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"free" preschool year

  • 18-06-2018 8:26am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭


    Feeling more than a bit stupid here. I thought with ECCE you got 3 hours free/ day. My lad is in preschool 3 times/ week and the session is 4 hrs so I presumed ok, we pay the difference and that's fine. But the subsidy only covers half the fees! A preschool/ 4 hour session is 26 per day and the total subsidy is only 64/64 euro per week?? Is our playschool remarkably expensive?? i went with a provider used by friends so word of mouth etc and it is a full time facilityso the flexblility of being able to get a longer day/ extra day if needed was a big plus but it appears the ECCE in my case is 50% subsidy, not "free" at all. :(


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    I use a community creche so set up can be somewhat different to private sector but in our's any extra care is broken up into "sessions" of 3 hrs 5 hrs and full day. You pay for the "session" regardless of how much you use so 1 extra hr a day would be sane cost to me as 3 hrs

    I would imagine something similar us happening to you.

    If you only used the 3 hrs of ECCE then you wouldn't pay anything so yes thst would be free. Note though the subsidy comes nowhere near covering the cost of running the service from the providers point of view


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Yup, the ECCE is not free.  
    If someone could provide a building, trained staff etc for a small portion of the year, 3 hours a day, then it may be. But no business can survive doing that , so they set minimums. 
    To be honest, I'm ok with them having to do that, they need to make a living too. 
    I'm not OK with this ECCE scheme being lauded as an achievement, when it makes very little difference. 

    Our minimum payment on top of ECCE isn't too bad in the wider scheme of things. We pay €157 euro monthly. We get 4 hours per day, during term. (so one extra hour a day).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭dori_dormer


    Its 245 euro a month Sept - June. If your child is in during term time and summer, you'll be paying more. Also if they provide food.
    Its very little money and really the care givers deserve more


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    The scheme is for 15 hours. Why is your child only getting 12 hours?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    lazygal wrote: »
    The scheme is for 15 hours. Why is your child only getting 12 hours?


    I chose to send him 3 days/week for the first year to increase to 5 days from next Sept. Given that since Jan it's cost me E148/month after ECCE for the 26 weeks, it was enough. For 5 days, it will be E272 approx per month after ECCE. Plus childminder for 2. Yikes! :eek:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    pwurple wrote: »
    Yup, the ECCE is not free.

    I'm not OK with this ECCE scheme being lauded as an achievement, when it makes very little difference.

    .


    It's mad. I googled it again after posting and every search practically describes it as a "free preschool year" or that you get 3 free hours/ day. :confused: Call it what it is - subsidised preschool year.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    That sounds very strange....we actually get four hours four days a week with an extra monthly cost of 70eur.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    shesty wrote: »
    That sounds very strange....we actually get four hours four days a week with an extra monthly cost of 70eur.


    That's very good. Is that a community creche/ playschool or private facility?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭angeldelight


    misc2013 wrote: »
    It's mad. I googled it again after posting and every search practically describes it as a "free preschool year" or that you get 3 free hours/ day. :confused: Call it what it is - subsidised preschool year.

    Well you do if you don’t need any additional care - you can send them for the 3 hours a day five days a week during term time and not pay anything


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,644 ✭✭✭sillysocks


    Maybe it’d be worth contacting your local Childcare Committee and asking. I think every county has one, and I’ve found ours very helpful.

    For what it’s worth we have one child on 4 hours a day Ecce, and we just pay 6 eur extra per day for the extra hour. So 30 eur a week extra (and that’s optional, some kids leave after 3 hours and pay nothing).


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 446 ✭✭Anne_cordelia


    It is free. We send our little one for 3 hours 5 days a week and pay nothing. So it is a free preschool year!


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    misc2013 wrote: »
    That's very good. Is that a community creche/ playschool or private facility?

