Didn't get offered place at nursery..now what to do?

elff

As the title say's we didnt get offered a place at the nursery school i was really hoping for for the twins (3 in december).. the 'could' have started in January.

I put their names down when they were a week old and DD went there and thrived.

It was also a 'free' nursery she went 9-2 monday-friday although they offer morning and afternoon places all week as well.

I am just gutted I know its not the end of the world but now i have to go and look at the massivley over subscribed nurserys i already rejected for dd and they will only be doing the 15 per week that is funded as we just cannot afford any extra hours for them both. I just feel that somehow i have let them down. There is also no gaurentee they will even get a place at another nursery as again all over subscribed.

Just to add the nursey have offered the twins a place in sep 12 part time 5 days a week -

Should i keep them at home with me untill next september

Send them to another nursery for the 15hrs then move them

Or keep them at another nursery

Any advice is welcome - I just honestley thought they would get in.......

daska

Personally I would take up the funding that's on offer at a different nursery and take another look at your preferred nursery nearer the time to see if it really is as good as you remember. DS2 was in a good nursery but it changed hands and went downhill very quickly.

Spendless

Is the reason they didn't get early entry due to the nursery being full so there's currently no spaces?

I moved my DD from a nursery she'd been at for 9 months and pre-school she'd been at 3 months (doing both on different days) to a nearby nursery as I was going to college, and I whittled about it like mad, but she took it in her stride, and I moved her again 9 months later to go to school nursery, again without problem, but very much would depend on the child. I wouldn't have done it if she'd been a hard to settle, disliking change kid.

Do they 'need' nursery yet? My eldest was a handful and a half and needed something more than the toddler groups could offer him, my daughter more placid and easy going.

Plans_all_plans

Theoretically they could've started in Jan, but it really does depend on the amount of kids applying for a Jan place who were born earlier than them in Sept, Oct, Nov. There's nothing you could've done to prevent it, aside from getting pregnant 2 months earlier, so please don't be upset with yourself over it!

Personally, I wouldn't put my children in a nursery that I'd already rejected as an option. If I was a SAHM, I'd certainly not hesitate to keep them at home with me, going to playgroups etc until they could take up the Sept place.

elff

I know it all stems from the fact they have opened a childrens centre on the same site and the woman running the centre has been handing out application forms to everyone as 'its free nursery' so obvioulsy loads of older kids (4) have been transfered from there 15hr a week place to 5 days a week.

The nursery office staff even asked her to only take applications when they were requested not to offer to get them a form (she told us this proudly).

They NEED nursery school - just the three of us all day isn't enough for them - They dont play together and there is ALOT of fighting / screaming for the same toys as we live in a flat with limited space.

I dont have any family to help out even for a few hours and hubby works long hours - going to todlar groups daily is becoming expensive most around here are £2.00 per child for a couple of hours - and are really clicking so i dont really get to talk to anyone except the tea lady and the local vicar.

No 2 son is under a peadiatic consultant for various problems and we are due to get his test results back in a couple of weeks and they have stated he would massivley bennifit from nursery school..... It just the fact we cannot afford to send them

I have called a couple of nurserys today and have been advised there is massive waiting lists and they are unlikley to be offered a place...

onlyroz

Do you have a job? If not, can you get one so that you can pay for a private nursery?

Nicki

Can you speak to your HV and ask her to write to the preferred nursery explaining your situation and your DS's medical issues. Most state nurseries will give priority to families with special needs, backed by an official referral. It may not help immediately as all the places are allocated, but could push you up the waiting list as kids move on before September. Lots of parents start their child in one nursery and decide for whatever reason it isn't right for the child, so you could well be lucky, though one child might start before the other of course.

In the meantime, given what you've said, just about any nursery place is going to be better than the current situation, so yes in your shoes i'd take a stop gap measure.

elff

onlyroz wrote: »

Do you have a job? If not, can you get one so that you can pay for a private nursery?

I would LOVE a job - however paying for 2 x full time nursery places and wrap around care for my daughter as well as being able to find a job that would allow me to have the holidays / inset days etc off that i would need - Litterally i have no one who could collect my DD after school foa few hours...

When DD was small she went to private nursery part time for 5 months the fees we had to pay for the nursery were over £400 a month... I only earn't £500 a month... My mother offered to have 'the baby' for us when we ummed and arhhed about a second child fot the first couple of years while i was at work - Then we found it it was twins and she said she couldn't cope - sadly her health has deterioated as well. We have just started an IVA to deal with our debt problems and adding to them is not an option.

ALL of the nursery's i have called today have said they are full and have long waiting lists so i looks like the boys will be with me until september 2012 anyways. I guess i will need to find some 'free' things to do with them other than walking in the woods and running around the park. They just have so much energy!!!

elff

Nicki wrote: »

Can you speak to your HV and ask her to write to the preferred nursery explaining your situation and your DS's medical issues. Most state nurseries will give priority to families with special needs, backed by an official referral. It may not help immediately as all the places are allocated, but could push you up the waiting list as kids move on before September. Lots of parents start their child in one nursery and decide for whatever reason it isn't right for the child, so you could well be lucky, though one child might start before the other of course.

In the meantime, given what you've said, just about any nursery place is going to be better than the current situation, so yes in your shoes i'd take a stop gap measure.

Thats how my DD got a place originally I was pregnant with twins couldn't afford nursery anymore and we live in a flat health visitor intervened on our behalf... I will ask no 2 sons conultant when i see him as hv is pretty usless at returning my calls.

flutterby_lil

Will the twins not start school in Sept 12? Can't understand why they would offer a place from Sept 12?

elff

flutterby_lil wrote: »

Will the twins not start school in Sept 12? Can't understand why they would offer a place from Sept 12?

Nope they will be 3 in december (they can get funding from the first term after there 3rd birthday so that would be jan 2012) they will still be 3 in sep2012 (4 in december)

They will start school September 2014 - We live 100 steps (DD counted) from the school and they admit siblings first so they Will get in

I am just genrally having a rant as i am really upset they didnt get a place I put there names down when they were a week old and it was part of 'the plan' i foolishly didnt put there names down anywhere else and that has just backfired big time!!!!