How do I work full time?

[lilysunder]

I'm currently on a 0.8 contract, but work full time during term time to accrue flexitime for the holidays. DS is five. Holiday clubs are thin on the ground locally and only do odd days for 3 or 4 hours. Totally ad hoc, there's not a consistent one that does every day.

How on earth can I fit 40 hours a week every week without a helpful family member? DS dad has him some days during the holidays but nowhere near half. I need to be able to make this work on my own somehow.

Do you have friends or are there others in the class that also need holiday cover, so you could do some swaps? Could you work more hours in term time as you do now to be able to take extra in the holidays, or buy more annual leave to get some extra days off?

And can his dad also work overtime to accrue leave or buy leave?

Either of you can book parental leave - unpaid - in one week blocks. If you each did that, a chunk of holiday would be covered.

Ask other working parents locally what they do, just in case there are some holiday clubs you’ve missed. Sometimes private nurseries take in older children during the holidays.

As your DC is only 5 and you are relatively new to this I would also say there is a good chance there are holiday clubs you may not be aware of. Try asking parents with children in year 4 or 5 at primary.

I've heard many parents at our school commenting about there being none other than the few ad hoc ones that are only 3-4 hours, when actually next town over (10 min drive) there are 2 we regularly use that offer 7.30am-5.30pm and some nurseries that do too, they just didn't know about them.

It sounds like you've already optimised your working situation.
I think it's quite a clever idea to work overtime on your PT job (effectively making it full time) in order to have flexibility for the holidays.
If money is the issue, are you sure that your claiming all the benefits you're entitled to?
Agree with PP that there may be holiday clubs you aren't aware of. Keep looking and asking around.