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Original poster

Do you use any sort of wraparound care for school age children? And how much?

59 replies

Summermeadowflowers · 22/09/2023 09:41

I’m trying to make a decision on what would work best for the family.

DS starts school in 2025, but I’m due back from maternity leave in July 24, and if I want to make changes to my work it would be best to do so then.

The primary school the children will probably attend does have some wraparound care but I’m not sure of the quality of it or how much it is used. I do have a loose impression that most children are picked up by parents or other family members - this isn’t the case here. In any case I’m keen to limit wraparound as much as possible. I am considering asking for two days a week (currently work three) to help settle DS into school when the time comes. But I am conscious that I won’t be working a lot at all in that case and that will obviously have implications for pay and so on.

I am just wondering what others do. The main issue is that we don’t have a school within walking distance and any realistic primary school that’s an option for us is in the other direction to my workplace. So I’d have to drop DS quite early to then get to work on time, especially factoring in dropping DD at nursery for the two years that’s applicable! So for example, I need to get to work for 825 at the latest - and that really is the very latest. Breakfast club starts 730, so I would have to drop DS off for that, probably get to DDs nursery at 750, then I could probably get to work for 810/815. It’s an early start though as we’d have to leave the house at 720.

I am largely ‘thinking out loud’ here but interested to know what wraparound looks like for other people and any suggestions or advice on how to best make it work.

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PerfectMatch · 23/09/2023 06:42

Mine are older now, but when they were little I worked 3 days a week and they went to wraparound care on those days. They loved breakfast club (mainly because they got white toast there whereas it was brown at home!). I found that was a good balance for them and for me.

autienotnaughty · 23/09/2023 06:39

I work three days a week. One is weekend so dh has him. One I drop off and dh picks up. The third day I drop off and his previous nursery does wrap around so they collect him for about 90 min. Costs me £7. In the holidays it's £28 for the day, or he goes to grandparents.

In our area we have childminders (around £6 ph or £40 a day) There is a tt only after school club which is £6 ph . There's often sports camps for about £10 a session but they are 10-3 so no use for me.

Brilliantlydone · 23/09/2023 05:35

My DH drops off at 7.30 for breakfast club then takes baby to nursery. I collect baby at 5 and child at 5.15. This is every day. Before and after school costs me about £200 a month

moleeye · 23/09/2023 05:20

We both work F/T

Eldest in Y4, youngest in reception.

I wfh 3 days a week, on those days I do drop off and he does pick up and he looks after them/feeds/homework/showers them whilst I continue to work til 6 ish.

On the days I'm in the office he drops them at breakfast club (7.30) and I pick up when I get off the train at 530. Then they have a snack at home

Breakfast club is £3 starts at 7.30am, ASC is £9.50 and til 5.45pm.

They love club, constant moaning at pick up they want to stay longer.

We walk to and from school, a mile each way

Clariee45 · 23/09/2023 05:09

Work 2 days week, previously nursery (2 days covered by funded hours do just top up) and childminders for older DC before and after school £5 an hour. Could have worked more days (as previously) but very stressful and after tax, NI, pension, student loan repayments, communing and childcare (extra in school holidays of course) really not that much better off. Also going to the childminder for just the 2 days is more of a novelty for the kids so they look forward to it rather than complain. Our entire standard of living much improved dropping down to 2 days

Original poster
Summermeadowflowers · 23/09/2023 04:49

I’m not on trial Smile

DHs work is all over the place. He sometimes works away, sometimes in the office, in which case he has to leave just before 7 and only gets back at between 730-8. On the days he works from home he could do a drop off and pick up but these aren’t set days so would be variable each week and some weeks there wouldn’t be any. It’s easier to assume I’m doing it.

I do want to minimise the time they spend in wraparound in school but I’m probably projecting there as I wouldn’t have liked it!

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UsingChangeofName · 22/09/2023 23:24

Mine are older now, but we have used Childminders - so one drop off, and then the CMer takes older dc to school.

After we moved house, we used Breakfast Club in the morning and an after school childminder. Both were great. Initially, dh dropped the 2 school age dc to Breakfast club whilst I took the little one to her CMer.

Later, once they were all in school, I was in work for 7.10 so I could collect them all from CMer by 5.20ish and dh dropped them to breakfast club at 7.45 but didn't have the pressure of leaving on time each day.

You have to do what works for you as a couple. Both parents need to sit down and see what will work best for you as a family. So my first question is why are you doing 2 different drop offs rather than one each ?

Invisimamma · 22/09/2023 23:16

Breakfast club 8-9am is £4 and after-school until 6 is £9. This is pretty cheap as the company is a non for-profit. Neighboring school is £6 for breakfast club and £16 after school.

Quality of care is variables, the get a snack and plenty of outdoor free play, some crafts and use of the games hall. Supervising is minimal and can be lacking, the staff are mainly young early 20s who don't seem to take it too seriously.

jannier · 22/09/2023 22:48

Childminders do wrap around care and the 14 weeks school is closed...less their holidays which for many is 2 weeks summer 1 Christmas. Priority is given to children they have cared for before school or siblings if they are busy.

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