two preschools?

[Nothingtodowithme]

My son is currently with a childminder three mornings a week whilst I work. My hours are increasing in the autumn to include afternoons.

He has places at two pre-schools starting in September, one for afternoon at a private school for which I'd use childcare vouchers, and one funded place in the mornings. I've paid the deposit for the private school and was planning to turn down the other one. There are a few reasons why I have gone for the private school, even though I love both preschools. The plan is for the childminder to take him to preschool in the afternoons.

However, it's just occurred to me that I could send him to both preschools. The funded place for three mornings a week and the private school for five afternoons, which would save my childminding bill. Is this ridiculous?

Is it allowed? Would he still get funding? Would be be confused, exhausted?

Why can't he just go to one?
You can use your funding and also the vouchers to pay the extra

Neither of them will take him all day. The private school doesn't have funded places. I need him to be looked after for three full days and two half days a week.

How would he get from one to the other? Would it involve uniform changes? Is there time for lunch in between? It sounds like it could all get a bit hectic... I'm finding doing just the afternoons for preschool a bit of a faff alongside work as its a lot of back and forth! (but that's probably just me!)

There would be 1hr20 mins in between, 10 minutes walk and a uniform change.

And I work on the same road.

The benefit of the childminder is that I just have to drop him there and she'd take him to afternoon preschool.

Sorry, I see you said your childminder would take him!

Forgot to add my DS goes to afternoon preschool but private nursery twice a week, mornings. He enjoys it. It was a bit confusing at first but he's taking it in his stride and enjoying all the new stuff he's doing. (Sadly) it hasn't made him want to go to bed any earlier though

Not sure in terms of being 'allowed'. I can't imagine you're supposed to... if this was a bit of a loophole then more people would be doing it (or are they?!).

You do realise your childminders will still charge you for the time he is at the afternoon setting?
In answer to your question, yes, you are "allowed" to send your child to any number of settings

You can send your child to as many places as you like, as long as you only claim the 15 hours funding once.

Consistency would be best for your child though, so either stick with the cm or maybe do the cm and one other setting. Does your cm offer founded spaces?

Good point about charging - will your cm charge for the full day or not?

If I sent him to both I would not use a cm.

So would you collect him from the morning place and take him to the other?

It all sounds pretty stressful to me, not least for you racing between settings. I'd stick with the childminder and pick one.