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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to be abit fed up- wraparound childcare, what's happening at your child's school?

48 replies

WillyNilly00 · 07/10/2020 19:46

So I run a normally very busy before and after school club at a school. Since being back in September I have received continuous "complaints" from parents when I had never received one before in 5 years.
Parents are complaining about the following:
Children remaining in their class bubbles
Children having to sit down
Not all the children being able to go outside everyday (I can only take 3 bubbles outside eachday, I have 10!)
Children not having all the toys they want everyday
Children sometimes being sat at a table on their own
Lack of flexibility (you cannot cancel sessions and get a refund due to limited spaces)
Not getting all the childcare they require due to lack of spaces (I have a lengthy waiting list)

Parents tell me these things aren't happening at other school clubs they know of and honestly I'm getting really quite fed up. The children are all seemingly happy and busy, any "I'm bored" moments are met with a million options of what to do next!

Sorry its not an aibu but I would love to know what's going on in other before and after school clubs.

OP posts:
DappledThings · 07/10/2020 20:54

After school club running as normal. Children from all year groups mixed inside and outside. There's only about 20 of them in total.

willstarttomorrow · 07/10/2020 20:59

Before and after school club?!!! Bloody gold dust even several years before covid. There is a waiting list, grit your teeth and parrot "I totally understand this is a frustrating time for everyone. I understand it is not working for your children (you) our notice period is....).

Needcoffeecoffeecoffee · 07/10/2020 21:01

Our after school club and breakfast club sound the same as you op.
They have worked so hard and my children are happy there. Although they are sat at tables they have their own resources and have made up ways of playing between tables when children want to so eye spy etc and the children chat. They sit in their class bubbles so there is not always someone to sit with and they cant sit with siblings.there are lots of craft and it definitely is good for children who dont want to be running around all the time. Plus mine are really feeling tired now after being back at school from such a big gap. A quieter time crafting is not a bad thing at the moment

It makes me sad that this is how it is but it wont be forever and it's not the clubs fault I am very grateful they are there and have out so much effort to keep my children safe

willstarttomorrow · 07/10/2020 21:01

Also sweetly add 'I hope you can find a child care provision that works for tour family'. Obviously OP, evil laugh stays inside your head coz you are a professional.

munchbunch12 · 07/10/2020 21:04

My DD's school's breakfast and after school club sounds similar to yours, and whilst she did grumble a bit at first about having to stay in her year bubble and not being able to play with everything she wanted, she soon got used to it, and as parents we were just happy the wraparound care was still running.

sadwithkiddies · 07/10/2020 21:05

ours is still not open.....when it will be open the class bubbles will not be allowed to mix. no idea how they will achieve that...if it means sitting on the 'class table' so be it. i'd like the class bubbles to remain safe thank you. Our small village school has kept class playtimes separate thus maintaining bubbles, and no school dinners as yet. its been a very slow 'new normal'...but no cases so far....
if your parents don't like it yes, they can find something else that suits

IndecentFeminist · 07/10/2020 21:10

Our clubs are 15 max, just one bubble. That bubble does have children from different year groups in.

When indoors they are sat at distanced tables, only next to other children from their own year group. They'll have something to eat etc, then if weather nice go for free play outside. If weather miserable they stay indoors and toys/activities are brought in.

There is a large waiting list, and price is higher than before.

Notemyname · 07/10/2020 21:11

Breakfast club wasn't offering food and with school changing to an earlier drop off for DC year group and no more commute for me now I work from home I cancelled for this year. I know quite a few parents who have done the same sadly so not sure how viable it will be longer term.

After school club they have a dedicated building on site made up of small rooms so it's year groups together in each room, and more outdoor play. There's a reduced snack offering and limited indoor activities and toys. The biggest change is there is only one pick up time of 5.30pm while as before could collect anytime from 4pm, so it makes it a long day and late supper for DD by the time we get home.

But overall I'm thrilled it's running and the staff are fantastic and DD thankfully loves it.

TheRealJeanLouise · 07/10/2020 21:13

There’s no provision at all on our area. They should count themselves lucky. I know families where one parent has had to quit their job so they can cover childcare which has put them at significant financial risk. At this point I’d be happy to send them off to work in a chain gang before and after school!

sneakysnoopysniper · 07/10/2020 21:43

Maybe these picky parents need reminding in no uncertain terms that they are lucky to have the facilities they have and they are at liberty to take their offspring elsewhere if they are not satisfied.

Knittedfairies · 07/10/2020 21:52

I'd be very tempted to tell the moaning parents that they are very welcome to remove their children, possibly to the other clubs that apparently remain unaffected by any restrictions. Remind them of your notice period, and thank them for freeing up a place so you can inform the people at the top of your waiting list that a spot is available.

