Pre school charges?

[jelly jiggles]

Hi I have a minded child who attends my setting and also goes to a pre school. Parents dropped off this morning saying that their pre school has started to fine parents who take their children out . This doesn't sound right to me. What do you all think.
Thanks
Jo

[Bumble Beez]

That sounds odd...when you say 'take the children out', do you mean for holidays etc?
Maybe they're trying to get parents ready for when child goes full time...however a fine seems harsh!

[bindy]

Wow, I guess that's one way for them to earn extra money! My child would be taken out and not going back!! Lol

[jelly jiggles]

Yes same here. Not sure how they can make it stick as it is not law to send a child to pre school. Parents are going on holl and don't want to pay the extra while away.

[FussyElmo]

Is it like a nursery attached to a school.

I know that some school are charging for any unauthorised absences not sure how they can legally charge for a child who doesn't have to be there. But I know our school send out attendance letters for nursery children

Or does she mean they are introducing that the place has to be paid for like many cms do. So regardless of if the child is away the place has to be paid for. I suppose they have to make sure they have a certain amount coming in and if a percentage of the children are off they would be struggling to pay staff wages etc

[jelly jiggles]

Yes for when children do not attend its a £60 fine. So quite steep.

[bunyip]

Yes for when children do not attend its a £60 fine. So quite steep.

Sounds a lot. Is that £60 daily? ..........weekly? ....... or what?

[Bumble Beez]

Yes for when children do not attend its a £60 fine. So quite steep.

That's a lot...I can't see how that is feasible tho...that's very expensive! Don't think my families would be happy with that.

Sarah x

[bindy]

Sounds a lot. Is that £60 daily? ..........weekly? ....... or what?

My sister wanted to take her daughter out in September, she was told £60 per week. She is not pre-school though. Its something the government has introduced, did not think it was for pre-school . Children don't have to attend pre-school. If it's private surely the parents will be paying for the space even if child goes a way and does not attend. If its state, I have no idea! Maybe the government want the money back, they pay too the nursery for the time the child's away!

[madredann]

One of the children I minded a few years back went a pre-school attached to the school she was going to attend it was specifically for children a year before starting(are they all like that?) school uniform etc-it was 5 mornings a week so im guessing that all the places were funded. I would just say my child was poorly or something-these people are making us tell fibs but £60 is alot of money-my kids were taken out of nursery if I was at home(I worked at the time)for all sorts of reasons one of which was I wanted to spend time with them can you believe! we would never of survived a pre-school lol xx

[hectors house]

Is £60 the amount of funding the Nursery school claims back for that child in Nursery Funding? Does anyone know if the Nursery has to pay it back to government if child doesn't attend due to holiday? Maybe this is the reason!

[jelly jiggles]

It's 60 each time they take the child out. So if they take the child out for 1 week it's 60. If they take the child out next month for 2 days another 60. Yes they will be making parents lie. I don't think the government will take money back as otherwise all preschools would do the fine. I think it is mean and greedy and if parents wish to take children out because of holidays or visits for family we should encourage it. When they reach school age 4/5 they possibly won't have that chance or get a cheaper holl.

[snufflepuff]

I'd heard about lots of schools charging £60 per week for taking a child in holiday but I didn't know pre-schools were doing it too. That's awful, children don't legally have to attend so how can they be fined for non-attendance?! I honestly don't think that's what the government intended, the idea of fines was surely just for school aged children.