summer born dd has missed out on place at Nursery

[amyclaramum]

My dd3 was born at the end of August 07 and I put her name down when she was only 4 months old, on the waiting list at the little church hall nursery next to the school where my 2 elder dd's go (at the time I joked about being so organised with the member of staff I gave the forms to!) It is a really nice nursery and my dd2 went there too so I had assumed that we would easily get in !

However I have now found out that all the spaces have been allocated in order of date of application and because she is at the end of the year she has not got a place for January 2010 !

Has anyone else come across this problem ? I have written to the Nursery Managers to complain about the unfair admissions policy but there doesn't seem to be anything else I can do ! They have told me she won't get a place in September 2010 either as it would be out of her year group

I suppose this is just another Summer born issue !?

I had this problem at the local playgroup. Our local primary school does not have a nursery class and the counil closed the local state run nursery school in favour of extra places elsewhere.

We moved into the artea when dd was 12 months old so missed out.

I went private in the end and sent them to a newly openend nursery in the next town.

Are there any state school nurseries in your area. Those places are usually allocated by the council in the same way as reception class places are. You get your form in by x date and it goes on their admissions criteria.

we have had a similar problem with our son that although we were one of the first people to get our sons name on the school list he hasnt got a place because other children had siblings already in the school. it seems unfair that if your born in the summer or are the only child you miss out

This does seem to be the system with playgroup style places, I remember thinking it was odd when putting DD on the list. But no child around here would get a place at 2.5 (have I done my sums right?).

And she won't even get a place in Sept 2010?
So she won't get any pre-school education at that setting at all?
That is dreadful.
Do you have any other options?

Yes, surely she should be first on the list for September. Insisting on year groups at that age is bizarre. Or does she get a school nursery place in September?

Hi - well its interesting to see that its not just us ! I think I might go back and push the September 2010 option as she is so young for her year anyway and there isn't a school nursery option around here! And Yes Beehivebaby they take children from 2.5 only !

Ahhh, I get it. Here a playgroup might take children from 2.9 to 4, but in reality no children will be under 3 because the older children haven't moved on and when they do, the next oldest on the list gets to go.

Our pre-school also accept them in birth date order, which I actually think is fair. However, they would not refuse to take an August born child in the next batch iyswim, they would be top of the list. That does seem very unfair.