What do you think? DH laughed :(

[KidsCooking]

I'm currently on mat leave with dc2. I'm a teacher and really don want to go back at all full time. It's not just 'leaving the kids', it's more c

[KidsCooking]

Argh! Sorry!

It's more that I'm completely fed up with it. Gove and school politics? Not for me.

I've had quite a few ideas of things I could start up. One of which is a preschoolers cooking class. My DH laughed! But, there isn't anything like this in my surrounding area (city); nearest is 30 miles away.
As a teacher, I'm confident I could plan a good, interesting and educational session. As I teach a practical subject, I'm also sure I could hopefully manage a small group of 2-4 year olds (with parents). I'd include ingrediants in with price etc and hold classes around area in small community halls (are these expensive to hire?) with a cooker!
Thinking I could also do parties and possibly go into schools (primary) but know the latter would be difficult as schools don't have the extra cash.

I'm thinking I would need to ask to go part time for this to work. I'd love to just not go back, but I need to be sensible. Dd1 goes to school the following September, and I'd love to be able to take and collect her, as well as put dc2 in nursery much less.

So, is It doable? Would people pay to do it? There seem to be a few around the country. Mainly in Surrey and London. Also a bigger company with fanchises set up (not near here).

Tia

[daisychicken]

Could you expand to teach cooking to other ages as well? Maybe an afterschool type club? Our school did do it for a while - we had to pay a small amount per class - and it was always oversubscribed.

[MoaningMingeWhingesAgain]

My first thoughts - Insurance. Small children plus cookers/risk of food poisoning/allergies. Your risk assessments will be a million pages long

You would need at least one assistant. Could be tricky to make any profit unless you are aiming for the wealthy customers. Would not be attractive to many parents if they had to stay for the session rather than drop and run (eg if they had siblings/other things to do)

When would the sessions be? weekends? Or daytimes to pitch to SAHMs who already do plenty of cooking while trying not to trip over DCs.

[Fragglewump]

Not sure how feasible it is as funding is available from 'let's get cooking' for after school clubs which are run by volunteers and all food and attendance are free for the children. Both of my children did them and they are very popular!

[bassingtonffrench]

not mad at all. this is definitely do able. there are loads of classes in my area, including a food class for preschoolers.

but you would earn a pittance compared to teaching I would imagine.

[VinegarDrinker]

There is one local to us and it is fab, but I'm pretty sure it is a volunteer run thing and they don't make a profit kidskitchenlondon.wordpress.com/

[VinegarDrinker]

Meant to say quite a few of the Children's Centres locally do free cooking sessions too.

[chestnut100]

Definitely doable. I know of a similar successful business round here that the children's centre buy in for sessions, runs sessions at soft plays, and has a very lucrative trade in birthday parties. I'm in the north

[KidsCooking]

Thank you! That was quick.

I didn't know about the community centres and the 'let's get cooking'. I'll need to have a look. The area I was thinking of targeting is definitely a wealthy area. not my area but nearby
I was thinking about £6 a class. From researching other websites, this seems to be the going rate. I would imagine you'd have to aim for about 10 preschoolers per class. I was thinking of during school day, so older siblings not a problem. Younger ones? Maybe a small selection of toys etc to keep occupied. But not sure how that would work. I certainly wouldn't be able to afford help.
The money is an issue. My salary is good (been teaching 10 yrs) and I'm not sure the school would agree to pt.

I need to look into this volunteering group. If they're doing sessions round here it certainly won't work.

[Damnautocorrect]

Have a look at splat cooking, they do similar. Sounds a great idea to me

[KidsCooking]

OMG a prices on splat cooking! Looks fab though. Thanks for the link damn.

Quick google search for surrounding children's centres:doesn't appear to be any kids cooking classes. A few adult ones aimed at cooking for kids. Now I'm wondering if I look into funding if I could try doing some classes at the centres to try out my idea? I have 3/4 of my mat leave left. If I get my act together and actually research a nd advertise to start in sept, I could really give it ago for a term and a half!

moaning that's a good point. I wouldn't be letting the kids near the cooker! But allergies and food poisoning are important factors.

I'm thinking of trying to book dd1 onto a session at the class about 30 miles away. I wonder if it's a good idea to be honest with the organiser and ask her advice?

Thanks everyone. Secretly quite excited.

[cooooodle]

In my town, there are classes that are £8 for 1.5 hours, and cupcake classes that are £17.50 (!!) for 2 hours. There is also holiday workshops (10-3) that are £38. I had no idea. My first thought about the holiday one is that it is really expensive, but I also found myself thinking dd would absolutely love this...

My friend is doing after-school cooking classes (for kids and their parents) and charges about £6. She is not making any money on that, though, and is not sure it is worth the effort. So maybe it is worth thinking about charging a higher rate to begin with?

[KidsCooking]

Does anyone know where I stand if I start this whilst on mat leave? Is it allowed? SMP from next pay slip.


cooooodle seems people will pay more. Where are they holdin the holiday classes? I'd imagine you'd need a classroom environment. I suppose if you limit numbers and can still use one small cooker, you'd be ok.

I am now really paranoid that my Internet searches are just failing to bring up a local class. There seems to be a lot of you that know of classes .

[DonutForMyself]

I know 2 friends doing pre-school cooking classes and they're really popular, they also run holiday classes/after school classes for older DCs + birthday parties.

One of them goes into nurseries to teach groups there (we didn't have the option, if they went to nursery on the cooking day it cost an extra £3 or so to cover the class) and does it at the school as an after school club, so lots of scope for classes.

She is very proactive with marketing, FB, local radio, local paper/events etc so it does take a lot of time to do it well, but even as a part-time thing it could be successful. The 2 franchises I know of are Crafty Cooks and Mini Pinnys.

