To wonder why more schools don’t have this??

[Easysolution]

So I have NC for this but basically I have realized that I have struck gold with my DC’s school. Now we are not in uk but in Ireland so not far.
Basically her school has an attached Montessori and “Afterschool” facility
My DC1 Attends the school and DC2 attends the Montessori.
School starts at 8.40, drop off for Montessori (and school) is from 8.30 onwards (although official hours are 9-12 for Montessori)so technically first half hour free. Children in Ireland have 9-12 per day free childcare from age 3-5 (provided by Montessori) and then after 12 it is €4 per hour for DC2. They get a snack at 11 and I provide a packed lunch also for 12/half12.

My DC1 finishes school hours @ 1.20 (first two years of primary finish an hour earlier than the rest of school) and then is collected at her classroom by one of the Afterschool team who bring her to the Montessori/Afterschool rooms (joined by a big double door) they do homework (except reading) and they have toast at 3oclock, this service is also €4 an hour. The Afterschool team also collects the older children at 2.20 and bring them to Afterschool too. They all do homework and play/chat etc until they are collected. It is open until 5.30.

I am a teacher also but my school starts at 9 (thank god) and finishes at 2.40. I usually get to collect my DC by half 3.

I am in awe of the school and what they provide, it is amazing and the kids love it!! Just wondering why it’s not more common as I think it seems a lot more ppl could do with a service like it.

Also it’s not a booked place so if they don’t attend I don’t pay. It’s only school term obviously but that suits me as I am a teacher.

Anyone else have ANYTHING similar??

Quite normal to have before and after school care around here too.

The issue is when the parents work shifts, finish later than 6pm or have a long commute. The core hours are fine; everything else is tricky.

@ohreallyohreallyoh yes I am well aware that ppl work shifts!! I am surrounded by family that work shifts but even they find this service useful!!! I mind my niece and nephew almost weekly while their parents do a night shift so spare me the details of how others live!! I know!! I’m not stupid!! But what I do seein here is a whole load of parents struggling to find someone to take their children after school “just for the few hours” etc etc and do it got me thinking is the service that I use not common place??! Obvs it is!! But as usual... it’s still not good enough. I can’t think of any where that would really help those on shift work, that usually means they depend on family.

I used to use the wrap around care at school. DS1 found it exhausting being in from 8am to 5:55 in a small room packed with 5-11 yos with no quiet space to chill out. He may potentially have SN, and can find a school day draining anyway.

I took advantage of a break in contacts to be a SAHM. Finding work that is financially worthwhile after wrap-around care for two and fits around the pressures of DH's job is easier said than done. Holiday care is messy as many of the sports clubs are only 9-3 and again the cost for 2 quickly mounts up. DS1 in particular is happier that by 3:30 he can shut himself quietly in his room and chill out on his own rather than facing 3 hours in a crowded, noisy room.

Local family of the right demographic and employment status would give more flexibility for earlier pick-ups/ part-time care and holiday clubs, but that was never to be in our situation.

No wrap round care at our primary. Provision is very patchy where I live.
I think it’s actually very unfair.

Wraparound care between 06.30am and 6pm is totally the norm and heavily subsidised when I had school age kids in Sweden. The max you pay is a small % of income unless you have an annual income of over £48K then you pay the maximum fee of £80 per month for the first child, £40 for children 2 and 3, and any others go free. Breakfast and a light tea were included. It also provided fulltime care in the holidays for the same price.

The wraparound care did a lot of different things - homework, crafts, cooking, outdoor games and sports - then a weekly trip out to the forest (bbq sausages for tea), swimming, skating, sledging, nature rambles, trips to the country park. All of the trips were included in the cost at no additional charge.

@Lunde that sounds lovely!! 😊 ours go out to the garden too and play sports it’s so lovely I just adore the school and So do my DC!

@Slipperboots yes very unfair for sure! 😢

mostly doing homework

This would be a huge negative for me, they shouldn't even be doing homework in primary school, and certainly not doing any extra formal learning straight after the school day, it seems strangely at odds to a Montessori approach outside where self directed learning is one of the tenets.

