to expect a standard of care at breakfast club?

[anchovies]

Before I send a polite email to the head I was wondering whether you think I am being unreasonable...

Took 4 year old dd to breakfast club this morning. She started school last week and breakfast club was talked about as a viable option for reception children to ensure that both the children can get fed and parents can get to work. Great.

The reality was that there is no acknowledgement of our arrival. We bought some food and then sat down. There were no staff other than serving food so there was no-one to talk to the children, break up a scuffle etc. At 8.40 all the children got up and left to go out to the (open) playground. No one told them to go and no record was kept of who had arrived/gone out to play so no one would no if they safely got to class, no staff went outside with them.

The reception children were then told to stay inside. There was literally nothing to do once they had eaten so the other mum and I chatted with them until the bell went. Not sure they will be capable of 20 mins of conversation when we're not there?

Is this normal? I suppose it is free childcare (other than the cost of the breakfast) but even so it doesn't seem like a great start to their day?

sounds more of a drop in thing like the email reply said and if anything did happen the people there will help if needed and it was your first day, maybe dont sent you r 4 year old until they are a bit older and you feel securer iyswim

I thought anywhere that provided childcare to under 7s has to be ofsted registered and therefore follow ofsted ratios? Surely this set up is illegal, unless you aren't meant to leave your children?

Could you perhaps suggest a buddy system? Or one or two older children could be asked together to help with the reception children?

I think even if it is a drop in thing thereshould at least be assign in sheet for firesafety

Exactly coco, what would happen if the fire alarm went off at 8.45? Am still annoyed as it definitely isn't pitched to parents as an unsupervised, drop in.

The buddy system is a great idea, thanks.

"I thought anywhere that provided childcare to under 7s has to be ofsted registered and therefore follow ofsted ratios? Surely this set up is illegal, unless you aren't meant to leave your children?"

A club only has to be ofsted registered if it is caring for under 8s for more than two hours. However a school has safeguarding responsiblities towards all its children. An unsupervised drop in for reception children is neglect. If the school had knowledge that a reception child was being left unsupervised by their parents they would be legally obliged to report the matter to social services.

There is no way that a junior child can be responsible for a reception child: it's simply asking far too much of them.

Breakfast at dd's old school was exactly like the OP's and I didn't use it for that reason - i let dd go in Y2 because she begged me but not in reception or Y1. I think there was a signing-in sheet though. One day two kids (y1) left the premises and went a local shop before slipping back in - they were really told off (onus was on them to know the rules) but member of staff stood near the door after that.

The kids did love it, and afaik there weren't any other problems.