Starting nursery in sept - poss full time

[Helcatt]

he lad I look after currently will have been with me for 2 years in Sept. The assumption has always been that he will start nursery part time in sept this year and go full time next sept for a term before starting reception

The school is changing the intake to just one a year so he is in all likelyhood, going to start full-time in sept

Firstly, if he is full-time but mum wants me to drop him off, how that does work with numbers? Can I talk to Ofsted about a variation due to continuity of care? I can't miss out on a fulltime under 5 child because of a school run!

Also, how do I talk to mum about holiday care? What do you normally do? I normally have his older brother in the holidays as well

Have updated my advert on childcare.co.uk and will be attending a "speedminding session" the the local authority are running in a few weeks. Lets hope I can fill the space!

HX

[Pixie dust]

speedminding ? whats that

[mushpea]

If I drop off and collect then I charge all day even if they are at nursery, you cant fill that space if they want that space in the holidays, if you are just dropping off then I would explain to mum that you would do it untill a full time child came along then you wouldnt be able to do it anymore, as for the holidays then again I would tell mum the same and when you redo the contract to reflect the new hours I would put the notice period as only 1wks notice incase you do get another child wanting to start.
I would hate to have to drop a child in this situation but you just have to put your buisness head on and if shes not prepared to pay for the full day all year round then she will have to risk loosing the space.

[onceinabluemoon]

I think you're worrying too much too early hunny. x

Why not see what mum wants to do first and then worry about what you will do? Why would she want to suddenly put him in nursery full time from this Sept if he's not going to school til next Sept?

If you are dropping off but not picking up you contract the child's hours from x oclock to nursery start (9am?) then you can take another LO from 9am onwards.

You could possibly offer ad hoc care in the hols? If you have a space they can have it but if you dont they'll have to look elsewhere, or you will hold the space for them for a retainer of £x or full fees.

Definitely talk to the parent about it because you may find you're stressing over nothing. x

[Helcatt]

speedminding ? whats that

A bit like speed dating. You sit down with all your info and parents move around the room, you are given a short amount of time to chat to each set of parents to see if you are close by/have a vacancy that suits etc etc and then it is down to them to get in touch after if they feel they would like to visit the setting and see more of what we do

[Helcatt]

It would only be a drop-off if he went full-time so I would charge from 8am til drop off and that's it.

We started on a brief conversation about it the other day but I was making a point about something else and she had to rush off to collect the older boy from school.

That's a whole other story - she is always late collecting and I often get the older boy from school too and walk down the road towards home (we live on the same street) and she meets us along the way. I started it as I felt bad for him having to sit in the class on his own with the teacher but have some to the conclusion that I am doing no-one any favours. And what if something happens walking home and I am not contracted to have him and she decides its all my fault for getting him when I wasn't contracted to etc

Anyway, so we couldn't talk as it was past pick up time, technically she had made me illegal as my variation is only until 3:30 when her 3yo goes and it was 3:35 and I had come from the school without her boy! So she had to rush up for him!

A mutual friend said I am better off without them anyway as they cause too much stress. Yes, I am probably worrying too much, but I really can not see her wanting to pay me a retainer just to cover the school holidays but I know how hard it will be for her and her ex to cover it between them

Must learn to relax and wait until she confirms what is happening but I know what she is like! With the recent holidays, it was only because I asked last thursday that she told me I wouldn't be needed on tuesday. She never lets me know in advance! Obv she pays!

I just figured that I will keep advertising and see what happens. We are advertising anyway as I have applied to have hubby added as my assistant so we can get extra children in. There's always an increased interest leading up to Sept anyway

Must learn to chill out

HX