4 year old Kinder & Child Care

I think I know the answer... But I'm just wanting to confirm.

DS1 is currently attending CC 2 days a week and is in the '3 year old kinder' room.
Next year we'd like him to attend a community kinder for a number of reasons including more structured learning, plus it's closer to the school he'll be attending, so he'll hopefully make some friends there.
We've found a kinder we like, and it's 2 full days a week, however I plan to return to work 2-3 days a week, so I'll need to keep him in CC for a day.

I only question if this is ok because the CC runs a kinder program. Will there be any issues with him essentially doing 3 full days of kinder? Will we just pay normal CC fees?

The idea is that he'll do Kinder Tues & Thurs, and CC Wednesday.

There is no issue I believe - several children at the childcare center my two go to do this (which is an approved 4 year old kinder provider), some kinder days at a community kinder some Childcare days. You just pay normal CC fees, although most places the fee is not as much for the kinder rooms (ours is I think 5 a day less for kinder rooms).

I would see it as a plus - if your childcare center offers a kinder program, it has to follow the same curriculum as community kinders - so essentially he will get three days of kinder. (If only doing childcare based kinder - they like to have attendance for at least two days - but as he is doing a kinder program elsewhere then no issues)

Based on what my 4 year old does at CC based kinder and what some of her friends do at community based kinder, there appears to be little difference - so personally I wouldn't choose to move to community kinder just based on content - but it sounds like you have other good reasons to do it anyway. I do have a friend who does exactly what you are suggesting two days in community and one in childcare and she has said she wishes she hadn't though because finds the pick up and drop off for kinder very stressful to fit in with work and traffic - childcare you pick up and drop off when you pick up and drop off but kinder has set times and she finds it hard with work and given her greater understanding of childcare based kinder thinks for her second child she wouldn't opt for community while working (plus she has to drop off her second child at the childcare center anyway) - might not apply to you but thought was worth mentioning.

DS1 last year attended CC 2 days a week in a kinder room and attended sessional kinder 3 days a week for 3.75 hrs a session. We just paid the kinder fees and then normal CC, you can only get funded thru one so that would be the sessional kinder fees. He enjoyed both and loved both was not a problem at all.

We did sessional as it was about making friends for school as CC was 20 min drive away but in the end made no difference the kids he was friends with he is not close to anymore apart from 1.
They both have to follow early years framework and both do structured learning.

This is what I'm planning on doing next year when DS2 goes to preschool (also called kinder or kindy). I don't think there will be any issues with it :)

What will you do during school holidays? Will you be able pick up the extra days at CC? Just something I had to deal with when Dd2 was at kinder and childcare.

Thanks ladies, you all brought up issues that I've been thinking about.

It's not a case of thinking the curriculum at CC won't be up to scratch, I know they all have to teach the same things, so that's all good. That's also why I'm still keen for him to stay at CC one day a week, he loves it!

It's a mixture of:
- The kinder being much closer to the school he'll be going to (hopefully making the transition easier)
- Increasing his days of activities to 3 (rather than the 2 he's doing now), again in preparation for school
- It works out to be cheaper to do kinder AND CC rather than just CC
- My job is very flexible - I set my own hours and work in the area we live in, so the drop offs/picks up will be ok, no different to when he's at school really
- Summer holidays I can pick up the days at CC, but the mid year breaks I can't. Again, not a major issue because of the flexibility I have with work. DH also has the ability to work from home if we get really desperate

I'm sure issues will arise - kids being sick etc, but that will happen whether at CC or Kinder...

I think I just made my decision! :) Thanks for helping me work through all the possible scenarios and issues, that's exactly what I needed!!