Is one day a week at pre-school worth it?

[TheGirlWhoWrites]

Hello, my DD is currently in nursery 2 days a week, with MIL 2 days then me one. My mum has offered to have her one day too so this means she'd only be in nursery one day a week. DH says DD would miss out on one less day at nursery development-wise and we'd be better off taking a day from MIL. But my mum offered the day to help financially so we're paying for one less day at nursery. Then there's the 15 hours entitlement to take into account from September (DD is 3 in June). So might be financially better off then anyway but still trying to wrap my head around entitlement and minimum hours. Thoughts? Does anyone else have their LO in just one day?

My DD is the same age.

I wouldn't like that arrangement personally, but not because it's only 'one day' at nursery. But because being somewhere different nearly every day of the week is a bit much, she won't know whether she's coming or going.

Will your nursery even let you do just one day? Ours wouldn't.

I wouldn't have her somewhere different every day. Too confusing.

Some children find it hard to settle of they only do one day a week. Two half days are normally better from that point of view.

My children used to have 5 sessions ( 3hrs) at pre school and then be picked up by my mum or me. This really suited everyone, continuity at pre school and also my mum didn't have to be tied to looking after them all day. I also got a few hours to myself on my non working days.

Someone will be along to say their dc did one day and they were fine, and I'm sure there are children that are, but I visit a lot of Nurseries, and it commonly happens, when a child is only in one day a week, that they really struggle - it is like they have to start again / do a settling in time each week.

I totally agree with WhiteBlueDaisies too. Many children will struggle with having 4 different "settings" each week, with slightly different boundaries which completely unsettles them.

Thank you, I didn't even consider how unsettling it might be. That's helped me make up my mind: I'll keep her in nursery 2 days a week.

While I have people's attention, how come the nursery is charging us despite getting 15 hours free a week once DD is 3? I will check with them but find it all confusing!

If your using a private nursery then it's quite normal to still be charged I think.

We used the school nursery, the 15 hours where free so 3 hours x5 a week but they charge for snacks and any cooking activities that they do. So they was still a small charge. You could also use their lunch club if you wanted which was about £3 for 40 minutes childcare, DS did this when I started working at the school during lunchtimes.

Private nursery will take the 15 hours free then charge extra for, lunch, snacks ect I'm guessing it should be on your bill. It's all leagual.

The money the nursery gets from the Local Authority varies across the country, but I think, universally, the money for each hour, is less than it costs the nursery to run as a business. So, whereas the 'rules' state a nursery is not allowed to charge a 'top up', if it weren't creative in getting some money in somehow, then it wouldn't be viable as a business and would have to close.
Nurseries do this in different ways.....charging for meals, charging for the hours over meal time or 'before and after the education' time, charging for activities or resources...... some have to limit the numbers of funded places, and add more than they would otherwise charge on to the fees of the people who are paying.

I would worry about 1 day a week being unsettling too.

Re. charging - DS2 goes to a private nursery. The free hours have to be taken in set sessions - something like 9-11:30 and 12:30-3 I think. If you want your child there outside those times, e.g. they're doing a session on Monday morning and Monday afternoon so you want them to stay through lunch and eat lunch at nursery too- it's a extra charge. Quite hefty compared to the all day price for kids there from 8am -6pm.
They also charge extra for certain activities where they bring on external people.

I would say 2 days a week would be better. Ask the nursery about the three year old funding. Alternatively mornings at nursery and afternoons with grandparents ?