    A private facility.Their preschool hours are in the morning and they do after school care, which is separate and you pay separately.
    All the playschools I know of operate like that-around us anyway....I am having trouble understanding what's going on with yours??He should get 15 hours a week.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    No extra fees here either. All children go for three hours five days a week. Other services are charged for separately. Our minder collects so we don't use the afternoon hours.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Exactly.We get 16 hours hence the extra charge per month.But it just happens that those are their preschool hours, they don't have any others


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭Digs


    Yes this thread had me totally confused! My daughter had 3 hours a day 5 days a week totally free which is the hours of the scheme. We had a very flexible service in which if we needed them to keep her an extra hour or two at short notice they would no problem and we paid €5 an hour outside of the ECCE scheme.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    I know of a local creche who, AFAICS, spreads the cost over the whole year but its for parents who use the full day service so they're paying the same for hours over school holidays as they do for term time hours. But I've never heard of people paying so much on top of their ECCE scheme for core 'free' hours as in the OP. Seems like something is wrong somewhere.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    Well you do if you don’t need any additional care - you can send them for the 3 hours a day five days a week during term time and not pay anything




    No. I pay E26/session. The ECCE covers E12 ish of that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    sillysocks wrote: »
    Maybe it’d be worth contacting your local Childcare Committee and asking. I think every county has one, and I’ve found ours very helpful.

    For what it’s worth we have one child on 4 hours a day Ecce, and we just pay 6 eur extra per day for the extra hour. So 30 eur a week extra (and that’s optional, some kids leave after 3 hours and pay nothing).


    This is what I understood happened.

    As i asked before, is my childcare centre particularly expensive? It is E26 for a session of 4 hrs. He goes 3 days a week. so gets 3/5 of the weekly subsidy of ~64E/ week. It only covers half the fee. I didn't consider the cost before ECCE as I just thought he would get the first 3 hours free regardless.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    Our service just does the full 15 hours over five days. And the additional services are charged totally separately. I don't know anywhere who does three days and charges extra on top for the ECCE.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    might be worth a call to local childcare centre/ office,


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    misc2013 wrote: »
    This is what I understood happened.

    As i asked before, is my childcare centre particularly expensive? It is E26 for a session of 4 hrs. He goes 3 days a week. so gets 3/5 of the weekly subsidy of ~64E/ week. It only covers half the fee. I didn't consider the cost before ECCE as I just thought he would get the first 3 hours free regardless.

    If he's holding up a full time placement by attending 3 days a week for 4 hours they may be charging you per session for that extra hour to try & recover costs. Did you ask for thst extra hour? Can you reduce it if it's proving costly? The €26 per session would be in line with my community creche at least


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    If he's holding up a full time placement by attending 3 days a week for 4 hours they may be charging you per session for that extra hour to try & recover costs. Did you ask for thst extra hour? Can you reduce it if it's proving costly? The €26 per session would be in line with my community creche at least

    Good question. They divide their sessions into 2*4hrs. I would get charged for 4 as for 1 hr only I thought the 3 hrs were covered when I signed up for ECCE. How much do other preschools charge per 3-4 hrs?


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    But to my understanding they ARE covered.Everyone I know is getting three free hours a day, whether they take them all is another thing.But there's no weekly charge anything like what you are describing.

    I'm beginning to feel very stupid here myself, at understanding this thread!!Either that or you are being very ripped off OP.......


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    shesty wrote: »
    But to my understanding they ARE covered.Everyone I know is getting three free hours a day, whether they take them all is another thing.But there's no weekly charge anything like what you are describing.

    I'm beginning to feel very stupid here myself, at understanding this thread!!Either that or you are being very ripped off OP.......
    It seems like its nearly designed to be confusing....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    We're in montessori. Totally free for 15 hours a week. They have after preschool options and school options but we aren't availing so its totally free


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,749 ✭✭✭Flippyfloppy


    I'm totally confused. But I'll have a stab nonetheless.

    €65 a week is what is paid by the ECCE to the playschools. So that's moreorless the nationwide rate.

    As far as I knew, I may be wrong, you have to do the full five days to avail of the scheme? Maybe that's where it's going wrong, are you sure you're signed up to the scheme?

    Additionally, why is the session 4 hours long? Are you using an extra hour on top of the usual three hours that playschool usually is, or have the playschool set it to 4 hours?

    Also, 26x3 = 78, so if you are actually signed up to the scheme, and somehow using 12 hours over non standard days, which I'm not sure you're allowed, then you should be paying 12/13 extra?

    Or do you mean, theoretically over a 5 day week, it would be 130? If so, the extra hour must be charged at a premium of €13, so you must ask yourself, is it worth it? Are meals provided?

