waiting list issue

[finleysmaid]

Now firstly my apology if your waiting lists are small or non existent! we are currently experiencing a bit of a deluge (we take from 3 counties as we are on the border!)

The problem is i would really like to keep the pre-school 'community' based but we are getting a lot from outside the usual 'catchment'

Do any of you use a points system or have other ways of dealing with who gets the places and in which order...struggling to work out a suitable method!

we have several trustees who might not get a place if we dont sort out the problem!!!!!

[Mouseketeer]

We haven't at the moment but I have been thinking maybe it's time to implement a 'school type ' admissions policy, we have been putting people off to September but I have heard a couple of parents having been moaning about not getting places because we take children from wherever the parents are happy to bring them from.

[lynned55]

Well we do, sort of. But as we're an RC group its probably not much use to you

[blondie]

Hi, i know a group near us uses the school catchment they are in as their guide - not sure which order it goes in but its siblings of children already in the pre-school then school catchment after that not sure

[GFCCCC]

We have an allocation of places policy as we strongly feel that we should serve our local community first and foremost so we offer to

• Children that live in the local postcode and are cared for
• Children in the local postcode with SEN
• Children that live in local postcode with sibling in the setting
• Children that live in the local postcode whose parents are in employment or training
• Children that live in the local postcode (allocated in order of distance from the setting)

After that we follow the same order again for children outside the area

[Fredbear]

Tongue in cheek" surely your trustees are a bit old to need a place ".

I apologise too, as we are bursting literally at the seams and cannot envisage this changing anytime soon.

We have a huge intake for September, but with no hope of getting anymore in until the following September.

We are unable to open for any additional sessions either, so I don't know what the answer is.

I will be interested in others views on this topic too.

[lsp]

Those of you with waiting lists - do you put a limit on the number of hours that you offer each child?

[Mouseketeer]

Not yet, but something else to consider, though to be honest I'd rather have less children doing more hours than more children doing less hours, and I also think something in the admissions policy along the lines of not guaranteeing sessions later on if parents choose not to take them when first offered, but then I guess that wouldn't be fair on those that couldn't afford it before funding

[finleysmaid]

Thanks for the info everyone....still trying to get my head round it but suspect i will have to go with catchment areas for school...kind of thinking along the lines of

'local' area (catchment) plus sibling 20 points

local area 10 points

surrounding areas (3 catchment areas) plus sibling 9 points

surrounding area 8 points

wider area with sibling 7 points

wider area 6 points

 

then i get stuck should i be adding points for 2 year old funding children or EYPP???? (not likely to know if they are SEN at this point!) but i could add statement(EHCP) ???

Most of our children start in September...we are always full by easter at the latest. All do at least 3 sessions and yes we do have it in our policy about not being able to offer extra sessions after first allocation. Then of course we have the issue of age....we used to do oldest first but then that's not brill for buisiness as they all leave at the same time ARRRRRGGGHHHHH!

[eyfs1966]

ours has always been

1 siblings

2. siblings of previous attendees

3 date of application

[tish501]

Same here....being full daycare we have an influx first week after summer term finishes when all the school leavers go,as that frees up some spaces.Have been full past 5 years....minimal waiting list,mainly children requiring to switch from pms to ams..hope that helps.

[thumperrabbit]

Struggling a bit too

 

We have our criteria but then at the end - children who live in the village of xxxxx will take priority over above

[finleysmaid]

Realized of course that my points system doesn't work! as it's just a list...so local/surrounding and wider then plus points for siblings might be better.

I only have room for up to 8 2 year olds per session and then 22 3 year olds (or up) still mulling this over!!!

[thumperrabbit]

ours has always been

1 siblings

2. siblings of previous attendees

3 date of application

 

We've never had your number 2 statement but this is something that someone has suggested to me to have as a parent with her 3rd child can't start at the moment due to others above who i know will leave in July for school nursery :(

That is a real problem for me with having Age first

 

If everyone had 15 hours a week so that they came everyday life would be sooooooo much easier!!

[Susan]

Does the LEA not offer any support with this?

[Melba]

Imagine how necessary this will be when they have 25/30 hours funding a week!

[sunnyday]

Does the LEA not offer any support with this?

Susan - that is me laughing 'hysterically' - no they don't! :1b

 

Fm - you have my sympathy/empathy - this is my most dreaded part of the job (even more than the SEF update :rolleyes: ) - I make it clear on my Application form that 'village children will be given priority'......

[sunnyday]

Imagine how necessary this will be when they have 25/30 hours funding a week!

All I can say to you is shhhhh - I really don't want to think about it :blink:

[finleysmaid]

All I can say to you is shhhhh - I really don't want to think about it :blink:

but we'll' only be able to take half the amount of children!!!!!

 

We do live in a sort of village....but just trying to work out how to work out the borders for that as the post code is not very helpful!

[thumperrabbit]

but we'll' only be able to take half the amount of children!!!!!

 

We do live in a sort of village....but just trying to work out how to work out the borders for that as the post code is not very helpful!

We go by the name of the village - or could you do 'Parish of'

 

 

Imagine how necessary this will be when they have 25/30 hours funding a week!

 

Imagine how necessary this will be when they have 25/30 hours funding a week!

