Shouldn’t after school clubs be for everybody?

[Passionfruitlove]

8yo (year 4) DS school offers free after school clubs. They start the second week of every new term. He usually attends football and basketball. School sends an invite out via email then we click on a link to register interest. Yesterday I realised I hadn’t received any emails about it so I phoned the office. They told me that emails were sent out and all places were fully booked. I told them that I hadn’t received any emails and was told that the sports coach had started offering places based on ability.

DS then told me that 3 boys out of his class had been chosen for both football and basketball. I understand going off ability for competitions/tournaments but surely after school clubs should be for everyone?!

Fast track way to teachers stopping running after school clubs which they aren't obliged to.

Maybe this is their way of ensuring as many children as possible get a chance to take part?
you’ve said your ds was going to both clubs, were these other boys doing both clubs?
Obviously there’s a limit to how many can attend, but there is better ways to organise the clubs than how they’ve done it.

If they are inundated with responses, it kinda would make sense to only have it open for the kids that didn’t get to go to either club in the first term tho?

Totally agree, kicking off about freebie clubs, especially when your ds attended both clubs in first term, doesn’t look good

Op states that her ds went to both clubs previously, so perhaps they are limiting how many free sessions each child has

But you said your ds was attending both clubs previously?

After school clubs should be for all but if it is a school team that meets after school then it's reasonable that they want strong players. We have an after school football club open to all but we also have after school football training for the team.

It is very odd there is no open after school provision for either. So I would be asking about the nature of the club and if it is just an after school club I would complain about the selection process.