movement rather than all at once. Obviously a lot of the preschoolers will leave in July/August ahead of starting school. But this wouldn't automatically create space in the other rooms as it depends on the ages and birthdays of those children as to when they'd move up.

In cities a lot of nurseries need you to register interest when you’re pregnant if you want a baby room space, so this seems about right for older rooms. They probably don’t have room until the older kids go to school

OMG! Move to the North West. I made enquiries and DS started maybe a week later!

[quote KinderWild]@Todaytomorrowyesterday that's a good point. I wonder if we hedge our bets and reserve places at more than one nursery (which seems totally bonkers now I've written that down and again more money). But now I've said that, I wonder if others are holding more than one place.[/quote]
We held places at two nurseries; our number one choice and another which had more availability but which we liked less (but was still fine)

Omg a nursery equiv of all of the private sw london threads. Backups and safety places and perhaps waiting list activity reports. Bloody hell !

From experience looking in SE London, yes some people will be holding multiple nursery places, in hope that at least one of them has a space in time. At least it means waiting lists move along, as they (normally) only need one space and can release the rest.

Wasn't that way when our eldest went to private nursery, she started in March but that was in 2006. I think they have moved in line with school years because of all the up to 30hrs free slots they have to cater for.

2007 not 6

I live in the North West in a little town and had this problem. Went back to work in May but baby didn't start until Sept. I'd signed her up before she was born! Next baby I'm going to try and time for a Sept return...if it is possible to have that luxury!

@Chelyanne I'd not thought of the 30 free hours having an impact.

Yes our eldest was born 2015, again SE London, I started looking in March of 2016 and he started in Aug at our first choice. So it definitely has changed.

@HeronLanyon not seen the posts you mention. Just trying to figure out how to navigate this madness, as it seems this is how it works now.

But you get 30 hours the term after the child turns 3, so that's in January, April and September - not just September.

Good point. And something to look forward to!

In your case you will actually have to wait until September, assuming baby will be born in April. If baby's born in March you'll get the funding from April!

Either way it's a lovely time of year to have a baby

Thank you @NameChange30, fingers crossed it is April!

@KinderWild

I did look into childminders a few times over the years for DS1 and found some lovely ones. The main thing that put me off was the size of the premises to number of children. Not in a snotty way, DS1 is very physical and likes to run and climb and so I worried about him going stir crazy in a small area. Second baby is DS2 and may of course be different but may not. Hard to tell right now!

My childminder has a better outdoor space than some of the nurseries I looked around!!

Why not put their name down for the September nursery start, then find a childminder you can use April-sept. I doubt any childminders are so lacking in space they won’t be able to cater for a 12-18 month old. When September comes round you can reconsider whether to stick with the CM or switch to the nursery place you have reserved.

It is bonkers having to book so early though.

I'm a childminder and I naturally have plenty of spaces in September. It's the only time of year I can almost guarantee spaces. I can imagine in a nursery there are several every year.

@KinderWild

I am happy to sign up now but thought with enough notice we'd find a place. I've tired 4 nurseries. I just hadn't factored in having to delay a return to work for 6 months or pay for an extra 6 months (£7k). We don't have family to help so it really would be a decision between paying to hold a place or delaying work.

dont you pay for nursery anyway?

See if you can get a childminder as an interim measure between going back to work in April and starting nursery in September? They are much cheaper IME. The ones we've looked at are about a third of the price of day nursery.

Did you definitely write April 2022 on your email because at first I thought you were asking about April 22nd - i.e. for a 1 day old baby!

I have not seen a nursery that only has a September intake before but I guess that's London for you. You are probably wisest to register for multiple places you like and hope one comes up with a space when you need it.

@Atalantea yes i would pay. But I wouldnt expect to pay full fees (4 days) from sept 2021 when I want my son to start in April 2022.

@HamFisted, @modgepodge, thanks I'll have a look at childminders. But I do feel slightly guiltly about signing up to lots of things in case, or as interim measures.

@CakesOfVersailles yes I definitely did write 2022 (nursery place for April 2022 was the subject of the email). I did have to go back and check though!