Pre-school Admissions - What Would You Do?

[thumperrabbit]

I had a child leave at the beginning of last week and it's all been very sudden, so I've found myself with a place for 3 sessions a week for a 2 year old or 4 sessions a week for a 3+ year old. We have a waiting list..actually at this time a year it's a big waiting list and this is where our problems begin.

 

Our Admissions criteria states 'eldest first' BUT the person who is top of the list has actually just been allocated a school nursery placement for September alongside possibly the next 5 or 6 of them.

 

would you give that child a place for this term knowing that they are going to leave in summer anyway?

or

give it to a child you know will be with you in September?

 

The staff feel it should be option 2 BUT whilst I agree I also feel that this is going against having an Admissions criteria, and what is the point of having one?!

 

please advise how you handle these situations, thanks in advance

[sunnyday]

Oh goodness that's a difficult one but really you should, in my humble, follow your policy or as you said yourself there is no point in having one.........could be very difficult too to defend your position if anyone decided to question your actions.......

[Cait]

I would agree, if that's what your policy says, then that's what you do. BUT if it were me, I'd probably have a word with the Mum and say that bearing in mind he's only going to be with you for 10 weeks (Or whatever it is until summer break - say it in weeks or days though), is it worth settling him in, only to unsettle him again by moving him elsewhere

[Guest]

No sorry i would not for one very good reason transition, that child does not need t settle with you for 1 term to have have to up sticks and go to another it is not fair on the child or on your staff

[mps09]

Hi,

 

I would, and have, change the policy!

 

our says...

 

 We hold our waiting list in order of receipt of applications. In addition our policy takes into account the following:

 date of birth.

 the vicinity of the home to the setting; and

 siblings already/previously attending the setting.

 Applications are currently only accepted from the parish of xxxxxx unless exceptional circumstances apply.

 

We actually felt that it wasn't fair when a parent had put in an application when the child was 6 months old, to actually not give them any priority.... so we changed the policy.

 

everyone seems happy with this.

[Inge]

we wouldn't either... would also feel it unfair on all concerned... if they were staying with you a different matter...

 

I always felt they should take the child of the waiting list if they have another place offered.... perhaps this would be added to the policy . May depend on their honesty, but if you are aware they have been offered a place you could point out why they did not have a place for the brief period.

 

Oldest first sounds fair and ours too was that but be did have to think of the individual cases at this time of year...

[Guest]

I would agree, if that's what your policy says, then that's what you do. BUT if it were me, I'd probably have a word with the Mum and say that bearing in mind he's only going to be with you for 10 weeks (Or whatever it is until summer break - say it in weeks or days though), is it worth settling him in, only to unsettle him again by moving him elsewhere

 

I'd do the same - I don't feel it would be in the child's best interests to settle into an environment and routine for such a short period, knowing that another change is due in September.

 

Nona

[Guest]

I think you would also have to take into account how many older children you are going to lose to school in September. We are losing 24 so it's our 2 year olds that are going to keep our numbers up.

[mundia]

I think you should follow your policy,and use it as an opportunity to review your policy accordingly for the future. I don't think you cannot allocate places on the basis of how long you expect them to be with you...which is effectively what you are saying ...ie that they can have a place if they are staying with you but not if they are leaving in the summer.

 

Furthermore, how will you explain your decision if said parents complain to OFSTED or the LA that you have not followed your own policy.

 

You can talk with the parents explaining the situation and they may be happy to just wait until September to avoid the double settling.

 

I know it can be difficult when you spend time settling a child who then moves on, but this can happen in any situation and probably happens to many of us at times. But we cannot also assume that it is always 'bad' for the child. I'm sure many of us have worked with children over the years who have spent a short time in one place, taken time to settle, but then moved on and settled quickly. Perhaps they wouldn't have if they had not had that short experience first.

 

Obviously a variety of views for you to ponder on.

[Cait]

Absolutely Mundia - we've had a couple of children who have loved our setting so much that they have stayed with us for their nursery year too - once parents see us 'in action' and compare the settings.

[thumperrabbit]

All your opinions are pretty much what we, as staff, have discussed and we keep going around in circles, I have always wished that our admissions were done by our LEA, as it gets that complicated.

 

MPS09 - we have also changed our policy that many times it's untrue!!

Clare - that is also one of our concerns as well, as a charity run setting we really need to be thinking of September although this year isn't looking too bad

Mundia - Ofsted/LEA complaints is what makes me always say we have to stick to our policy

 

The staff also point out the amount of paperwork that is involved makes it unfair on whoever ends up being the keyworker!

 

We are registered for 30 per session (although feel that is too many for the size of room and try to stick to 25)

I have a situation where, at this moment in time, for September I have 37 children eligble to start Pre-School

There are 12 children who are currently with us, who are staying

 

So too many to handle so our criteria is really important, 'eldest first' always seems to be the easiest way of working things out, however there are people who are willing to travel 6 or 7 miles to come to us which if they are older will knock people off who live in the village - that doesn't seem fair to me

 

We suffer BIG time though with people who will only take 2 sessions (our minimum) until they are funded which means eldest first does fill up the gaps quicker!

 

Aaaarrrrgghhhh!!!!!!!

[hali]

As Mundia says follow your policy then i would adapt it if you feel the need too. Unfortunatly you need to follow what you have in place and if you feel it is not right then change it for the future