School nursery vs private nursery?

[JADS]

Hi

I could really do with some thoughts here as I am struggling to work out what is best for DS. He will be 3 in Nov and has development issues probably mild GDD. Late walker, some hypermobility and his speech is about a year behind what it should be. No obvious ASD but is at risk due to being XYY.

He currently goes to a cm 3 days a week plus 1 day at private nursery. He copes well with both although I think he gets a little 'lost' at nursery. He is the oldest in his current room but they are looking to move him up in Sept. I work 3.5 days a week and had planned for him to go to this nursery 3.5 days a week once he reached 3.

Unfortunately he stay with the current cm come Jan.

We have had the EP come to us to look at getting him some extra help and she seems very keen to try and help us. She is attached to our 2 closest schools both of which seem good. However from what she said it seemed that hewould have a better chance of statements etc. If at the school nursery rather than the private nursery. Is that right?

My preffered option would be school nursery plus cm as wraparound care. Cm in the area where we live are rare and booked up. Private nuseries offer wraparound care (sadly not the one he is at) but that just defeats the object in my eyes. The whole thing is stressing me out.

The worst (or maybe best ) thing is that we will move anyway so he will be going to primary school elsewhere. My hope was that he would get a super dooper statement from our current LEA knowing they only had to deliver it for a short time (cynical)

Sorry if I haven't used the correct terminology. Am new to all this. Any pointers or thoughts appreciated!

Hi my DD is 3 & has severed GDD (Down's, hypermobility, vision problems & deafness)

She is at a private nursery & is statemented.

In terms of the opening hours & the willingness of staff to 'go the extra mile' for DD then a private nursery has been the right option for us, however...

Our LEA are refusing to fund her statement (specifies 25 hrs 1-1 care) and are saying they will only fund if we put her in a 'designated' ( or special) school nursery. They claim there is no legal responsibility to fund a statement for a child in a private nursery. The challenge we have is that the designated school nursery is refusing her a place as she is seen to be too advanced relative to the other applicants, so at the moment she has no support & hasn't since she was statemented & her inclusion grant was removed.

I'd strongly recommend you investigate your LEA rules before going the statement route just yet, as for us, it has significantly harmed my DD development - we would have been much better off without a statement.

Sorry should have said severe GDD not severed (iPad autocorrect!!!)

proudmum

What was the LEAs response when they were told that the school nursery would not accept your DD?.

Can you prove to the LEA that this nursery your DD is already at is indeed the only and most suitable one for her needs?.

I would in any case seek independent advice from someone like IPSEA if you have not already done so. I think it is unlawful to leave her without support if a statement has been issued.

A statement is legally binding and offers legal protection; nothing else does.

JADS

The EP may be correct but I'd still be seeking independent advice all the same from somewhere like IPSEA.

Could your prove that DS's needs can only be fully met at this private based nursery rather than a school based one?.

Hi Attila - we're currently fighting the LEA, we get a decision next week on whether they will fund (after 6 mths of escalating, we're now dealing with head of the council)

I got the NDCS to review her statement last week & their view was the statement wasn't worth the paper it is written on, as they have placed all provisions in part 6...I made the mistake of trusting the LEA PPS when going through the initial statement process, who assured me the statement was good. I will also get in touch with IPSEA too. Thanks!

proudmum
I think this came up for us years ago
I have a vague feeling that the definition of maintained nursery school may have been changed in certain contexts to include private nurseries in receipt of govt funding (so if your nursery offers free nursery hours)
I know those that get funding are now covered by SEN COP but I don't know the legislation that changed it - try IPSEA for advice
I think LA using a loophole
You might be able to get legal advice to judicially review the decision they don't have to fund statements that name private nurseries
There is also provision anyway under s.19 of Education Act 1996 to provide sen provision 'otherwise than at school' which would include a private nursery even if it is not covered by the definition of school or nursery in Ed Act.

Jads we were also pushed towards school nurseries, it could be because nurseries in schools have already been allocated an sen budget whereas private nurseries would be able to apply for extra funding for your child for sen / inclusion support and LA dont want to allocate more money.

It could also be genuinely the provision is better in the school nursery if they have more experience and because overseen by a qualified teacher - whereas a private nursery may have less expertise & therefore if show that provision still not enough be quicker route to a statement

We got a statement in a private nursery and when it was apparent not working LA tried to say a school nursery would be able to meet need when a private nursery could not - as no teacher etc. In fact DS needs were too high to be met in mainstream at all even in the most experienced nursery they still would not have had the time and resources necessary. If this is likely to be an issue then trying and failing a school nursery may be a quicker route to a statement than having to try a private nursery - then being made to try a school nursery - and then getting a statement.

In theory LAs should resource all settings whether their own or private (in receipt of funding) the same and get same visits from SLT etc. In practice there can be differences. eg a school gets set SLT, EP time whereas private nurseries dont and have to call in for specific children - and that can mean you get more or less input in each depending on local circumstances. We got more visits in private nursery than we would have in school because ds was the only child they had to see when they came, whereas in school his SLT reduced from 2 hour visits to 20 mins!

Thank you for the pointers. Will contact IPSEA. My gut feeling is that the school nursery I saw would be better. I just need to find a good cm to pick up the other hours. DS is an only and loves being around slightly older kids.