I thought we were going to have to find a childminder for C for before and after school care two days a week since I don't like one of the nurseries (no specific reason, just a gut feeling about it), and the other was full (it's a montesorri one, not that it makes that much difference, and he was supposed to be on the waiting list for 3 days a week)

I emailed the second one just to check if there was space before I go ahead and start contacting childminders, and apparently there is a space (so much for the waiting list, although if I were to question them they might say it's because we only need 2 of the days.)  We did originally look at it when trying to find a first nursery so I do know a bit about it and we like it, but preferred the one he went to for a few reasons, but there was nothing wrong with that one that I can think of other than it being quite small.

It's so convenient, right next to the school he's going to, they just have to walk the children across the council car park to take them to school and collect them.  The main downside is the cost - it's £5.30/hr, compared to the childminders which seem to be between £3.50-£4.25/hr which obviously adds up over the year.

I'm just not sure what to do.  MrDD is off work tomorrow while I work from home, so it might give the 3 of us the opportunity to go and visit it and ask any questions we have.  What do I even need to ask, it's nearly 4 years since we last went to look at any??  I guess I'm used to a nursery more than a childminder, it was always my preference in the first place, but I just feel I need to make a decision very soon and don't know what to do.

Sorry it's a bit of a brain dump and some probably doesn't make sense (I need some sleep), but WWYD?

I'm getting a CM for Liam for wraparound care. It would worry me slightly him going 2 different nurseries before he started school, don't know if that's mad.

Why would it be a worry?  

We'd probably arrange for him to start at the montesorri nursery about two weeks before he starts school to get him used to it, and there'd be other children from the school who will be going there for the wraparound care that he'd get to know - hopefully some from reception.

I wish he could stay at his current nursery, but they don't even do the wraparound care for the school local to them!

Don't know, just it would maybe confuse L with learning in different ways at different nurseries lol (if might be my mad thinking tho)

I see, although I wouldn't really expect much learning being done there since he'd be doing that in the day at school.

How many hours at nursery/childminder are you needing? I don't know the English education system does reception mean he's in 9-3 or so?

Things to bear in mind are do they charge for holidays even if you're not using them? Do they provide a hot dinner or snacky tea? S will be going yo wrap around at the school which is £4.50 am 8- school and £7.50 after school until 6pm but they only get a cold tea like sandwiches etc do I'll also need to pay for school lunch on the days he goes.

I suppose the advantage of nursery over CM is that a CM might get ill or go on holiday etc but then they're more flexible. Wouldn't worry me about starting him in a new nursery particularly but the fact you didn't rate it that much last time would.

B went to a nursery before he started school and now we have a childminder for after school care. We switched for many reasons but I particularly like that he goes to a house after school and its very relaxed. There are just a couple of other children that he's made good friends with and they just play and unwind a bit after school. They sometimes go to the park or out for tea - the kinds of things I would do after school with him. A nursery may be more structured, and a little less home from home.

Leela, that's exactly it for me. You said what I was trying too!

weekender - yes, he'll be in school 8.40 - 3.15, so it's about an hour before, and nearly 3 hours after that he'll be there for.

wh - yes, we'll have to pay if we're on holiday, but most childminders would expect that anyway I'd have thought.  They cms also only seem to do a light tea in the evenings so we were planning on sending him for hot school dinners every day anyway.  A CM getting ill was one of the reasons we went for a nursery in the first place as it's more reliable in a way, but I do understand that a CM could be more flexible - but then you also have to book your holidays around theirs, or find alternative arrangements (he'll be going there the 2 days a week during school holidays).  It's not that we didn't rate it before, we just preferred the other one in the end, and it was more convenient if C needed collecting and we weren't available since it was just at the bottom of my parents road!

Leela - I think what they do with them after school is something we need to find out - I wouldn't have thought it would be too structured after them having been at school all day, and it's only 2 days a week - the other 3 days we'll be able to take him to the park etc after school, although you're right in the fact it would be a different environment and not so relaxed.

Thanks for all your comments, I'm going to give them a call and try and visit them today with a few questions to ask. x

We've visited it at lunch time and I really liked it - they have redone the outside garden since we last went and C had a play and loved it, he wanted to stay for the rest of the day, or at least go back there next week - he wasn't too happy he's got to wait a few months to go back  Also I asked about what they get up to after school, and they said it's up to them really, but basically playing.  There's another boy who's currently at the nursery who would be there the same days as C and will be in the reception class at school with him too which is nice, and they only have up to 8 in total for the after school club from the different years.

My concerns previously about it being small were put aside because the pre-school room where they after school kids go is actually quite reasonable size (I guess we were looking more at the baby and toddler rooms before), especially for the number of children in there, although the outside area is a bit small but they've made it into a really good area to play.

They also told us about what happens in the holidays, they take them on loads of trips to places like west midlands safari, or to other parks and stuff, or just to the local park (pretty much next door) - there's 4 nurseries owned by the same people so they have a big group of the school children who all go together sometimes.

I think we're going to go with that place, just need to sign the forms and pay a deposit to secure his place for September!

Glad you're happy with it, this school business is stressful isn't it?!