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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Perhaps I’m missing a factor in it all, perhaps I’m out of date?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:
mynameiscalypso · 24/04/2025 19:06

After school clubs or wraparound? Our school has both. The former are between £75 - £120 per term depending on the type of club and provider. Children entitled to FSM get one club paid for a term.

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?

BumbleBeegu · 24/04/2025 19:05

Is it one run by outside providers? We have an external sports club using our facilities, who charge. However, as teachers we all run an after school club (eg recorder club, choir, chess) and we are not allowed to charge. They last about 45 minutes so from 3.15 until 4.00. If we ever need to cancel through illness or whatever, a text message is sent out to parents - so it’s not a childminding alternative. The sports clubs however never cancel, so I can imagine these are thought of by parents as a ‘sort of’ child minding alternative. Their staff will be getting paid to run it and they will have all kinds of insurance in place. All which will be costing them.

LesMisSaigon · 24/04/2025 19:04

Are you saying that the activity is £40 for a term? If that is about 12 weeks, that's about £3.30 per week. Not too dear if it's an hour..

Smartiepants79 · 24/04/2025 19:04

What are they and who is running them?
If they’re being run by an external provider then of course you pay. Who else is paying the wages of the person running it?
Only clubs run by staff might be free of charge. And even then you might pay for resources. How many weeks are we talking? 10 over the term so £4 a go?
Really does depend on what you’re getting for your money but it sounds reasonable to me.
Families who are in receipt of free school meals can often ask for the pupil premium to be used for things like this.

FusionChefGeoff · 24/04/2025 19:04

There are no free options for ours - all the clubs are run by external providers. State school in fairly big standard town

Acc0untant · 24/04/2025 19:04

Is that per term?

Round here you're looking at £8-£12 per after-school session.

Ivesaidenough · 24/04/2025 19:04

Always had to pay here too. That's pretty good value I'd say - is it for 10 sessions?

Jshrbt · 24/04/2025 19:03

Ours started charging £10 every term so about £1 per week which is pretty fair. Those on low incomes have it paid for.
Are they run by staff or an outside company? Ours are more from an outside company

dunroamingfornow · 24/04/2025 19:03

Is that per week? It’s much cheaper than I pay

friendsonly · 24/04/2025 19:03

What’s the activity?
do they still have free/cheaper after school clubs?

IcyPenguin101 · 24/04/2025 19:02

Is that per session or for the term? At DS primary (state), after school clubs run by the school or external provider (like football) for an hour works out at £5 per session. That’s not the afterschool childcare provision which is significantly more per hour!

Tarantella6 · 24/04/2025 19:02

That's far cheaper than wraparound care, I think that's a bargain! Are they running by external companies?

BookArt55 · 24/04/2025 19:01

Always had to pay here. Most are external people coming in and need to be paid. Or if staff are running them then resources need to be bought and where is the money coming from? School budgets are tight.
A long time ago staff would run these clubs for free, but workload is so much now teachers don't have the time to do that now.

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