Kids and nursery...

Pink_butterfly_3

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice.

My kids are very laid back and they are both still babies really (10 months and 24 months) so I don't really think they have any friends as such yet.

I can understand the situation regarding the fact that they might not have been able to take in DS when we were early because of staff to children ratio but that was not the reason why I had to stand outside. They just said it wasn't time for him to start yet.

I was very upset about it to be honest but due to the lack of decent nurseries around my area, they kind of have you over a barrel. This new nursery is fairly new but has a glowing ofsted report.

flis21

Smashing wrote: »

Then surely this should have been explained rather than just saying that he can't come in as it's not his alloted time?

We actually have a notice on our parent notice board explaining the position and I have had to explain the situation when parents have tried to drop children off early and we did not have enough cover. I do agree that maybe if they just said 'you can't come in' it could have been handled a lot better and the full position explained.

fsdss

i had the same problem with my 1st nursery that i used - no flexibility etc, even when there was an emergency. then i found another nursery which i must say were absolutely brilliant and the quality of the setting (including care) was much superior than the first, always accommodating and tried to help me when there was a problem.

Mrs_pbradley936

In your case I would move them, I'd like to say something about keeping you waiting. Unfortunately you do get liberty takers. A friend of mine runs a nursery and they open from 8 til 6 but they open the doors at 7:45 and there are always a few people waiting outside. I expect if she opened the doors at 7:30 she would have people there then! At the other end of the day she tries to close by 6.15 but this is one of those jobs where you cannot just say “Well I’m off now” if you have a couple of children still on the premises. Of course people understand if trains are late or there is an occasional problem but some people are habitually late. You cannot charge them for it either or else they think you are OK about it and come even later!

Pink_butterfly_3

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

In your case I would move them, I'd like to say something about keeping you waiting. Unfortunately you do get liberty takers. A friend of mine runs a nursery and they open from 8 til 6 but they open the doors at 7:45 and there are always a few people waiting outside. I expect if she opened the doors at 7:30 she would have people there then! At the other end of the day she tries to close by 6.15 but this is one of those jobs where you cannot just say “Well I’m off now” if you have a couple of children still on the premises. Of course people understand if trains are late or there is an occasional problem but some people are habitually late. You cannot charge them for it either or else they think you are OK about it and come even later!

Yes, I do agree with you. I know that people can and do take advantage and I suppose they have to take a firm stand on these sorts of issues.

It was just that I had done my back in and had to get a cab there as I could hardly walk. I had the cab waiting outside with the meter ticking. It was just a massive pain in the bum. They knew all this, but still made me wait and it was the reason why I was so upset really.

TheWaltons_3

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

In your case I would move them, I'd like to say something about keeping you waiting. Unfortunately you do get liberty takers. A friend of mine runs a nursery and they open from 8 til 6 but they open the doors at 7:45 and there are always a few people waiting outside. I expect if she opened the doors at 7:30 she would have people there then! At the other end of the day she tries to close by 6.15 but this is one of those jobs where you cannot just say “Well I’m off now” if you have a couple of children still on the premises. Of course people understand if trains are late or there is an occasional problem but some people are habitually late. You cannot charge them for it either or else they think you are OK about it and come even later!

The Nursery my DD went to DID charge for pee takers!!! I can't remember how much.. but it was more than Minimum Wage for nowhere near an hour!

Counting_Pennies_2

Pink_butterfly wrote: »

Yes, I do agree with you. I know that people can and do take advantage and I suppose they have to take a firm stand on these sorts of issues.

It was just that I had done my back in and had to get a cab there as I could hardly walk. I had the cab waiting outside with the meter ticking. It was just a massive pain in the bum. They knew all this, but still made me wait and it was the reason why I was so upset really.

I would have said in this circumstance you should have called the nursery ahead of time and got it agreed that at whatever time you arrived they would take them in, but again, if they didn't have the right ratio they would at that point have been able to tell you that if you did arrive early there would be nothing they could do.

Pink_butterfly_3

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

I would have said in this circumstance you should have called the nursery ahead of time and got it agreed that at whatever time you arrived they would take them in, but again, if they didn't have the right ratio they would at that point have been able to tell you that if you did arrive early there would be nothing they could do.

Yeah, the cab was called for the right time but came early and I was to busy blustering to think about it properly.

Typical really as they are normally late whenever you want to get somewhere by a certain time.

Savvy_Sue

It would be the waiting outside which would have annoyed me ... surely you can let the mother in with the child as long as the mother doesn't leave!

FWIW, I'd move them. But if you're worried, can you try them at the new nursery on Wednesdays (or another day) for a month or so and THEN move them. You'd need to give notice, obviously.

littletiger

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

At the other end of the day she tries to close by 6.15 but this is one of those jobs where you cannot just say “Well I’m off now” if you have a couple of children still on the premises. Of course people understand if trains are late or there is an occasional problem but some people are habitually late. You cannot charge them for it either or else they think you are OK about it and come even later!

The nursery that my children go to charges £5 for every 10 minutes late you are picking up the kids. I have never been late!