I'm sure this can't be right can anyone enlighten me...how many hours a day free for 4 year old in nursery?

[SparkyFartDust]

I thought it was 2 1/2 (as with 3 year olds) but someone I work with (who should know as was previously a SENCO) said that 4 year olds were entitled to 5 hours gov funding a day...is she right?

yes, you can have 2 vouchers running back to back.
I do with ds1

but it wouldn't be every day.
we do 3 5 hour sessions a week (I pay for half a session)

really?

wow.

It is 5 x 2.5 hours sessions per week up to 38 weeks of the year. However not all providers offer the ability to run sessions back to back.

DD1 goes to private nursery...they keep this very quiet.

so, she should...in theory go from 9am-3.30pm 3 days per week...

yeah its 2.5
soon to be increased to 3, whoop de doo
some settings - school based - offer full day school places, rare tho'

sorry Cargirl X posts

oh

oh yeah, you can do 2 sessions per day
we do this - have to pay for the hour of care over lunchtime. only 12.5 hours per week.

The private nursery doesn't have to offer you the session unless they are a registered provider?

If they are open those hours you can ask to run them back to back.

ds1 goes 8-1

I have to pay for his food because that isn't covered by the voucher, and the extra half session.
but it's worth it becasue I can actually DO stuff while he is there. 2.5 hours is pointless

I've just gone back to work- 4 days. We have just worked out childcare for our 2 girls is costing £16K!!!

I pay out daily almost as much as I earn.

so excited by thought of paying a bit less for DD1.

In private nurseries you normally just get a rebate on the fees that you are paying.

usually kids in private nurseries are there because their parents are workng and therefore there are a lot of employer provided childcare vouchers used for payment. This means its easier for everyone to keep the montly fees the same as usual and then refund the amt via cheque every so often.

And yes as cargirl says they have to be registered as a govt partner.

Thank you everyone.

I think the usual amount is 5 X 2.5 hour sessions - can have 2 sessions a day.

There are some Local Authority areas that are pilots for an increased amount - I think it will be rolled out eventually.

I know Nottingham is a pilot area - not much good to me as I live in Nottinghamshire!

Where I live 3 and 4 year olds get 15 hours a week - preschools have to offer a minimum of 3 hour sessions.

The 15hr roll out will be in September 2010. Some areas are piloting it between now and then but it will become Statutory in September 2010.

Sorry that should have read that preschools have to offer this where I live iyswim! It must be one of the councils piloting it.