Shouldn’t after school clubs be for everybody?

That's terrible.. I would complain. At my daughters school (it's a very large primary), clubs are allocated based on whether the child had a club the previous term. They have competitive after-school teams for football and basketball, based on ability. But non-competitive clubs that all children are able to access.
If the school wants to make the teams competitive, these should be separate from the normal after-school clubs. Otherwise, how else will all children get to experience that sport.

I have those sort of boys who are very sporty, good at all sports and always get picked for school teams (at primary and secondary level), so it’s absolutely believable that the 3 boys have been picked based on ability and not favouritism.

However, I’m 100% with you that school sports clubs should be for everyone within the designated year groups for those clubs, who want to do it. I do think school teams selections (not clubs) should be mostly based on ability and sportsmanship, however my youngest son’s primary school also take along 3 or 4 of the not-so-good players and give them each a little bit of match time / playing time so they get to experience competitive play as well, which is great. Sports being inclusive at primary level is so important.

I refuse to run free after school clubs anymore. Children weren’t interested but their parents wanted an hour of childcare. Parents would constantly pick up late which made me late. It was too much grief.
I’m paid to teach all children during the school day but in my own time, which I’m freely giving up I’ll only teach motivated, enthusiastic engaged and well behaved children.
Ask if your child can go on a waiting list.

Email the headteacher, setting out the facts and query the policy.

Most likely scenario is that the outside sports provider has decided to do this without consulting the school. (Telling the office staff is not the same thing as changing an agreed contracted provision with the headteacher.)

I would talk to the coach!

Not all, but there are fairer ways than choosing the best sports players. If selecting for a team this should be separate.

If a club is oversubscribed, have a waiting list for those who didn't get a place to get a chance next term.

If a child has put football and basketball offer them one if both clubs are full.

Names in a hat (though this could still end up with the same children). Likewise first come first served has the same issue as those who put their name down for one club are likely to put their name down for multiple clubs, hence the suggestion of if clubs are full ask the child to choose one.

At the very least they should offer the opportunity for ALL to apply , even if not everyone can attend.

As this is out of school hours, I don’t think the school is obliged to offer free spaces for all.

In our school it's pupil premium children first, then first come first serve for any remaining places.
Recently found out about clubs that are only on offer to pupil premium children. They are also all the nice clubs like boxing, drama and yoga.

If it's primary, it almost certainly won't be directed time. Most primaries don't even reference the term and hope their staff don't know about it.

Is this an independent?

Really out of order at that age. Kids should be being encouraged to participate in sport, not being told they aren't good enough so may as well go home and get on the X Box

Primary school sports should never be based on the ability that a child currently shows. Their physique, agility and strength change so much in a short period, that in a little while those not showing much skill can improve immensely.
The school should be knocking this selection process on the head now.

Agree it's not fair.

Our clubs are all first come first served. Which has its own issues but at least everyone has a chance.

All year groups/departments are expected to run an afterschool club for at least one term, it's directed time

If it's directed time I don't think it should be exclusionary.

This is not a true ‘afterschool club’ if it’s on ability, so it shouldn’t be called as such. It’s a school sports team that practices after school with an entrance requirement.

Echo this. Aside from the fact that completely agree with people, primary school should be encouraging all children to participate in and enjoy sport regardless of ability level, and not picking the good ones at such an early age will really entrench children going through life thinking they're 'not sporty', I am baffled that some parents are effectively getting free childcare when others aren't, based on their children's sporting ability.

Not really, some parents are more organised than others. After school clubs don't have to be offered, for the time being this is being offered on ability.

Agree with you that after school clubs open to all shouldn't be cherry picked for ability but just playing devils advocate you said he usually attends both, maybe this term it was given to someone else to have a chance of attending given it may come down to max numbers? He might get the opportunity again in the summer term.

Agree with you. At my children’s primary, the PE teacher focused solely on the very sporty kids who were good enough to be in the teams that competed against other schools. Inevitably this was the same handful of kids who were in all the teams (ie the best runners were also the best footballers and the best hockey players,etc). So around 80% of kids were not encouraged to improve or get involved in sport, it’s awful.

Interchangeable in the real world. People use afterschool clubs primarily for childcare because they are working. It is wraparound care and it matters if it’s the only wraparound care the school provides.

If the sports coach wants extra practices for the school team, he needs to arrange those separately from after school clubs.

I'd suggest politely querying this with the school head and then taking it to the governors if necessary.

That would only apply to the paid/employed curriculum part of their day, not to a free after school club,
Quite likely the teacher isn't paid for the after school club and it's not part of their school's curriculum.

This isn’t after school child care, it’s an afterschool club! The two are totally different things!

This. Plus, how are you supposed to improve if you don't get a chance to take part. None of those childen are going to do football as a career so they should all be allowed to play. Perhaps the organiser has delusions of grandeur.

They only have limited places I've found