WIBU Wraparound or Parent?

[TheSchoolsChildcareDilemma]

I am not saying which side I’m on but it might be obvious.

Wraparound at school don’t operate a strict waiting list, generally you either get in on the nights you need or if full get offered another morning/after school if there’s space. Most parents who say “Can you let me know if a space comes up on X day” are remembered but there isn’t a waiting list officially and all parents are made aware when they sign up that there isn’t a waiting list and if capacity is reached it’s up the Wraparound Co-ordinator (A TA who works in the daytime within the school) and Headteacher to decide who gets spaces if they come up.

Parent A wants a space for 2 children on Wednesday After School. Wednesday is the most popular day for Wraparound and both morning and afternoon is full. So asks to be told if a space comes up.

Parent B wants a space on Wednesday both morning and after school but only for 1 child. Again asks for if a space comes up.

All 3 DC already attend Wraparound on other mornings/afternoons so are known to the Co-ordinator.

A space comes up on Wednesday, just 1, and only after school so it’s offered to Parent Bs child.

Parent A complains saying she should have been given first refusal to put just 1 child in After School and then wait for a space for the other child.

Headteacher backs wraparound when A complains and says they offered it to the other parent as Parent A needed 2 spaces and only 1 was available.

So WIBU Wraparound or the Parent?

Vote:
YABU - School were right, the Parent Wrong
YANBU - School was wrong, the Parent right

Their scheme their rules I guess. If there's no official waiting list policy then they can administer it how they see fit. If circa are known and parent A didn't explicitly say - and if only one space comes up then I would take it and wait to get another, then it's not unreasonable to think that they would need two together (particularly if using another provider and having to give notice etc) and offer to B

Whole thing sounds like a nightmare, I’d run a waitlist for each session. If very oversubscribed I might put in a policy on max number of sessions per week.

Whoever asked first should have been offered the space.

@AttaThat There is no official waitlist and no plans for one to go in place because theres only Wednesday currently full, if other days get filled up then it might be implemented but currently HT and Wraparound Co-Ordinator are saying no need.

School decision seems reasonable.

But they’d not have these problems with a more sensible policy - either have a proper waiting list with clear criteria for position or advertise each space as it comes up and make it first come first serve. I wouldn’t expect a school run provision to be effectively based on parental lobbying and relationship with the coordinator.

I understand their theory but really they need an official waiting list so it can be whoever asked first.

Logic dictates you offer to the parent who needs one space. Wouldn’t have occurred to me to offer it to parent looking 2 places.

In the situation you describe, I’d offer it to parent B. Did parent A let the coordinator know they’d accept 1 space if only 1 came up?

The school's decision sounds right, it makes sense to offer the one available space to parent B, who only needs one space.