FWIW the previous lady gave up her classes because she didn't make much profit after hiring a hall, this one uses her own kitchen for groups of 6 - much more manageable and cheaper. We paid £6 for an hour I think (or was it 2 hours?!) which included all ingredients and a recipe card. While food was cooking kids got to try different foods and as the parent stayed there weren't any issues with allergies etc as it was up to the parent to supervise pre-schoolers.

CC lady catered for a child who had an allergy by buying a specific brand of margarine and the children didn't go near the cooker, they carried their tray into the kitchen and handed it to her. Most recipes were about weighing and mixing, not heating on the hob, but that's where a franchise will help, as they will have tested all the recipes, will know what H&S stuff you need to do etc.

I think its a brilliant idea, go for it.

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

I'm sorry your DH laughed at you - not very supportive is he?!

I can understand why you want to get out of teaching and into something else.

I think it's worth looking into - but not limiting your options yet.

You lost me at 'with parents' though. I'd be happy to pay for you to bake/cook with them while I go and have a coffee - but I wouldn't pay to do it if I had to stay - if I want to bake/cook with them, we can do it at home :) mind you, having the mess elsewhere is somewhat appealing

[Flibbertyjibbet]

what are you going to do with your own baby while supervising 10 pre-schoolers around an oven and potential hot things.

I am self employed and pay for childcare while I'm working, even when I'm working from home. Not because I make a fortune but because my mind can't be fully on the job if the children are in the house (omg if they should shout out while I'm on the phone )

I volunteer one lunchtime a week to teach knitting at a local school. I can't manage more than 5 or 6 kids at once. 10 is too much imo, and how many pre-schoolers are allowed to one adult anyway?

If you can't afford an assistant, are expecting to take your own baby with you (I wouldn't be happy to be paying someone who was effectively minding their own child whilst doing the activity) then its not going to make you much money is it?

Try part time at your day job our school has several part time teachers.

[cakebar]

Our sure starts locally do 'make take and bake' classes, you prepare the food and take it home ready to bung in the oven with instructions on how long, temperature etc. That could avoid oven issues in a hall. I've heard uptake is not great and these are very cheap.

Someone locally does baking parties and they are wonderful. They make sweet things that don't require baking. However the parties are at weekends usually and after school so not sure if that will suit you.

I think classes would be more appealing for school age children to get them to learn basic dishes, but again this would be school age kids. The trouble with the pre-school market is that more parents have gone back to work and more children are attending pre-school/nursery due to free hours so parents aren't looking for extra classes and toddlers are too small really.

[KidsCooking]

chipping I wasn't impressed with him either. He is supportive in me trying to go self employed and get out of teaching. He is currently doing it and doing very well!
donut I haven't come across those 2 franchises on my search . I guess there is more out there than I realised. Will check them out thank you.

fibberty I totally agree about the childcare. I had every intention of putting dd2 into some kind of childcare. Half day at our nursery is £20. But holiday classes and DH is free. Weekend parties my DM would love to help out for a couple of hours she is practically raising my neice
I certainly would have to go part time. But I would need to try and make up the shortfall. I have a few other ideas too (totally unrelated).

The other thing that's made me think-today both dcs are ill with ear infections! What on earth do you do when something like that happens?

[KidsCooking]

Interesting about using own house....would you need special licences etc for that?

Is mini pinnies a new Zealand franchise? I couldn't see anything for the uk. Crafty cooks-had a quick look. Thankfully again nothing that is anywhere close to me. But £3,500 to join the franchise I certainly couldn't stretch to that.

I have found a kids cookery class about 15 miles away. But it's for older children and not a regular weekly class.

Maybe I need to think more about holiday clubs and parties instead of a weekly class? It certainly would potentially make a lot more per session, and I wouldn't need to pay for child care...


Anyone know about the legalities with mat leave?

[badguider]

I am on Mat Allowance and can only do ten 'keeping in touch' days on my business but I don't know the situation for the employed on SMP... However, are you actually going to run a class while on mat leave? I don't count any time I do on the business that doesn't actually bring in money as 'working'... who can control what I do inside my own head in terms of thinking and planning?

This might sounds insane given teachers' work loads but would you consider doing school-holidays only for a year to test the business model? I know some people who do classes for kids (nature and bike skills) and only offer these in easter/summer/half-term holidays to start with and build a base.

[KidsCooking]

Just seen your post cakebar. Thanks . I had considered the take home option.
I think after school might be difficult as DH's business is mainly evening based. But you're right about preschoolers. Do nurseries generally hire this type of thing though? I know our nursery hasn't. I think 3+ the ratios are 1:8 aren't they?

So much to think about

[Blatherskite]

DD and I have been to a cooking class just this morning. It was the last one as they're stopping and we're both going to really miss it.

The company I work for occasionally as a face painter are looking to open a new one (with me as the possible teacher!) to fill the gap.

They do classes in a community centre and at a couple of the local pre schools. Nothing is cooked on site, it's all packed into little take-away trays to be taken home and baked. DD is 3 and loves it.

[badguider]

MrAnchovy has answered your question with a link on this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/freelancers/1482379-Freelance-work-whilst-on-maternity-leave-from-permanent-contract

[KidsCooking]

Thank you bad! That's great news.
blather I really hope you're not near me . How much were you paying for your class with DD?

Seriously thinking of doing some kind of holiday class. The school I work at do a two week summer school run by a small group of teachers and they charge a fortune! it would be really cheeky to ask to run I there though wouldn't it
I wonder if the local primaries would let out a room...

[Blatherskite]

It was £4 for the cooking, a craft or some colouring afterwards and drinks and biscuits.

I'm not sure how much they charged the ore schools but I think they mostly went for the private ones which had a bit more money.