    I recommend phoning your local childcare Commitee. I cannot stress just how helpful they are!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,644 ✭✭✭sillysocks


    As far as I knew, I may be wrong, you have to do the full five days to avail of the scheme? Maybe that's where it's going wrong, are you sure you're signed up to the scheme?

    You definitely can do less than 5 days, however if you do you get the allowance pro rata. So still just 3 hours per day for the days you do it-not the full 15 hours split over 2/3 days if that makes sense.

    So with a 3 day week you’d just get 9 hours allowance, not 15.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,749 ✭✭✭Flippyfloppy


    sillysocks wrote: »
    You definitely can do less than 5 days, however if you do you get the allowance pro rata. So still just 3 hours per day for the days you do it-not the full 15 hours split over 2/3 days if that makes sense.

    So with a 3 day week you’d just get 9 hours allowance, not 15.

    Thanks that's interesting, I thought at one point it wasn't possible!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    misc2013 wrote: »
    Good question. They divide their sessions into 2*4hrs. I would get charged for 4 as for 1 hr only I thought the 3 hrs were covered when I signed up for ECCE. How much do other preschools charge per 3-4 hrs?

    I think they operate same as mine and it's not that difficult really to my understanding (IF I'm right in the following)

    2*4 in your post means they divide their day into 2 blocks of 4 hours
    You get charged for a block of 4 hours
    3 of those hours are ECCE
    Assuming you choose to place child for an.additional hour (previously asked but not clarified)
    You pay the sessions rate even though your child is only using 1 hour of it. Assuming your creche has a "or part there of" wording I their fee policy I don't see the problem. You are using part of their session and hence charged for that session.
    If you choose to collect your child after the 3 hours of ECCE you wouldn't have to pay anything.
    The only way I'd have a problem is if the creche insist on you using that hour and forcing you to pay the session rate. Extra charges like they hate against the rules as I understand them

    Eta charges per session only kick in after ECCE class has ended. It's easier to.understand if you think of using the hour of the session a bit like after school club. The ECCE class is run separately to the private/extra childcare aspect of the creche as such. (Even if they are in the same room)


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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Well I do get that because that's essentially what our place does, but if that's the case, the OP's place seems to be quite pricey.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    shesty wrote: »
    Well I do get that because that's essentially what our place does, but if that's the case, the OP's place seems to be quite pricey.

    But at €26 for a session (4 hours) that's only €4.50 per hour. Not pricey. It only seems that way because she's only using a fraction of the session


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    I think they operate same as mine and it's not that difficult really to my understanding (IF I'm right in the following)

    2*4 in your post means they divide their day into 2 blocks of 4 hours
    You get charged for a block of 4 hours
    3 of those hours are ECCE
    Assuming you choose to place child for an.additional hour (previously asked but not clarified)
    You pay the sessions rate even though your child is only using 1 hour of it. Assuming your creche has a "or part there of" wording I their fee policy I don't see the problem. You are using part of their session and hence charged for that session.
    If you choose to collect your child after the 3 hours of ECCE you wouldn't have to pay anything.
    The only way I'd have a problem is if the creche insist on you using that hour and forcing you to pay the session rate. Extra charges like they hate against the rules as I understand them

    Eta charges per session only kick in after ECCE class has ended. It's easier to.understand if you think of using the hour of the session a bit like after school club. The ECCE class is run separately to the private/extra childcare aspect of the creche as such. (Even if they are in the same room)

    Sorry but I thought I had clarified already that the sessions are 2 blocks of 4. Regardless of mornings or afternoons, I would get charged E26 per session. Even if I took him out after 3 hrs. I an getting the 3/5 th subsidy which is E39 but I pay E78/week. I think the bottom line is that I just assumed 3 free hours was standard and was fine with the extra 6.50/ hr. I clearly did not realise that there may be an additional charge in there somewhere, so signed him up without reading the small print. I have had no issue with the extra 6.50/ day at all. Just surprised that it seems more than that or I am missing something. I have paid 312 / monthly for 6 months and received 890 ECCE for the same period which is E148/ month hence just under 50%. Of coursebi didn't keep a copy of the paperwork but I clearly pay more than just the extra hour/ day.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    I'm totally confused. But I'll have a stab nonetheless.

