Wraparound care at school cancelled

Can you contact the parents of other children who are also using ASC currently? Maybe arrange some kind of regular swap? Sorry this is happening- it sounds really stressful.

It's not seen as an essential part of the school day though. Schools don't have to provide it. I was amazed DSs school don't have after school club, just breakfast club, but obviously there's not enough interest.
If ASC runs at a loss then it's taking money from other areas of the school.
That's going to annoy a lot of parents.

I have to limit my work hours to accommodate school runs. The after school club closed and then my childminder went out of business during the COVID lock downs. There is now no one else picking up from our school. Moving school is not an option as the other realistic option distance wise cannot meet my DS's needs (SEN). As a single mum it's left me stuck on universal credit as my earnings are limited. It always amuses me on here when people say "just book a childminder" or "use an after school club". There aren't any! I have some family help but not every day as that is not a reasonable ask for my elderly parents or adult DC.

Email the local authority, under the childcare act they have a legal obligation to ensure sufficient childcare places for working parents, including out of school and wraparound. Particularly at the moment there is a huge push for this due to the government agenda to support working parents. They will likely get involved and support the school to either make it viable via a cash boost or they will put it out to tender to a private company to take over.

I'm not sure why you think children can't go to school for both. Schools have been childcare since the 1800s. Their role in enabling parents (mothers) to work in factories unencumbered by children was fundamental to increased productivity and safety. That politicians didn't like to talk about how important this was until the state's need for women to work was driven by WWII doesn't mean it hasn't always been a big part of the state education system. And for the last nearly 30 years the National Childcare Strategy has set out quite clearly how important schools' role as a source of childcare is to the economic health of the country.

But if schools run wraparound care at a loss a few parents' childcare is being funded at the detriment of other children. The loss comes from other parts of the school budget. That might boil other parents piss.

Can you coordinate with other parents - you do Thursday, others cover remaining 4 days? Not ideal.

But it would be/would have been naive to assume the service would have longevity knowing the low numbers and extremely low reception intake. Naive not to consider alternative childcare provision, particularly in a situation where there is no 'village' to lean on in times of need and in a remote rural setting.

Presumably because it didn’t attract more parents who need to work and can’t do a 3.15 pick-up!

Whilst the school could run this service at a loss, that would obviously have an impact on provision elsewhere. As it’s such a small school it won’t have many options for making the necessary savings from its core provision. It could possibly sack a teacher or a TA or two, but the school presumably took the decision that the best course of action for the majority of pupils was to close the after school provision.

I’m not unsympathetic, especially given the short notice. There was no after-school provision at my children’s school until the younger one was in year 6, but I was lucky that a neighbour with children of a similar age agreed to look after mine before and after school. I hope you can find a suitable alternative arrangement.

Do you know how many other children use the current service? I'd be interested to find out what they will do.
I think we all understand that school isn't childcare, but it's not unreasonable for OP to have used the service they offered and to be upset that it is being removed with no consultation and very little notice.

Schools aren't there to provide childcare. They are there to educate the children. If they have lots of children who need care at the beginning and end of the day, they normally try to provide it, but it isn't what they are there for. If they run care they have to be able to pay at least two staff members, pay the caretaker long hours, pay the cleaners to come back to clean where after school club has used later in the day. Even if those people are minimum wage that's about to be £12.21 per hour - 3-6pm is 3 hours, that's £36.63 per person who has to stay on, that's at least £73.26 per night for the two staffing the club. Plus something for heating and lighting and resources, and maybe for the caretaker if they had to come back to lock up. That could easily work out at £100 per night, maybe more. I'm really sorry you are in this situation, but you can't blame the school for not running the club at a loss.

Does the school 30 mins away have wraparound?

That would be a great compromise if you can both do this. How old are the kids? Hopefully it won't be too long until you can go back to working normal hours once they're a bit older.

Now schools are used as childcare.

I’ve never understood what people mean by this?

If you are in England, talk to your Family Information Service or Early Years and Childcare Team at your local Council https://finder.familyandchildcaretrust.org/kb5/fct/childcarefinder/home.page as they may not be aware that the provision is closing.

Also, not all childminders advertise and your Family Information Service can contact them on your behalf to see if they can help.

Where is your partner in all this, OP? Since previous poster raised the point of sacrifice falling on women.

Does your partner/DH work flexibly?

So they have half the budget of last year but still the same overheads, staffing costs,. heating bills etc. Not really a wonder they've had to pull it tbh.

I'd also be concerned they might actually shut down the school if enrolment doesn't improve too.

Is there any chance you could reduce your hours for 2 of your longer days and DH reduced his hours for the other two days? I know it may be a bit of a financial hit but I can't see any other viable option for you in this situation.

Because they attracted the new intake, job done goal achieved.

The school were struggling, the school are still struggling.