Pre-school confusion

[wishfulearthmum]

Hi. Help please! I've searched and searched online and asked friends, but I can't seem to get a straightforward answer about pre-school anywhere!

I always knew that when children turned 3, they got 15 hours free childcare. Our DS has been going to a child-minder 3 days a week since he was 7 months and absolutely loves it there. He's now 26 months and it's only recently I found out that the free hours don't count with a child-minder. This is where my confusion starts!

It seems that pre-schools on a primary school site only have set sessions, i.e on a Monday from 8.00-12.30 etc. As me and my husband both work full-time, we can't do drop-offs and pick-ups in the middle of the day. So unless our childminder is willing to do this for us (which I doubt very much), this option is out.

I presume the other option is transferring him to a nursery. The nursery that is most convenient for us and all my friends happily send their children there, has nothing on their website regarding pre-school free hours. They seem to still charge for full days. Does this mean they don't allow for the free hours? Don't nurseries have to accept the pre-school free hours? And then we pay for the rest of the hours on top?

Finally - thanks if you're still with me! - will we get informed by post of our entitlement, or am I meant to take the initiative? When are you meant to apply for a place?

Thanks for any wisdom and advice!!!

you will need to speak to places you're interested in and see what they offer.

some private nurseries offer set "free" sessions, others will require top-ups.
some will spread the hours over the year so you'll get 11 hours a week every week rather than 15 hours term-time only....
it can get quite complicated :-/

but in a nutshell... go speak to the places you'd be interested in sending him, they ought to be able to tell you all you need to know

They do count with some childminders now, a recent change where childminders graded good or outstanding can offer the hours.

I'm a CM and offer the free hours. A CM who takes and collects a child from pre school may still charge the full day. If you are happy with your CM and can afford it, then leave your child there. They follow the same curriculum as pre schools with lower ratios.

The 'language' of care for U5s provision is very confusing. One setting will call itself a Nursery, another a Nursery school, another daycare, another pre-school another playgroup and they can all offer the same provision, but then you can get 2 that offer different set ups that both call themselves a Nursery - you really do have to approach each one individually and ask what they can offer you.
The 3yr old funding comes in the term after they turn 3, which, depending on when birthday is, can be a few months on.
Some CMs do offer the funded places.
One thing worth considering is what is going to happen once they start school - it might be worth hanging on to your CM if you are going to need her to do wrap around provision once he is at school.
Talk to your CM too - what groups does she take him to already ?
What would be her thoughts on her taking him to a Nursery or playgroup and her caring for him for the rest of the day ? Why do you doubt she'd do that? - CMs can be very flexible, especially for families they already know.
No, Nurseries don't have to offer the funded places, same as CMs - they can nopt in if they want to, but don't have to.