to think 1st come 1st served is not a fair way to do things.

[lincsslass78]

At dd's infant school they always offer after school clubs on a 1st come 1st served basis. All fine in theory. However, the last one was heavily oversubscribed.
Those who got places were the ones where forms were physically handed in at the office. The children who didn't get places were mainly the younger ones who were really excited and wanted to hand the forms to their teacher.
Surely all the forms hitting the school on the same day should get the same priority.
Seems a realy unkind way to do things.

Our office refuses to accept any forms/cheques/letters - they bark "bookbag" at you and send you on your way then the forms come in at the same time.
They also run a priority system where for oversubscribed teacher-led clubs, children who got in during Term 1 do not get in on Term 2. Those who put their names down in Term 1 but didn't get in, automatically get in during term 2.

Or years 1/2 do term 1, 3/4 do term 2, 5/6 do term 3.

I'm not sure how else they could do it other than picking out random names instead. But then they'd probably be accused of choosing based on favouritism instead. Schools can never win. All parents are never happy about something or another.

Anything that makes people/kids push and shove to get to the front of the queue, even if it's a virtual queue, is stupid and undignified. Just do it by rota, so all get a turn.

There isn't any fairer way of doing it. But the school should make sure that those who lose out first time get priority next time.

There isn't any fairer way of doing it. But the school should make sure that those who lose out first time get priority next time.

We do names out of a hat and first priority to those who missed out.
Some clubs are open to older children only.
Otherwise, mums fill out the form and walk straight back into school with it.
Very unfair on children who go on the bus or to the CM.

Ds primary runs the clubs this way. I have been known to check his bag before leaving and filling in the form there and then to ensure he gets a place if it is important to him,. otherwise we go in early and hand it in at the office.

This is the fairest way, as otherwise the dithers and ummer and aaahers may decide at the last minute to hand the slip in because someone else's child is doing it so they think their should, and a well wanted place may go to a child who only attends two sessions.

Also in the interests of fairness, those that miss out on that term are automatically bumped to the top of the list for the following term.

Get dc to hand form into the the receptionist

startail, we are lucky in that

those children with CM, thankfully have organised parents who fill in the forms.

and

most parents handing the forms in after school offer will call other parents to offer to hand in forms.

When the school tried names out the hat after allowing two weeks to return the forms a lot of the clubs ended up half full

I think the fairest way is eldest first

Our school doesn't do forms any more - just sign up on lists on school notice board. But most of the after school clubs charge, only a few are free! Any time you send letters out, end up chasing people to return them!

They limit membership of after school clubs to a termly basis at our DSs school (with the exception of the daily after school club that has places mainly given to children of parents who work/SS involvement etc) So he did a gym club each week during the Winter term. Now his turn's come to an end and they have offered membership to those children who didn't get a place first time around. In 12 weeks time they'll change the membership again.

All forms in on same day treated equally, if over subscribed then first come first served. Otherwise those children brought by childminder or who can't get there early are penalised. Everyone has the opportunity to check each day for letters and to send it back the next day.

Oh, and forms handed in after school treated same as those handed in next morning.

Our school has a enrolment evening at the start of each term. That is on a first come served basis. Everyone has the same opportunity then.

Molehillthat is just the point. I hate the fact that children are being penalised because their class was later bringing register in.
Another poster asked me how I knew how this was done. Got info from school office.
Really hope dd gets a place next term if club continues.

i always have a pen in my bag for this reason.

by the time i filled in the form i have walked around to the office.

Btw I meant all forms in on the same day names out of hat! Perhaps with a list of those who had prompt forms and were unlucky in the hat last time? It's a minefield though-because like so many things the children with disorganised parents miss out with my suggested system. I heard one disgruntled parent at our school say they should ban clubs at school because there weren't enough places.

DDs school does everything by email now. I have learned to check my email before the school run, so I can print the form out and fill it in. Last day of term, they sent an email 20 minutes before hometime, I still got it handed in. Go me! It's well worth it for some clubs. ASC is £7 a session, most of the interest clubs are £2-£4 a session. It takes a while to get used to your school's system, but it does feel good to be the expert next time and help other people

We're lucky, there are several staff-led free clubs at our primary.

Some have no numbers limit, and all who sign up can participate. Others have a limit, but also a waiting list, and will change participants each half term so it becomes likely that everyone gets a go (and anyone expressing an interest for the first time joins the waiting list, not the club).

It seems to go ok, but only works if the same clubs are running for most/all of the school year.

If there is a chronic undersupply of places, OP? If so, could volunteers step up to help the logistics of expanding numbers?

No measure is perfect - this way is a good measure of keenness, after it happened to us once the next time DS was there at the office with the form first thing.

Some of our more popular free clubs are put on deliberately during lunch time, this is to make sure that the children who want to do the activity, get to do it. Rather than the child simply being signed up straight away for free child care.

I've read that back it sounds bitchy I think, but it's not. The school noticed a significant drop in attendance for certain clubs when they changed over, so they thought it would make it fairer for the children if they gave up their playtime to attend.