mps09 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hi all - just wanted some opinions please! We are a charity pre-school based on a school site... and we finish earlier than the school. A neighbourhood nursery are offering pick up from us to their parents but are telling them (and us) that they can't pick up at our closing time but will pick up when school finish. We are saying no but nursery say we are not being flexible.... What do you think? I feel that we close when we close and the children should be collected at that time. But where do we go from here? hardly grounds for partnership working!! Any views or advice gratefully received!! MPS09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 How close is the neighbourhood nursery MPS09? Is it feasible for you to walk your escapees over to the nursery when your pre-school closes? That might be some sort of goodwill partnership flexibility, which would also save them the time of picking up. But since any other alternative is only going to benefit them, it's surely they who should be showing flexibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mps09 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 we did consider this but I wouldn't get back before my own children finish school - and if my working arrangements mean I'm available for that then I'm not sure I want to change that.... but also, if we set a precedent - and it becomes accepted that that is what we'll do, what happens if we have LOADS of children who are going to that nursery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristina Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Could you go down the route of extra money for staff to cover extra time, changes to your insurance if you extend hours to stay later and what about additional funding for the children to cover additional time. All of this should support your answer of no I would have thought! I don't think you are being unresonable. Kris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spiral Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hi there, sounds complicated, but maybe contact your insurance company first and ask them how you'd stand legally if you had staff leaving the premesis to escort children to another setting? I have a feeling you may also need to ask Ofsted (and this may be why the other setting want you to do the escorting?) Just a thought, Spiral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 personally i think they are taking liberties!! this pick up time is to suit them not you....why dont they change??....i would love to reply in a suitably PC way as above ...but i'd be really cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 My set up is the same as you. We are a pre-school within the grounds of a school and we finish earlier than the school, not least because parents cannot be in two places at one time - the end of school. Therefore, parents collect from us, get children's coats on, chat to each other, chat to us, then go and wait for their school children in the space of the 15 minute difference in time. How can the nursery expect to be in two places at once? It is the neighbourhood nursery that have the problem. I always look to find ways of working with other professionals but for them to say you are not being flexable rattles somewhat when it is they who stand to benefit. They must be aware of the extra cost implications of paying staff extra time? I assume you have tidying up, cleaning and paperwork to do once you've finished and before you collect your own child so you wouldn't have sufficient staff available who could be paid extra, and the nursery invoiced directly for this time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 How would parents feel if invoiced for the extra time with you.. after all that is what is being expected from what time are they paying the nursery to take over the care? if from the time you finish the nursery would be invoiced for the time... if not parents... someone would have to pay for the time, could it be approached in this way... may only be 15 mins but someone has to cover the cost of 2 staff and costs etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Personally I think they have a cheek and would be really cross with them for even suggesting this. Tell them you will bring the children over and then charge them not only the time it takes to get there and back but the additional time you need when you get back to make up for the time you were out. Charge £5 per minute plus an additional admin cost & wear and tear on your shoe leather etc of £20 per day. If they have the cheek to ask you to change your opening times to suit them then you can have the cheek to charge them for it. Honestly I cant believe they are asking this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mps09 Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 thanks for all your replies! I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks they are taking liberties expecting us to alter our hours to their convenience...... but it's so easy to start doubting myself!! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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