Starting school as a working parent with a child from private nursery and no connection to school nursery social groups meant we were socially isolated. We have local friends... they worked FT too so that was no use for anything other than a rare night out.

Imagine the AIBU cheeky-fuckery post of some random, unknown school parent who has never graced the playground trying to negotiate unreturnable childcare favours for free (assuming they have finally managed to obtain a contact via a class party invitation)

@sirfredfredgeorge the Montessori hours finish at 12. It becomes an Afterschool facility mostly then.
I’m afraid homework is standard here in Ireland, younger classes have a sheet of writing practice or maths and reading. Older classes have a sheet or half a page of maths, English spellings and Irish spellings or tenses and reading. They do
Finish school earlier here. And also they have longer summer holidays (8/9 weeks) so they do get a good balance. When I say mostly, the children are usually finished/finishing homework at half 3 when I am collecting my DC (who finishes homework after 10mins) so hardly taxing.

OP you are blessed. Childcare in Ireland was a disgrace when I needed it when my kids were young. And it's not much better now! The help with preschool 'free' hours is good but not everyone can offer that or is in a position to avail of it.

@Hollyhobbi I know 😢

Ours is on school site and is open from 7.30 for breakfast club and from 3.15-6pm after school. Breakfast is served in the morning and light tea (think beans on toast) at 5pm. £12 per day. Use as and when you need. I know we're lucky!

No, we can pay £1 to drop off 15 minutes early before school, and there are free activity clubs until 4.15 each night, but not all year groups can at attend each club and none at all are open to Reception.DS9 goes to drama, ict, art, and sports because that is what is open to his year group, ds7 does ict, art, and sports, and dd4 does no clubs because they aren't available for her year group. Fun for kids but no help when it comes to childcare, and actually trickier with multiple pick ups.

The first two years ( junior and senior infants) ages 4,5,6 or 7 (depending on what age they start (they can start at 4 or 5) finish an hour earlier (but the teacher doesn’t they stay on to plan etc)

Interesting. Do those teachers who finish earlier get paid any less?

Op I am curious whereabouts in Ireland you are. I don't think this sort of school wraparound childcare is common here. I do think the whole school system is much more relaxed in Ireland though, no one bats an eyelid if you take your kids on holiday during term, you start them when you feel they are ready, (up to age 6) and people seem to respect teachers more here and trust them more. They don't seem to have the stress and workload that UK teachers have. (As reported on here anyway).

@Deadringer Waterford

Yes, I agree that the Irish system is far less pressured and much healthier for staff. Far more faith in the teacher and no ridiculous paperwork or data. Wouldn't touch teaching in the UK myself from all the horror stories I hear. Infant teachers get paid the same - why wouldn't they? They have to stay until the same time as someone teaching an older class.

OP I know of a lot of schools who do aftercare, but can imagine it'd be patchy depending on area!

No wrap-around care at my DC's school. They've looked into it twice but there weren't the numbers to make it viable, which is a PITA for those of us that do actually need it. I was using the very expensive after-school club at their old nursery but have been lucky enough to find a fab childminder nearby.

@Holidayshopping no they get paid the same. I do find the infant teachers have busier day though to be honest.

@RavenWings I RAN out of teaching in the uk!! I absolutely adore the job here!!🙌

Thanks easy I am in Dublin and have 5 DC who have been to a few different schools and haven't experienced anything like that. Homework is a huge bugbear of mine but the school day is reasonably short so it's swings and roundabouts I guess. Breakfast clubs are available but only in disadvantaged schools and are free I believe.

@Deadringer yes some DEIS schools have breakfast clubs ours has homework club. Which reminds me I must get to sleep. I had a coffee quite late this eve...BIG MISTAKE 😩

@Deadringer by “ours” I meant the school I work at 😂

We have the before and after school service. Before school runs 7 to 8:50 when school starts and staff collect children from their classrooms at 3 and this runs until 6. Cost is $10 for morning session and $17 per child for the afternoon only. Great service but the costs really add up!