Struggling to find a nursery that accepts 2-3 part time days

[Sunflower10S]

Is this normal?
I am looking to start toddler when he turns 3 in September this year at nursery but would like for him to attend 2-3 part time days. Not full days and not every day either.

Every nursery I have spoken to so far have told me it has to be either, Monday to Friday part time, or 3 full days. They cannot accept for example Mon,Tues and Weds part time.

Not sure what my options are now?

Thanks

Whats the objective of the childcare?

If for socialising - have you got any local playgroups?

If for work reasons - perhaps a childminder?

For the nurseries it will be difficult to mange staff numbers / ratios / income level, which is why they will be turning you down. TBH I’m amazed you can find nurseries open to a fully part-time place at all!

A preschool attached to a school could accommodate this. A private one probably won't want to.

I would advise you to look at preschools that are not private. At private preschools, I found that it was necessary to pay over the odds for part-time childcare and that half a day, for example, would cost almost as much as a full day because they weren't sure if they could find another child to take the remaining hours. It's understandable, of course. I found that preschools which are not private tend to be more flexible.

Pre schools are often good for this. I have friends who have them booked in M-F because the preschool ask for that, but they only send them 3 days.

I think you are looking at the wrong setting, preschool is much better for flexible hours. Nursery caters to wraparound care for the most part.

A preschool in a private school are usually very flexible with days.

Private nurseries don’t want to have to try and fill days no one wants like a sole Monday or Friday.

Thank you for your help 😊

A pre-school may work better for you as, even if they require you to go every morning or afternoon, that is only a half day (obviously!) and the afternoon will finish around 3/3.30 so it’s a much shorter day. It will be term time only though so, if you are relying on it for childcare, you’d need a back up for during the school holidays.
With a private nursery, if you make it clear that you will pay for three full days, then they may be more accommodating of you wanting to collect early. On the other hand, nurseries tend to be able operate with the minimal number of staff that they have as they are very routine based and so someone working outside of that may not work.

Most pre schools attached to schools I know are not as flexible as the other posters suggest - being attached to a school means they will still report on attendance (whether or not legally they have to be there or not) - they would be expected to take a full place and attend every day - the reasoning being to get them ready for the routine of school

I’ve never heard of these flexible pre-schools? Where are they? around here, pre-schools are fixed 9:30 to 2:30 or 3, term time only… no flexibility whatsoever.

Look at preschools or school nurseries but the preschool DS went to that would have accommodated this closed down as it wasn’t profitable and the school nursery we moved to insisted on minimum 5 mornings Autumn term transitioning to full time by the summer term so I don’t think it’s necessarily a given you’ll get the hours you want… Also if you’re in England then as a September birthday they may not take him this year. If you don’t need the childcare then I’d probably consider keeping him home for another year but doing loads of groups/activities then doing 5 mornings term time only for his preschool year.

I'm in outer London. Lots of preschools round me operate am/pm sessions, you can do either or both. They are term time only though.

@TabbyMcTattle we are in surrey, there are definitely no pm sessions in preschool here (as they close at 3pm the latest). some (few) do morning sessions, but that’s 5 days per week (term time only).
Geographically close, yet so different

That isn't the case, if the child isn't meant to be there they are not marked absent. There are various codes for different scenarios. Educated off-site (by the parent) would cover this.

@Pearlstillsinging i don’t think for ours you have to send your child every day, but you definitely have to pay! Its 5 days per week or nothing in terms of paying

How many free hours do you get?

There is a mark on the register for ‘not required’ for pupils who are under five. At least there is at my school.