Studying full time and dd just started school-do I need a childminder?

[Pawslikepaddington]

I should really know the answer to this question already but I don't! Dd was at nursery 10-5.30pm last year, but this year is at school 9am to 3.15pm. My lectures are 9am-1pm daily, and then I have 2 classes a week with 3 other students which last an hour, which are scheduled around when everyone is free. Should I get a childminder from 3.15pm until 5pm? I really don't want to, but am worried that not everyone will be able to make a 2pm class (saying that they are all students with no commitments bar girl/boyfriends and sport-sweeping statement I know!). There are no after school clubs so that isn't an option sadly. She goes to bed at 7.30 and am planning on doing the rest of my work from then, as last year I never worked at night unless it was urgent and managed (just)!

I'm not against her going to a childminders, but would prefer to pick her up myself, especially as it is her first year at school. What do you guys do?

Could you see how it goes for now and then make a decision, usually you'll find everythings not as hectic as you thought it would be or opposite and then you'll know "yes I need a childminder" "or no i don't"

Does the school have an after school club?

I was thinking of leaving it as it is, but am worried that I won't be able to find anything for her if I do need it later in the term, as everyone will be booked up. There is no after school club at her school until she moves further up the school but there is an after school care place up the road. It got a "satisfactory" ofsted report - is that good or bad? Obviously I would check it out anyway, but I never know what "satisfactory" means!

Well some say the ofsted report is only as good as the day it is done. Satisfactory can be a bit touch and go, but not many get outstanding.

There are four classifications; poor, satisfactory, good and outstanding.

But a satisfactory doesn't necessarily mean the nusery is bad, perhaps the inspector was in a mood that day haha.

Definatly go with your own intuition, how you feel about the nursery, does anything make you think "oh dear" and stuff like that :D

I'm a student, and my dd2 (dc3) has just started school.

Up until now (have ben studying for 2 years) we have had a nanny for the afternoons, who picked dd2 up from nursery at 12 and was here for the others getting home from school at 3.30, so I could stay in the library till 5. Dh has a good salary so we could afford it, adn it was actually cheaper than sending 3 kids to a childminder.

This year I have reorganised it. Nanny has left for another job as we can't offer enough hours now dd2 is in school. We have a new "mother's help", who is here from 3pm 2 days a week- she does about 1/2 hr housework and ironing before they get home, then helps with homework, makes tea and looks after the kids until 6.30. She's great, an older lady whose kids have all left home, and she treats me like a daughter and looks after us all. If she has spare time she even cooks stuff for the freezer for the days she is not here - stuff she knows the kids will like.

So I get to study 9.30 - 5.30 2 days a week and 9.30 - 2.30 the other 3 days, but still get to be here when they get home on those days. I will have to do a bit in the evening, but thats OK.

This years course hasn't actually started, and I am patching up a couple of things from last year, re-writing an essay from last year that might actually be getting published [smug emoticon] and trying to get a little bit ahead in the reading for this term. So for now it is quite laid back - but I think it shoudl also be OK once the pressure picks up again!

I did two years full time at uni with no childminder while dd was at half day nursery, now dd is at school full time and I am about to start my degree and again will have no childminder.

Thank you all. Have decided to do 3 days at after school club from October (by chance her friend is also going, and they ALWAYS pick good childcare, so feel a bit better now!) and we're looking round next week. That means I get to do three days at the library until 6pm and not annoy the other students by demanding 2pm classes, and also get two days picking her up from school, hurrah! It also means I can go to the gym on my lunchbreak on those days too !