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Original poster

If Your School Doesn't Have After School Club What Are You Doing?

34 replies

roses2 · 05/09/2022 10:47

My two children go to a small school in London which doesn't have after school facilities.

There used to be a fitforsport at the school opposite and a walking bus service but this has shut down.

There is another local school 500m away which runs but doesn't offer a walking bus service to get the kids there (they used to offer the walking bus but stopped this due to lack of staff).

I used to use an after school nanny but she resigned two weeks ago. I've spoken to three more nannies but the entitlement is just jaw dropping (one wants zero hours type contract but based on when she is free, not me; one wants £20/hour and another wants 15 hours per week at £14/hour which I just don't need and I don't want to pay them to sit their on their phone whilst the kids watch tv and wind down).

I am guessing many others have the same problem. What are you doing to resolve this?? I need ideas :(

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Blondeshavemorefun · 17/09/2022 19:15

Problem is working 3/6 means unless very local they need to leave other job /home by 2 so very hard to fit in something

which is why many pay over the odds for after care

glad you found after school care @roses2 tho seems weird it’s in such a hard location not local to school

absolutelyknackeredcow · 17/09/2022 18:53

@roses2 after school club is completely full. I have been on the waiting list for two years !!!
I also would like someone to be at home as I need someone to check my 12 year old is home as she is on the spectrum

Original poster
roses2 · 17/09/2022 17:59

@absolutelyknackeredcow I agree 1:1 care is dire and we are having to pay a lot for poor quality.

I found the same so am using the after school club (offsite & in a very awkward tube + bus ride away) on days I absolutely have to. Luckily at work lots of people either have kids or dogs and facing the same issue so they are being really flexible and I'm able to collect 3-4 times per week meaning after school club is only used 1-2 times per week.

SIL also in London has got someone for 15 hours for their 11 year old and they make up tasks for her like laundry (she's an awful cook apparently) in order to offer the hours that the person was asking for.

Another friend found a student but only available half the week so she is using two different people to provide the hours she needs.

Any chance you can use an after school club then find a teaching assistant to bring them home and stay the extended hours you need? I've got a teaching assistant who finishes work at 5/6pm and he does my evening babysitting. I found him on childcare.co.uk.

OP posts:
absolutelyknackeredcow · 17/09/2022 12:38

@AquaticSewingMachine Thank you

AquaticSewingMachine · 17/09/2022 12:37

Fair enough @absolutelyknackeredcow . It wasn't my ideal but I gave it a try, and seeing the state of the market I definitely would not have got someone of her calibre otherwise. Good luck in finding someone.

absolutelyknackeredcow · 17/09/2022 12:23

Thanks @AquaticSewingMachine - good to know.
Honestly - probably not. We have a 12 year old and a 9 year old and we are over the little stage.
My eldest needs quiet for homework and my DH works from home in a senior job and we need late nights.
I just can't see how it would work.
That said - it's absolutely DIRE at the moment

AquaticSewingMachine · 17/09/2022 12:20

@absolutelyknackeredcow are you open to nanny with own child? It was saying in my ad that I was that got me responses. Koru were totally useless. My new nanny brings her own child and is working out great.

absolutelyknackeredcow · 17/09/2022 11:13

@roses2
I'm looking in London for after school help and really struggling
I have had a few Koru in the past but they have been patchy and despite contacting loads through their website. I haven't had any success.

Things that I have done - upped the hours to include more housekeeper tasks when the kids are not here, upped the hourly rate, offered to pay travel.

I have advertised on local Facebook, childcare.com, gumtree and Koru.
Honestly I'm still not having much luck. I have probably messaged 200 candidates (really not joking ) and had active conversations with about 30 - most of who are time wasters and ghost me. Can you tell I'm annoyed

JMH12122 · 14/09/2022 12:38

Hello.
Can a anyone recommend a childminder in Weybridge for our daughter who has just started in reception at St James Primary. Ideally we’re looking for Weds and Thurs after school.
Thanks

Blondeshavemorefun · 09/09/2022 21:27

15hrs a week at 3/6pm x 5 at £14/15gph sounds normal

how many hours do you need .

maybe a cm as cheaper as no tax ni or employers in and pension

Connie2468 · 09/09/2022 10:52

"The jaw dropping entitlement comes from the lady who wanted a contract based on when she is free, not when I actually needed her. She said she would tell me on a weekly basis what days she could do and expected from me that I would commit to use her on those days."

That's not 'entitlement' lovely, that's just someone telling you their terms and conditions. If it doesn't work for you, you just don't use their services.

Original poster
roses2 · 09/09/2022 10:16

Connie2468 · 06/09/2022 16:59

The jaw dropping entitlement isn't coming from the nannies Grin

The jaw dropping entitlement comes from the lady who wanted a contract based on when she is free, not when I actually needed her. She said she would tell me on a weekly basis what days she could do and expected from me that I would commit to use her on those days.

