To remove my 2 children from an oversubscribed outstanding primary because I can't get them into the breakfast or afterschool club?

[LyricalBoudicca]

I've been with the school (outstanding) for my 2 children for a few years. The breakfast and afternoon kids club is small and has always been oversubscribed ever since the DD1 started school ( Space limitations mean the club can't expand ). Preference is given to siblings of existing attendees. I've already let go one good full-time job offer a couple of years ago because of the problems with pre & post school care. My 2 children have some identified SEN so getting a childminder to pick up and drive them home (we live about 7 miles away) would be very tricky. I can't get a full-time job as long as this situation continues (partner's job makes is very difficult for him to share). The school club says it's unlikely there would be places in September due to new siblings starting. I feel a tad guilty for thinking about moving mine to a local undersubscribed underwhelming Ofsted school but I can't even seem to get an interview for a part-time job and the longer I am out of work, the more problems my career gap will cause. When I accepted the school place years ago, there was no mention of the continual problems with the oversubscribed kids club. Has anyone been in the same position? My children are Y2 & 4 so have some years to go at the school.

Forget the ofsted rating I’d be asking if you were happy with the education your children are receiving at the school. If not yanbu to move them however if you are I’d be cautious because not all SEND provision is equal...

In that situation I would look for an after school nanny, even if it took a very large chunk out of your wages.

Mornings I would see if it is at all possible to manage by you and your partner each working slightly shifted days. If that really can’t work. I’d again look into hiring someone.

An outstanding school doesn't necessarily make it a good school OP. When was the inspection held. A lot has changed in 2 years, and some outstanding ofsteds can be over a decade old. Tbh my issue would be that there isn't adequate wraparound care for my child. I would invest in a nanny or a childminder if this were the case. Or like you said, move schools on that basis alone.
Also identified SEN does mean that it makes it more complicated for wrap around care anyway. There's extra risk assessments, extra staff members outside contracted hours and the safety of the children. Why after almost 5 years at the school, do you not have a place at after school club for your children? This makes zero sense

[quote Fixitup2]@DietrichandDiMaggio I know but if they’re applying a similar priority as school admission it may help. Plus continuity will be important for OP’s children’s I’d be taking it to the governors and kicking up a stink since she’s waited 4 years for a place at after school club![/quote]
The clubs will have an admissions policy, and if that says priority is given to families that already have children in the club, then that is what will happen. As far as the club is concerned, with collecting fees and admin, it's also easier to have 3 children from one family, than individual children from 3 families.

I’d speak to this Children’s information service at the council and get a list of every provider in a radius of the school, telephone each one. It could be that a local childminder would be able to care for your children. You don’t know unless you ask directly.

In addition to this I would be thinking ahead to how much support your kids are going to need ongoing before jumping into full time work.
I’m glad I haven’t worked full time and my kids’ additional needs aren’t very impactful. Appreciate you might want to work full time, and part time can be hard to break into, , but just saying to think ahead about that now before making a decision that you may not realistically be able to benefit from in the long run.

No ECHPs for either - not yet anyway. I probably haven't properly explored the childminder/other option as my instinct is that the children are still 'high maintenance' for their ages behaviour-wise (previously they were both high maintenance at their pre-school (each ended up with 1:1 TA's there with a very slow transition into a full 9-3pm day).
The school club apparently operates separately from the school so the Head distances himself from the woes of parents who can't get a club place.
Partner normally works long shifts approx 30 miles away (pre-lockdown anyway). Partner is okay with the prospect of moving the children as he sees how frustrated I have become. It's the potential problems for the children if they move. The frustrating thing is that I'd planned to go back to work once they'd had settled at school and thought they could attend the club in a reasonable time-frame but I've found myself locked out. I just wish I'd considered this situation before I picked schools. Although, I'm not sure I'd have believed it.
Thank you all for your helpful comments. Much appreciated.

I would be more concerned that you are describing a Y4 as traits of ASD. What has the response of the school to that been?

I second speak to the head. My child’s out of school clubs had to reduce numbers because of COVID and although my child was booked in because they go part time they said they didn’t have a place after October half term.
I spoke to the head and they got a space.

"The school club apparently operates separately from the school so the Head distances himself from the woes of parents who can't get a club place."

• I can absolutely believe this. I think the ringing round every option that you can find, that Contessa advises, is worth a try. There may be some new people getting established or wanting to in a few months. In the past I've tried to look into hours for students as well, via a student job agency in a university (unsuccessfully though). Our school has a number of sport, music etc clubs and this is a good thing (so more for their interest value than for reliable childcare), but they usually run until about 4.15, and that can make it both difficult for childminders' hours and not a good fit for full time work hours in locations even a short distance from school. They also change evenings over the years and, for us at least, stop 2 weeks before the ends of terms which can be hugely hard for me, even as a part-time person (Summer term is a real stretch because of the combination of factors).