    €65 a week is what is paid by the ECCE to the playschools. So that's moreorless the nationwide rate.

    As far as I knew, I may be wrong, you have to do the full five days to avail of the scheme? Maybe that's where it's going wrong, are you sure you're signed up to the scheme?

    Additionally, why is the session 4 hours long? Are you using an extra hour on top of the usual three hours that playschool usually is, or have the playschool set it to 4 hours?

    Also, 26x3 = 78, so if you are actually signed up to the scheme, and somehow using 12 hours over non standard days, which I'm not sure you're allowed, then you should be paying 12/13 extra?

    Or do you mean, theoretically over a 5 day week, it would be 130? If so, the extra hour must be charged at a premium of €13, so you must ask yourself, is it worth it? Are meals provided?

    I recommend phoning your local childcare Commitee. I cannot stress just how helpful they are!

    I did and am none the wiser! She couldn't even tell me what the standard preschool fees are locally so I could compare and see if the creche I use is very expensive. She suggested I ring around!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    In our school there are 3 hours for the Montessori session. If you're not eligible there is a rate for this. Then there is the option of paying for one hour before the service starts its afterschool hours for local primary school children. That's 100% optional and I use it rarely, it costs €6 for the hour. If I had decided to send mine for three days the three days would be covered under the ECCE scheme but no one eligible for it does that.
    I can't understand why the service isn't providing three free hours, then charging per hour for the extra hours which are supposed to be optional. It sounds very strange.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    lazygal wrote: »
    In our school there are 3 hours for the Montessori session. If you're not eligible there is a rate for this. Then there is the option of paying for one hour before the service starts its afterschool hours for local primary school children. That's 100% optional and I use it rarely, it costs €6 for the hour. If I had decided to send mine for three days the three days would be covered under the ECCE scheme but no one eligible for it does that.
    I can't understand why the service isn't providing three free hours, then charging per hour for the extra hours which are supposed to be optional. It sounds very strange.

    In my case the extra hour is not optional as the session is a 4 hour session.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 338 ✭✭fima


    The free preschool year is exactly that, a year of free preschool. It’s not childcare and it’s supposed to benefit the child through provision of quality early years education using Aistear. It’s 5 days a week for 3 hours, the lowest rate paid is 65 for room leader that holds a basic level 6 qualification which goes to 75 (and soon 80) for level 7/8 degree holders.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Same as ours so misc2013 but the charge seems very high.I actually remember a thread here somewhere about someone giving out that their playschool was charging an extra 150 eur a month as a top up fee on the free hours and they were doing the full 15 hrs.Not sure what is going on in your place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    misc2013 wrote: »
    In my case the extra hour is not optional as the session is a 4 hour session.
    It has to be optional under the rules of the scheme.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    lazygal wrote: »
    It has to be optional under the rules of the scheme.

    Agree. You absolutely should have had the option to take him home after 3 hours and not pay a thing. Forcing you to do and pay for a 4 hour session is against the rules.

    Are you finished now this week anyway ?

    I presume this was year 1 - I think I'd be looking elsewhere for year 2


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    Agree. You absolutely should have had the option to take him home after 3 hours and not pay a thing. Forcing you to do and pay for a 4 hour session is against the rules.

    Are you finished now this week anyway ?

    I presume this was year 1 - I think I'd be looking elsewhere for year 2


    Firstly, I talked to the co childcare committee lady and asked about my situation without identifying the creche and that I had worked out that the "extra hour" appears quite expensive. Now, she didn't say anything about that being against the rules but kinda sheepishly indicated that some creches have different fees. Now, the fact that I mentioned the 4 hour sessions might have identified as they may be the only creche in town that do this.....


    Secondly, I have made a few calls and to get into the only other other 2 alternatives I would consider - for personal reasons and practical reasons are long full for Sept. You would need to be booking preschool here a year ahead, which is what we did for this placement. They are golddust.


    The expression "suck it up" springs to mind but to soften the blow, the centre is very good. There are a couple in town that I have heard less than favourable reports of.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    You are fully within your rights to only avail of the 15 free hours from September onwards thought.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,901 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    pwurple wrote: »
    Yup, the ECCE is not free.  
    If someone could provide a building, trained staff etc for a small portion of the year, 3 hours a day, then it may be. But no business can survive doing that , so they set minimums. 
    To be honest, I'm ok with them having to do that, they need to make a living too. 
    I'm not OK with this ECCE scheme being lauded as an achievement, when it makes very little difference. 