 

Slightly concerned about that one as a sessional morning only setting that can't extend hours I'm worried that it will put parents off joining us; does anyone else think the same?

[lynned55]

We could offer 30 hours- just & of course if I could get staff to work those hours. But like most others if we offer that 1) it will straight away halve our intake- so wonder where the other 15/20 children will go. 2) At present we are open for 26 hours, with children doing a variety of hours from 7 upwards- those that are not funded or that pay for over their funding is what enables us to keep going and pay staff a decent salary. So once this ups to 30 hours funded at over £1 per hour less than our real price, it will probably put us out of business.

I think they just pluck these figures out of thin air. He says 25 hours funding, so we'll beat that and say 30 hours. As they've not given any increase in this funding for five years now- I wonder where the money will come from for it. Sorry - waffling here.

 

We are actually full to bursting at moment & have just a couple of afternoon sessions left for September. Of course that could all change in September- when half either dont turn up or want to change sessions! Like FM says I would rather have less children doing more sessions, than more, doing less.

[Fredbear]

In answer to your question Isp regarding hours, we can only give what we can at that moment in time.

Parent/carers of children on the waiting list are often grateful for anything. It's not ideal but we do our best.

We are also looking to change our admissions policy, but it's a minefield.

I do also feel that the government haven't really evaluated that some parents don't actually want their children to attend for their full quota of funding, irrespective that they are entitled to it.

[Guest]

Would still rather do waiting list than SEF Sunnyday !!!!

 

Mine is a long waiting list but the only criteria is siblings already at setting and can only do minimum of 2 sessions

Otherwise it is too much of a headache, why give your selves more work.

 

It is hard when parents moan but tough your procedure for your waiting list is what you set it at and much easier when you are just working down a list

[Mouseketeer]

We've never stipulated 2 sessions minimum but sometimes think it's a good idea and I'll introduce it, then on the other hand I don't want the 2 year olds anymore than I have to and if I say min 2 sessions half term/ term following 3rd bday I might not have room at that time (unless holding empty sessions but that wouldn't make good business sense)

[finleysmaid]

Would still rather do waiting list than SEF Sunnyday !!!!

 

Mine is a long waiting list but the only criteria is siblings already at setting and can only do minimum of 2 sessions

Otherwise it is too much of a headache, why give your selves more work.

 

It is hard when parents moan but tough your procedure for your waiting list is what you set it at and much easier when you are just working down a list

So how does your list work?? what order do you set it out ?

[finleysmaid]

We've never stipulated 2 sessions minimum but sometimes think it's a good idea and I'll introduce it, then on the other hand I don't want the 2 year olds anymore than I have to and if I say min 2 sessions half term/ term following 3rd bday I might not have room at that time (unless holding empty sessions but that wouldn't make good business sense)

We have for some time set 3 sessions minimum...just find children settle so much better when they do 3. But parents are told we may not be able to increase when they are funded ...though this seems to usually work out ok! but they are warned!!!!

[Mouseketeer]

I do agree it would be better to just have a few 2 year olds more often, and maybe introducing a min 2 sessions would put some of them off, we tried charging more for 2 yr olds and that didn't work, but at what point do you make the change, I already have so many that have booked 1 session for September I could see there being uproar if I told them it's 2 or nothing now.

[finleysmaid]

I do agree it would be better to just have a few 2 year olds more often, and maybe introducing a min 2 sessions would put some of them off, we tried charging more for 2 yr olds and that didn't work, but at what point do you make the change, I already have so many that have booked 1 session for September I could see there being uproar if I told them it's 2 or nothing now.

i tend to plan for major changes some time in advance so no-one can argue....if you have already confirmed places then i dont see you can change now but maybe you say something like from xmas 2015 we will only be offering 2 sessions as a minimum take up (we limit our two's places to eight per session otherwise we would need another member of staff for a term which would be daft!)

If you send info out to potential new parents now then they have a choice to go somewhere else if they wanted (though i find they are usually quite unwilling once they have made a decision! ) as long as fees are reasonable and you offer flexible payment terms i would think most would be fine with it...we have had NO refusals from parents since putting in the three session rule!!!!

[lsp]

I am reading these posts thinking that the minimum number of sessions sounds a good idea. We have had issues with settling some of the younger children this year and having them in more times per week would help. We also limit ourselves to 8 x 2 year olds per morning session and 4 in the afternoons. I do also try to keep one afternoon as clear as possible for older children going to school the next September. Not always possible from a business point of view. I cant afford to turn away income and if it is the only session available :unsure: (Small rural committee run group)

Anyway back to the original topic - we are full but our only waiting list is children due to start in the future, the term after they turn 2 years old. It is organised on date of birth. If I have many children to start at one time I limit the number of sessions I really need to write this in a policy to cover ourselves especially with the possible influx due when a. the government increase the number of hours. b. when local childminders and private nurseries no longer offer funding due to the cut in our rates and delay in payments!!! <_< :blink:

[sunnyday]

i tend to plan for major changes some time in advance so no-one can argue....

 

Me too - in fact I have some pretty big changes up my sleeve for September 2016

 

Don't know if they will be popular - frankly too old to care now! :rolleyes: