Splitting 30 hours entitlement between providers

Hi,

My wife and I have been trying to benefit from the 30 hours of free childcare currently being offered by the Government (even though technically it's not the Government offering it, and that's the whole problem!).

We're both freelance, but we're eligible to receive this support. Our son is 3 years old, turning 4 in October. As he's relatively old for his school year he'll have nearly an extra year of pre-school than his older sister did, so this is a big help for us.

The nursery he's currently at for 2 ten-hour-days each week works brilliantly for us, even though we have to slightly subsidise the 'extras' (meals and hours): the staff are great; it's very close; he's comfortable and settled there (after a long time adjusting!); the hours are good for a working day and not just a school day; we like it.

However, we also want him to start to meet some of the other children he's likely to end up at school with and try and help make the transition as seamless as possible (as settling in is not his strongest point), so were hoping to split our entitlement and also send him to another nursery for 2 8-hour-days each week (a direct feeder for the primary school and on the same site) without changing our arrangements with nursery A.

Nursery A's policy is that in order to benefit from 15 hours entitlement, a child must attend for 20 hours (which is what we currently do). In order to benefit from the 30 hours entitlement, a child must attend for 25 hours. Even though we only plan to keep him at nursery A for 20 hours each week, claiming 15 hours towards that, this is not something they're willing to accommodate. We don't want to fully commit to Nursery B because of how well Nursery A has done with our son (and daughter before him), it's a slight unknown for us, and the shorter days wouldn't accommodate our working day.

I understand Nursery A's desire to ensure it's as cost effective as possible as the Government funding is so inadequate. However, I don't understand how or why they would refuse to allow us to claim the 30 hours from the Government, whilst maintaining the same arrangement with them? If we don't wish to make any changes to our current setup (ie claim 15 hours and cover the cost of the extra 5 hours and sundries), why should it matter to them whether we're claiming 15 hours or 30?

I believe it's up to a provider as to whether or not they offer the 30 hour entitlement, but are they also allowed to enforce such abstract and confusing rules?

Is there anything further you could advise us to do please?

Many thanks