Charging for teacher led clubs

[DebbieFiderer]

Does anyone's school do this? Our primary school has always had a selection of clubs on offer each term, sometimes more than others, a mixture of things depending on the interests of the teachers. They have always been free, and if oversubscribed, places have been allocated fairly, with the aim of allowing as many children as possible to get at least one club, but in reality there usually hasn't been an issue getting a place.

This year, the new head has changed it so that the majority of clubs run by teachers are now charged for. There was no prior notice of this change, and the explanation in the letter is around giving parents more childcare options and easing pressure in the oversubscribed after-school club, no mention of what the money is going to be spent on (it does say that any ingredients/supplies will be included in the costs, but most clubs won't have any outlay except the teachers' time).

I do understand that generally teachers are doing this in their own time, and have always been grateful and appreciative of this, but if the aim was to pay the teachers for their time then I would expect the letter to at least allude to this, but there is nothing about that. Equally there is nothing to say that it is about propping up the school's shrinking budget (which would also be fair enough).

AIBU to think that £30-£35 is too much to pay for 10 weeks of a teacher-led club which generally doesn't require any additional skills, training, or equipment?

The money will NOT be going to the teachers!

Most likely an attempt to boost school funds.

All the teacher led clubs at my DC's primary school are £30 - £40/ term.

AIBU to think that £30-£35 is too much to pay for 10 weeks

How long is the session?
What type of clubs?

£3-£3.50 a session doesn't seem that expensive for an after school club to me, regardless of who is running it. I do a free after school club - well, my older dd does and I am there as supervision as she isn't DBS cleared. Although I don't require extra materials - it is time and effort, not just the time at the club, but also the admin and prep for it.

I would assume the money will just go into the generally budget. Sadly I can't see the teachers being given the money.

I think you should be bloody grateful and pay up.

There's no before, during or after school clubs here.

Why don't you ask for the last year's minutes from the Governors meetings. You might be deeply shocked at what this Government has done to school finances. It seems quote reasonable to me.

There may well be additional costs incurred such as heat and light and extra cleaning and caretakers time, not to mention any consumables or equipment needed. These were probably just absorbed into school budgets in the past.

YABU, after school clubs are done in the teachers own time and do not come out of their directed time. It works out at £3 £3.50 a session which is a lot less than an after school club or childminder. The money won’t be given to the teachers as payment for their time but spent on resources to do the clubs and things that the school desperately needs as budgets have been slashed. We have to do clubs as it is expected of us, we pay for a lot of things out of our own pockets and don’t charge for them, I resent having to do this as it’s time that could be spent marking and doing all the things that need doing before going home to spend time with my own children!

You think £3 an hour is too much? Ask how the money is going to be used. I used to get fed up with erratic attendance, when my school introduced £3 a week charges, parents took clubs more seriously and the money was used for resources.

I think YANBU. Teacher led clubs have always been free IME. Teachers give up time voluntarily, usually so that the children can benefit from a wider range of experiences. Adding a monetary requirement is likely to mean that those who are most likely to benefit will be least likely to get to go.

Yes, iluvsummer, it was expected that all teachers except NQTs ran at least one club.

I guess what irks me is that effectively teachers are being asked to work for free in order to raise money for the school budget, which seems unfair, and that it is being done under the premise of giving a better service to parents. Also, they are suggesting that it can be used as wraparound care - not much use given that it is only 10 weeks a term, 4 days a week, and only until 4.20 - not many working parents who will find that useful childcare

With rapidly shrinking school budgets then it's no surprise that schools are starting to charge for after school clubs. Supplies/ingredients etc need to be paid for so that these clubs can go ahead but schools simply can't afford to cover the cost anymore. In fact, in many schools this has been going on for many years already. Schools want to offer opportunities but the money simply isn't there and so they have to charge.

And yes, that's true about the most likely to benefit not being able to afford it - there are a lot of families who are struggling for whom this will not be an option at all, so it will only be the middle class kids who already do plenty of extra curricular activities.

They are probably using the money for glue sticks and shaving foam for reception dc to practice their letter formation.

I guess what irks me is that effectively teachers are being asked to work for free in order to raise money for the school budget, which seems unfair,

As a teacher, if that money was going to the school budget to help pay for things so I don’t keep having to, I would be very happy. A shame that consecutive governments have caused this school budget crisis but at least this Head is doing something about it so that his staff are not the ones paying out.

No issues with covering the cost of supplies, but 'running for fun' for instance doesn't have any overheads, not even lighting etc.

None of my kids have ever been to after school clubs led by teachers. The clubs they go to in school charge anything from £5.50 for half an hour to £9. Now that's expensive.

You should be grateful the teacher is doing it in their own time. They have enough work load.

But if that money can provide those things for the general classroom instead, win win.

Yes We pay £7 per term for all but one club.Ds goes to a normal primary.Its only a quid a week.

Im not in the UK
Do teachers provide after school care "clubs" for free in Britain
It doesnt happen here in Ireland.

every school i know charges something, money is put towards buying resources for the club, for example in lego club I was buying the lego myself and stealing it off my own children when it was looking depleted before they started charging, I really don't see why I should tbh

Chloe, that's interesting that you wouldn't mind doing this as a teacher, definitely food for thought.

I started this thread genuinely interested in others' opinions, it's been interesting to hear what you all think. The more I think about it, what is annoying me is the way it has been sold to us - if they had said, look, we are broke, we need to find new ways of raising money, and this is one way we are doing it, then fair enough, but trying to sell it as helping parents is a bit disingenuous.

Do teachers provide after school care "clubs" for free in Britain

Depends on your school by the sound of it. Not all of them do, no. And I believe you can refuse in a local authority school as unions offer some protection, but those teaching in academies have fewer rights.

I really don't understand why you think the school should be providing it for free?

My village primary charges nothing at all for after school activities!