    Our minimum payment on top of ECCE isn't too bad in the wider scheme of things. We pay €157 euro monthly. We get 4 hours per day, during term. (so one extra hour a day).
    Our kids place do it , 9:30 to 12:30. It’s in Killiney.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    I sent my eldest to a pre-school and didn’t pay anything. They offered a three hour session, nothing extra, so it was free, which is standard around here.
    But that place was supposed to be closing down, so I rang another to put my next boys name down for next year, and they told me that the ecce doesn’t cover their full fees, it just subsidises them. There was a top-up charge of €15/wk. This wasn’t for any extra time. It was for “the books and things”. This made me lol a bit. The books.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭dori_dormer


    shesty wrote: »
    Exactly.We get 16 hours hence the extra charge per month.But it just happens that those are their preschool hours, they don't have any others

    They are legally obliged to offer 3 hrs a day. They cannot force you to take on extra hours. Its against policy and you should report it


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭misc2013


    jlm29 wrote: »
    I sent my eldest to a pre-school and didn’t pay anything. They offered a three hour session, nothing extra, so it was free, which is standard around here.
    But that place was supposed to be closing down, so I rang another to put my next boys name down for next year, and they told me that the ecce doesn’t cover their full fees, it just subsidises them. There was a top-up charge of €15/wk. This wasn’t for any extra time. It was for “the books and things”. This made me lol a bit. The books.

    Ah seriously...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭dori_dormer


    misc2013 wrote: »
    Sorry but I thought I had clarified already that the sessions are 2 blocks of 4. Regardless of mornings or afternoons, I would get charged E26 per session. Even if I took him out after 3 hrs. I an getting the 3/5 th subsidy which is E39 but I pay E78/week. I think the bottom line is that I just assumed 3 free hours was standard and was fine with the extra 6.50/ hr. I clearly did not realise that there may be an additional charge in there somewhere, so signed him up without reading the small print. I have had no issue with the extra 6.50/ day at all. Just surprised that it seems more than that or I am missing something. I have paid 312 / monthly for 6 months and received 890 ECCE for the same period which is E148/ month hence just under 50%. Of coursebi didn't keep a copy of the paperwork but I clearly pay more than just the extra hour/ day.

    It is against policy to force you into extra hours on top of ecce. You should report them for this. Ecce payments and optional extras need to be separate. They are basically saying a 4 hr
    session is 26 euro. So 6.50 / hr. But ecce only gives them 15 euro so they are charging you 11 euro for the last hr! Not 6.50. They are scamming you and are not allowed do it that way.


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 10,661 ✭✭✭✭John Mason


    their fees will be clearly broken down in the fees policy they gave you and which you would have signed and handed back.

    Go and ask for a copy of their fees policy if you are not being charged on that, contact your local CCC and lodge a complaint.

    Here is the list of the County Childcare Committees

    https://www.dcya.gov.ie/docs/City_-_County_Childcare_Committees_(CCCs)/4100.htm


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 10,661 ✭✭✭✭John Mason


    It is against policy to force you into extra hours on top of ecce. .

    it actually isnt. this was changed a while back. they can run min. 4/5 sessions which will attract additional costs. Once this is clearly stated on their fees policy. you do not have to send your child there.

    they cannot force you to pay for additional extras like yoga, christmas parties, school tours, arts and crafts etc.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,914 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    They are legally obliged to offer 3 hrs a day. They cannot force you to take on extra hours. Its against policy and you should report it

    Well there are plenty of schools around us with places that do the three hours, but we are happy to go with this one.....they are quite up front about their hours and extra fees.It's mon-thurs only.I wouldn't really say they are forcing us, we have very much chosen to go with them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,729 ✭✭✭Millem


    Live in South Dublin. Alot of fee paying secondary schools have started preschools....I don’t know of any that just offer 3 hours ECCE. They charge a yearly fee. The one my friend uses works out at €14.60 for 1 hour and 15 minutes extra each day. There is no option to leave early. She pays the fee at the start of the year but you can pay in installments.


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