I think you're all correct that £15/hour and 15 hours seems to be the going rate for an after school nanny. I can't justify spending £225 per week on hours I just don't need.

The school has after school club until 6pm so I plan to put the kids there 1-2 times per week (£20-40 per week). It's just a pain because it's an offsite location they get bussed to so on those days they won't get home until 7pm as it's a bit of a trek from home.

Oh well. Only 5 more years left of this until DS starts secondary school and can make his own way home.

OP posts:
BringOnSummerHolidays · 06/09/2022 22:48

@jannier i used a childminder so I have nothing against them. Mine was in fact very good. But the problem was that she only picked up at one time at the school and then walked all the children home. She can’t drive my children to gymnastics, dance, sports and music lessons. I would have these all after school if I could. The problem is I work so these are on the weekend. And music lessons at school. This limits the choices of after school activities the children can have.

AquaticSewingMachine · 06/09/2022 20:34

jannier · 06/09/2022 19:55

As a childminder with a degree and loads of qualifications in various education related areas id love to know what that's based on. We do forest school, backwoods cooking, den building, trips out, homework and 11 plus prep, arts, crafts etc all in the fee 3 hours care in my area of London is £12 and you don't pay my NI pension, sickness etc....or my utility bills.

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Well, the point of a nanny is you have control. You can do the activities your DC is particularly into and have playdates with the kids your DC want to. That's no disrespect to what a childminder can do, it's just the difference between being one of several people using a service vs employing someone who's dedicated to you.

jannier · 06/09/2022 19:55

BringOnSummerHolidays · 06/09/2022 17:09

I agree with the others that also with the nanny you can get your kids to do out of school activities and play dates. It's much better than a childminder.

As a childminder with a degree and loads of qualifications in various education related areas id love to know what that's based on. We do forest school, backwoods cooking, den building, trips out, homework and 11 plus prep, arts, crafts etc all in the fee 3 hours care in my area of London is £12 and you don't pay my NI pension, sickness etc....or my utility bills.

Goldbar · 06/09/2022 17:13

Connie2468 · 06/09/2022 16:59

The jaw dropping entitlement isn't coming from the nannies Grin

Yes. I would have snapped off the hand of the £14ph nanny. If you have two children, any other form of childcare isn't coming in a lot cheaper.

BringOnSummerHolidays · 06/09/2022 17:09

I agree with the others that also with the nanny you can get your kids to do out of school activities and play dates. It's much better than a childminder.

BringOnSummerHolidays · 06/09/2022 17:07

Our childminder quit but luckily we now WFH. DH and I blocks our diary on alternate days for school pick ups in the afternoon. I think you just have to pay the nanny.

NippyWoowoo · 06/09/2022 17:07

houseofboy · 06/09/2022 16:47

You are paying for the convenience of having a nanny. You have to look at it that they can't get other work and therefore it has to be worthwhile for them. I know nanny families who pay for a nanny for hours they don't need to ensure they keep them and then they cover the holidays as well.

Exactly this. It's not rocket science.

Imagine your job only needing you to do a few hours a week. How will you pay your bills? You can't just get jobs to fill in the time based on the hours that an employer needs.

I do an after school job once a week, in addition ti my FT position, and am paid £16. And no, I don't just sit on my phone 🙄

Ifyouknowyouknowyouknow · 06/09/2022 17:04

That nanny rate and hours expectation sounds completely normal to me (in London). If the kids are watching tv the nanny still has to be there supervising them. In theory she could be taking them to the park/hosting play dates/facilitating extra curricular activities/doing activities with them and preparing their evening meal in that time.

Connie2468 · 06/09/2022 16:59

The jaw dropping entitlement isn't coming from the nannies Grin

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 06/09/2022 16:53

£14ph is £7 per child so not far off childminder rates and presumably similar to after school club rates? I don't see the issue? And why would they sit on their phone? As a nanny they would presumably be tasked with interacting with the kids, taking them places on the way home from school, preparing the children's meal?

How old are the kids?

ReadingFestival2022 · 06/09/2022 16:49

We use a Childminder. She collects child from school at 3pm and I collect child from her at 5pm. She charges £5 per hour (just outside London)

houseofboy · 06/09/2022 16:47

You are paying for the convenience of having a nanny. You have to look at it that they can't get other work and therefore it has to be worthwhile for them. I know nanny families who pay for a nanny for hours they don't need to ensure they keep them and then they cover the holidays as well.

Newjobformoremoney · 06/09/2022 16:45

An after school nanny for £14ph is a bargain around here (London too!). What hours do you need? I don't think 15 is unreasonable

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