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AIBU?

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Original poster

£66 for an after school club?

164 replies

EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 18:59

Just had some details from school about this term’s after school clubs. Two of them are £40 and the other, £66!
For context, this is a state school with a mix of a few students from comfortably-off families, many average & some Pupil Premium students. Obviously if this was an Independent school then this wouldn’t even cross my mind to be an issue but a state school? Do state schools usually charge for after school clubs? This one hasn’t done before; I’ve never been required to pay for the ones my DC attended previously.

Perhaps I’m missing a factor in it all, perhaps I’m out of date? It just seems unfair that students from lower income families will likely miss out on something I truly believe all kids should have the opportunity to attend - extra curricular activities.
AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:29

Poonu · 24/04/2025 19:23

Don't sign up if it irks you so much.

Don't dare believe lol

I wasn’t asking whether to sign up or not 🙄

OP posts:
PonkyPonky · 24/04/2025 19:27

The ones in my DC’s school are £3 per session for the ones run by an external provider. On the day they have the external PE teacher in, he’s already paid for the day so his after school activity club is free. I think £66 for 6 x 40 minute sessions is very expensive.

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:27

dairydebris · 24/04/2025 19:25

Sounds reasonable to me.
A staff member still has to give their time. Which isn't free.
Unenroll your child if you don't want to pay, it's not compulsory.

I haven’t enrolled mine?

OP posts:
Bunnycat101 · 24/04/2025 19:27

I think that’s on the pricier side for a school activity. The most expensive school club I’ve had was coding at £14 a session from an outside provider. The other external clubs are around £7-9 for an hour. Wrap around is £17 for 3 hours but that isn’t what the OP is asking about.

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:26

Whinge · 24/04/2025 19:21

Our school is the same. @EmmaJane2025 perhaps the teachers / school staff have finally had enough of parents sending children to things they don't actually want to do, simply because it's free. 🤷‍♀️

Show quote history

I did wonder that but the school staff hand picked the kids who get to attend the FREE clubs from those who showed interest, as there’s only 8 spaces on each club. However they’ve stopped the free clubs entirely now!

Ah well. I guess mine miss out then. I mean DD doesn’t want the ‘believe’ club anyway but the others sounded interesting.

Thanks everyone

OP posts:
dairydebris · 24/04/2025 19:25

Sounds reasonable to me.
A staff member still has to give their time. Which isn't free.
Unenroll your child if you don't want to pay, it's not compulsory.

AngeloMysterioso · 24/04/2025 19:24

After school wraparound is £6 an hour for DS1, although we can use tax free childcare for it

Poonu · 24/04/2025 19:23

Don't sign up if it irks you so much.

Don't dare believe lol

TomatoSandwiches · 24/04/2025 19:22

We have 2 days of after school care/club 3-5:30pm and it's £60pw.

Whinge · 24/04/2025 19:21

skinnyoptionsonly · 24/04/2025 19:16

Our old school started charging for staff run clubs as parents were using it for childcare when kids weren’t even vaguely interested in the activities

Our school is the same. @EmmaJane2025 perhaps the teachers / school staff have finally had enough of parents sending children to things they don't actually want to do, simply because it's free. 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:21

Moonnstars · 24/04/2025 19:18

Maybe ask for more details. I have no idea what that is, so maybe it's a club where they are laying for outside speakers, or each week they do something different. It may also be to cover the cost of equipment I guess.

No it’s being run by a class teacher from the school.

OP posts:
needmorecoffee7 · 24/04/2025 19:21

That seems fairly standard for an extra curricular activity. There are no free ones at my DC school

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:20

ToKittyornottoKitty · 24/04/2025 19:18

Yeah its still cheap though

Show quote history

Do you think? £66 For 40 mins of ‘daring to believe’ x 6?

OP posts:
Moonnstars · 24/04/2025 19:18

Maybe ask for more details. I have no idea what that is, so maybe it's a club where they are laying for outside speakers, or each week they do something different. It may also be to cover the cost of equipment I guess.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 24/04/2025 19:18

EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:17

It’s not childcare it’s an activity

Show quote history

Yeah its still cheap though

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:17

ToKittyornottoKitty · 24/04/2025 19:14

Ours is £15.40 a day for after school club and £8 for breakfast club

It’s not childcare it’s an activity

OP posts:
Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:16

SoSoLong · 24/04/2025 19:05

After school club as in childcare or a specialist activity? Either way, I don't think they were ever free?

No, an after school activity (always referred to as a club here in my locality) Always been free. This is year 5 and they’ve always been free. Not ran by a specialist provider either, by school staff for 40 mins. 6 sessions.

OP posts:
skinnyoptionsonly · 24/04/2025 19:16

Our old school started charging for staff run clubs as parents were using it for childcare when kids weren’t even vaguely interested in the activities

partygarden · 24/04/2025 19:15

We pay between £120- 144 per term per after school club per week (we do netball, art and football).
Your pricing is a bargain

ToKittyornottoKitty · 24/04/2025 19:14

Ours is £15.40 a day for after school club and £8 for breakfast club

Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:14

Correction, it’s ’Dare to Believe’ club. Like I said above, run by school staff whilst the boys play football

OP posts:
Original poster
EmmaJane2025 · 24/04/2025 19:12

It’s the total cost for 6 sessions but they’re only 40 mins long. I’m intrigued by some referring to it as childcare!? I don’t need childcare and I expect those who do, already have it in place. It’s run by school staff. It’s ’I can believe’ club……… I was looked at blankly when I offered it to DC 😆

Last term DD attended Running club for free for 8 sessions. The previous term was Football and the term before that was Cheerleading. All free. So these have popped up out of nowhere!

OP posts:
47andahalf · 24/04/2025 19:10

You don't give specifics of the club. Is that for one session or a full term? What's the focus? How long does each session last?

My kids standard after school club it's about 18 a day. But for actual clubs like gymnastics after school it's more like 60 termly

Merryoldgoat · 24/04/2025 19:08

£66 for 10/12 sessions? Sounds like a bargain.

CalypsoCuthbertson · 24/04/2025 19:07

Depends on the activity really… primary here always had a choice - £8 per session for things like karate (outside tutor coming into school) and trampolining (teachers walk them to local place) but then lots of free ones eg craft run in school by teachers.

Choice is key isn’t it? It’s not fair to have better off families limited by lower income families, equally lower income families shouldn’t be completely excluded.

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