Nursery charges

pinkshoes

My kids go to a nursery where you book the hours the month before and sessions are charged per half hour block.

Mine go for 8.5 hours a day on my working days.

I have received an invoice for an extra half hour for apparently dropping them off 10 minutes before the allotted start time.

The nursery allows a 5 minute grace period for being early/late.

I know I cannot even get to the nursery car park before 8.20am due to dropping off another child.

On a very good traffic day I would make it to their nursery room just before 8.25am. I then spend several minutes taking coats and bags off, then settling them, and leave a minute or two before 8.30am or just after.

Is it a fair assumption that I am still in charge of my children until I leave the room, or can they charge from the second I step through the door?

Comms69

Tbh there's no set rule, but any nursery that charges in that manner would lose my business very quickly.

BorisThomson

If they had an accident in that five minutes would you expect to claim on their insurance?

If you're on the premises, the nursery has the same duty of care as when they're solely in their care.

It's harsh, but I can see why they need to be strict about it. They give five minutes, that's enough, the staff can settle them once you're gone. If they start giving more leeway where do they draw the line, ten, fifteen minutes?

silvercar

Is it a fair assumption that I am still in charge of my children until I leave the room, or can they charge from the second I step through the door?

I doubt it is about who is in charge, but whether they are on the premises.

If 2 mums arrived early and nattered for 20 minutes before leaving, they are still on the premises and the Nursery is entitled to charge according to their rules.

Saying that, they do seem petty to charge you if it was between 5 and 10 minutes on just 2 occasions. Why not discuss this with them?

pinkshoes

BorisThomson wrote: »

If they had an accident in that five minutes would you expect to claim on their insurance?

If you're on the premises, the nursery has the same duty of care as when they're solely in their care.

It's harsh, but I can see why they need to be strict about it. They give five minutes, that's enough, the staff can settle them once you're gone. If they start giving more leeway where do they draw the line, ten, fifteen minutes?

It takes several minutes to get from the car into the building as it is a long walk then a flight of stairs to get two toddlers up.

I certainly would not expect to claim on their insurance if they had an accident under my care. If this is the policy then surely they would have to time from when the cars pull into the car park or at least walking through the first gate?

It is no hassle for me to wait in the car park for five minutes clogging up a precious parking space...

I am not expecting any more leeway. I just think that I and most parents would assume drop off is when you leave and hand them over. Not the second you arrive through the door.

pinkshoes

silvercar wrote: »

I doubt it is about who is in charge, but whether they are on the premises.

If 2 mums arrived early and nattered for 20 minutes before leaving, they are still on the premises and the Nursery is entitled to charge according to their rules.

Saying that, they do seem petty to charge you if it was between 5 and 10 minutes on just 2 occasions. Why not discuss this with them?

It was just one occasion. (Twins)

If I stood nattering then I am not settling my kids in so that would be fair! I just take their coats off, put their stuff away then sit them down. They are both very clingy so certainly don't run off! They need pealing off me! It would be nice to be able to drop and leave immediately!

iammumtoone

I would often get a late charge from the nursery, they were very strict on this, and yes it would be for a whole half hour if 1 minute late.

I can't remember getting a early charge but don't think I was ever early :rotfl:we were always late often by more than the time I was late picking up, but that didn't count for anything.

As you have said an early charge is easily resolved just wait outside for a few minutes, preferably in the way of everyone else waiting to get in, loudly explaining the reason why if asked

I use another childminder now, she is much more accommodating.

stingey

My daughters nursery has started to clamp down on people dropping the kids off before their session starts. Basically because there isn't enough staff in per child. You might not be the only dropping your kid off 10 mins early. The nursery needs to bring in staff early and cover the costs for every child in before their start time.

The costs are being passed to you. Yeah annoying paying half an hour for 10 mins, drop the kids off bang on their normal time.

pinkshoes

stingey wrote: »

My daughters nursery has started to clamp down on people dropping the kids off before their session starts. Basically because there isn't enough staff in per child. You might not be the only dropping your kid off 10 mins early. The nursery needs to bring in staff early and cover the costs for every child in before their start time.

It is exactly for this reason that I NEVER leave the room and hand my kids over until their allotted time (or a couple of minutes before at most), hence I feel it is unfair to be charged for time when the children were still in my care.

iammumtoone wrote: »

As you have said an early charge is easily resolved just wait outside for a few minutes, preferably in the way of everyone else waiting to get in, loudly explaining the reason why if asked

Ironically, the whole reason they emailed all parents about the 5 minutes flexibility thing was to avoid every parent turning up on the dot as it causes mayhem in a tiny car park! Parents complained they couldn't park as parents were sitting in their car waiting as to not be too early!

I shall look forward to sitting in my toasty warm car for an extra few minutes chatting to the kids next time, as it doesn't make any difference to me.

Spendless

What time does the nursery open?

When my 2 went to nursery (a long time ago, as they're 18 and almost 15) this wouldn't occur because the nursery opened their door at 8am and it was locked until and a member of staff would open the door at that time. The same was true of an afternoon session that started at 1pm.

I would ask for clarification of whether the session starts from the time you walk through the door or not.

Kynthia

I've never heard of a nursery charging on hours as my place charges everyone for whole days no matter how many hours they're there. There are those who book the extra half hour befire opening and after closing but that's separately booked and paid for.