Mollymalone123 · 07/10/2020 21:57

Where I work it sounds exactly the same format except our numbers are 50-60 children a day.with a waiting list.Our parents are Very supportive and the kids have adapted as have we.I have never worked so hard and we are rushed off our feet and then endless sanitising of surfaces and toys etc is mind numbing. can't wait to get back to normal and interact properly with the children!

ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore · 07/10/2020 21:59

Our school runs a breakfast club and an afterschool club, and is doing it exactly the same way: children from class bubbles are kept in their bubbles at tables in the big hall. It is the only way to maintain bubbles so if someone gets ill, it only takes out that particular bubble.

I'd tell grumping parents that if they're not happy with the safety precautions that have been put in place to keep the school open, you have a waiting list and you'd be happy to find another child to fill their space.

Some parents really don't have a clue about how hard it's been this year.

Batmanandbobbin · 07/10/2020 22:10

Our after/before school have limited their numbers to 15.... I have been that parent who has complained BUT only because I book around shifts half termly normally - they changed how their spaces were being saved without telling me so gave my sons spot away after half term. I complained because I wasn’t made aware or I’d have just booked his spot all days all year.

I’m sorry to be a complainer (I apologised in my complaint too just felt like I wasn’t given any preparation or option to book in before the change) you’re doing an amazing job truly are.

lyralalala · 07/10/2020 22:12

We're not running.

We're not allowed access for breakfast club so that was out of our hands.

By the time we got onto plan 54989213 that satisfied the school and the LA parents were ranting constantly about not getting info. We then put out the plan of what we were going to do and got a barrage of complaints.

We run with volunteer staff (trainee teachers, retired Head Teacher, Parents on maternity leave, college childcare students etc - sounds random, but our Ofsted says it all and it facilitates low cost childcare for people who often don't have a lot) so this was people who don't have to do anything. Two parents then took it upon themselves to give verbal abuse to one of the volunteers outside the school at pick up time so I pulled the plug.

I'm not prepared to put in the effort for people who'll rant, rave and complain at my staff while they are collecting their child from school. Especially when the majority of them usually slate us for being "just volunteers" and are only on at us because they realise when we organised the keyworker holiday care at Easter that we are just as good, if not better, than their expensive normal provider. We're considering re-starting in January depending on circumstances at the time.

Nothing you've said sounds remotely complaint worthy.

Original poster
WillyNilly00 · 07/10/2020 22:15

These replies are so good to hear, parents are acting like we're being crazy strict but it seems like we are very much the norm.

@Mollymalone123 We also normally have those kinds of numbers, our normal cap is 60 but with social distancing that isn't possible for us. I also can't wait to get back to being playing with the children properly rather than talking to them from 1m+ away. We didn't know how good we had it!

OP posts:
Nootkah · 07/10/2020 22:27

@WillyNilly00 Honestly they should feel lucky its running at all. In many schools wrap around care isn't running.

lockdownconfused · 07/10/2020 22:33

No breakfast club available ( school) I chose not to send mine to the private after school nursery as they are mixing all ages and from 3 different schools in the club as they always have. I've changed my working hours but this is not sustainable long term. I need to work more hours both for financial reasons and because I'm barely scrapping by in my job. I've never been a bare minimum employee and now that's all I have time for.

Rae36 · 07/10/2020 22:34

We're in Scotland so maybe we're different. Private provider on school premises. The kids stay within groups of 2-3 year groups. P1-3, p4-5, P6-7. They each have an area of the hall and an area of the playground and the kids are able to play freely within their area. They can only play with the toys that are in their area but these change every day. They are not always allowed to play outside, depends on staffing and numbers.

My ds is 8 and he has commented that it is more restrictive than usual and he doesn't like it quite as much but that's just the way it is. I can't think of a single thing the club could do differently or better right now. I'm just grateful they are open at all.

Zebrasinpyjamas · 07/10/2020 22:41

Your arrangements sounds stricter than at our school. I can't comment on breakfast club as we've stopped it temporarily but at ASC, we have 2 bubbles, ks1 and ks2. They are still playing games outside and moving around. Food etc still served as normal. Numbers might have reduced a bit but I'm not sure if that's due to rules or lower demand

Enforcing children to stay seated must be a challenge!

Phoenix76 · 07/10/2020 23:38

The parents are being UR IMO. When our school announced they were re-starting asc I felt nothing but gratitude. Although my two don’t do anything “exciting” there I’m just beyond grateful that they look after our dc until we can collect them after work. I can’t understand people complaining, especially now, so yanbu op you’re doing great.

cabbageking · 07/10/2020 23:55

"Fuelled by misinformation and myths spread by social media, parental anxiety is still an issue for school leaders."

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