Letter informing parents about the closure of after school club

[oodles50]

Apologies for this, but this has annoyed me this afternoon and I feel like I need to vent about it!

We received a letter this afternoon totally out of the blue informing us that our school’s after school wrap around care is closing in two weeks time.

The school apologised for this but said there aren’t enough numbers for it to be ‘viable’.

I have several friends who talk about how oversubscribed their children’s after school club is, and I can’t comprehend how there aren’t enough children each day to cover the costs.

What’s more annoying is that in the letter they said don’t worry, there’s another setting down the road that can offer wrap around care - it’s double the price! (£8.50 vs £15.50 a day).

My DD has just started in reception and a big reason why we chose this school over another one we liked, was ironically the wrap around care provision. I just feel like we’ve had two weeks of school and just settled into things and the rug has been pulled, and I’m left scrabbling around, working out if I can change my hours, or if I’m going to be forced to pay double the amount I was expecting.

If they've got people who actually want to, yes as long as the ratios work. But that's not a given.

If there's currently school staff who have DC at the school, either they finish when school does or their DC are cared for by someone else while they finish their hours. A TA whose kids go to a childminder for an hour doesn't necessarily want to do ASC for 2 or 3, even if it means they no longer need to pay for after school care. Maybe they have other commitments, their DC have clubs, or they just prefer them to have a shorter day.

Working full-time doesn't mean working Monday to Friday, 9-5. That's a pretty outdated view of work, tbh.

I laugh when people think nobody can ever work full time with a different pattern to them.

I get that it needs to be financially viable however I’m surprised that they don’t have enough numbers to run it. My daughter attends a tiny school (less than 80 pupils) and there is more than enough pupils needing it as both parents work

Our after school club is £30 per dc (but you can get tax free childcare) & It's full.
Is the school in general under subscribed?

Yes, this. Our cost is significantly under the national average because we know that even what we currently charge is a challenge for some of our parents.
Every single month we discuss staffing Vs children to make sure we stay in ratio but maximise places. We haven't raised prices in 3 years as we try to make it as accessible as possible but staff costs keep rising so we will have to do so soon.

I have a job I do every day, working full time, but can do a school run on my lunch hour 🤔 Not sure why you think that isn't possible. Then deposit the kids with their nan/their hobby/the other parent who has then finished work.

I'm sorry your job doesn't allow you to wfh but that's not everyone else's fault!

These things vary so much by area.

Some places have more extended families, others are commuter towns where people are less likely to have strong links. Parents in the latter are more likely to have informal childcare options if needed. In some areas the largest local employers are shift workers, in others the 9 to 5 is more common. The rate of adults on out of work sickness and carer benefits varies significantly by postcode. The most affluent places will have more families with nannies than the poorest.

There are all sorts of factors that mean one size doesnt fit all.

It depends on the demographic of the school. We have a lot of parents who don’t work, and many grandparents who pick up. Our school is less that 150 pupils and our ASC has less than 10 most nights.

Sorry my post should say £20 not £30.

Also more wfh post covid & many parents will just put their dc in front of tv etc whilst they continue working to save money.

I guess it depends on the area, and the working patterns of the parents. The breakfast and after-school club where I work is always full and making a vast profit. Not sure about my child's one, but it's nearly always full.

Are you claiming Tax-Free Childcare? Does the school offer it as a payment choice?

I do laugh when people say they wfh full time but spend an hour at each end of the day doing the school run. You’re not working full time then are you?

People have different patterns and flexi hours though. And the only people I know with an hour school commute are those with dc in private.
DH doesn't start work until 9:30 so can drop the dc off & be home before he even starts work. Mine often do a club when it's not needed for childcare purposes but because they want to do the extracurricular or spend time with their friends.

No it’s actually oversubscribed. This is what can’t get my head around.

Beginning to think it’s only me and a couple of others parents at the school who work 🤣

Lots of people work and don't need childcare, for all sorts of reasons.

Some work opposing hours, some work evenings and weekends, some work from home, some have older siblings who can "supervise", or grandparents who can take over etc.

Just because a school is popular doesn't mean parents all work 9-5 and need traditional childcare. Where I live, working 9-5 is very much out of the ordinary.

The school I work in will have to shut ours. We can't absorb the loss and we don't get enough children to make it break even.

Yes, lots of DC in year 6 will be fine getting themselves home from school and chilling whilst a parent finishes their day of remote work. Some year 5s too, albeit there are schools who don't like it at that age.

Our after school club, run by the school and in the school hall is 3.20-6.30 and cost £16 per session - they have 50 kids there!
Breakfast club for 1.5hrs is £6 per session

Loads of parents at my kids school do a 20 minute walk to school, ten minute chat after they go in, amble back via a coffee shop for a takeout latte. Log on ‘for 9am’ at about 9.20, repeat end of day.

Not all kids esp older primary enjoy after school clubs so a TA ‘s children may prefer to be at home / on play dates/ swimming etc so may not work even if place is free.

I teach in a secondary school. Imagine if all teachers ditched their roles for wfh where we can avoid having to pay for childcare! I’m struggling to understand how your lunch break covers a school run both ends of the day. So you don’t take any breaks at all during the day and only stop working to do school run? Don’t eat?

it's an unintended side effect of increased wfh, the demand for wraparound care just isn't there because so many parents pick the children up then continue to work.

Yes, I'm sure there are absolutely masses of parents at your DCs school telling you all about their contracted hours and work patterns. Dozens, nay hundreds!

Wow £8.50 a day. I pay £30 a day after school 3 to 6pm for 1 child. No other provision to choose from.

I know, I was joking.