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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get tee'd off with school when they cancel after-school clubs with no notice

80 replies

clumsymum · 13/05/2009 16:45

For the 3rd time this term one of the after-school clubs the ds attends has been cancelled. Secretary rang round this afternoon to tell everyone.

Ok, today it's because one of the 2 teachers who takes it is ill, and the other one (who often takes it on her own) has decided she's too busy. I suspect it's to do with it being SAT's week mind you.

Other weeks we haven't been given any reason. As a self-employed, work from home -but sometimes out to see clients - mum, it's a complete P I T A. It's difficult enough to fit in enough work time as it is. I can't be the only one who finds it awkward.

Surely, if they're going to commit to run a club, they should commit to it properly.

OP posts:
PortBlacksandResident · 13/05/2009 16:51

I run an after school club with a teacher and a TA - none of us get paid (or extra in their case) to do it. A few weeks back we had to cancel as TA was ill and teacher had an important meeting about a case of possible neglect in her class. Another TA phoned around as i couldn't have done the club on my own.

I can see both sides as i am self employed and work from home.

Thing is - things have a knock on effect. Teacher's meeting because of 'bad' parents meant no after school club meant inconvenience or worse for parents.

It's difficult.

5Foot5 · 13/05/2009 16:54

Sorry I think YABU

The teachers presumably are doing this voluntarily in their own time and if something else comes up that's tough.

They don't run the clubs to give you extra free child care time!

sayithowitis · 13/05/2009 16:56

An after school club is not an unpaid babysitting service for working parents! I am involved in one at my school. I get no pay for it, neither do any of the teachers who run other clubs after school. There are times when it is just not possible to run it. Personally I find it a PITA when, despite knowing what time to collect their children, parents choose to make them and therefore us, wait an extra 15 or 20 minutes after collection time so they don't have to pay a childminder or leave work early to collect them. They know we can't just leave their kids and go home ourselves but they don't actually care that we are giving our time freely for theior kids!

So yes, YABU!

Original poster
clumsymum · 13/05/2009 16:58

I understand that no one gets paid for them, but that isn't a good enough excuse, esp as they've been dropped several times this term ...

I act as secretary for a local association. That is a commitment, albeit a voluntary one. I can't just decide not to turn up because I'm too busy, and if I was ill, I would sort someone to cover for me.

If the school is going to run after-school clubs, surely, run them properly ??

OP posts:
Mutt · 13/05/2009 17:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PrimulaVeris · 13/05/2009 17:24

YAB a bit U, though I agree that dropping the odd one - well that happens, but dropping several suggests the whole set-up doesn't work. My dc's primary has largely given up doing this now and instead uses local sports providers to run various clubs and charge accordingly.

Hulababy · 13/05/2009 17:25

I guess if staff is ill there is not really much more they can do.

Was the other teacher rostered down to do it, was it her day? She may well have had prior plans if not her day which she couldn't/would rather not be forced to cancel.

It isn't an individual teacher's role to organise cover if they are ill. That would be down to the school or the club management.
I can imagine that yes it is frustrating and annoying for parents, but sometimes these things can't be helped.If it is happeneing regularly I would complain to school/club about it though. Three times in a term is too much IMO.

However I have had to cancel a club with little notice. Twice since Janaury. Once I was off sick, and three out of my 5 assistants were absent due to university exams (prearranged and unavoidable) so it was not able to run due to H&S. There was noone else to stand in that day. I had to cancel it the day before - end of school parents told before an 8:15am start normally. During hthe snow we had to cancel for the week due to not enough staff in.

stillenacht · 13/05/2009 17:25

at least they phone - i phone everytime DS has a club as i know what his school are like about contacting parents.... it makes a big difference to actually be phoned rather than having to do the chasing yourself.

Greensneeze · 13/05/2009 17:26

YABU. If you want reliable childcare, pay for it like everyone else.

stillenacht · 13/05/2009 17:27

(I am a teacher btw who runs lunchtime clubs everyday and DH runs after school clubs everyday but its slightly different when they are cancelled at secondary level than primary level - and we don't get any pay for them either).

sayithowitis · 13/05/2009 17:31

You sound as supportive and understanding as the parent who made a complaint about me a couple of years ago.

I used to run a club before school once a week. One week, the night before, I had a call to say my Dad was very ill and I needed to go. I drove 90 miles to his hospital bedside and sat with him until he died in the early hours. I then drove home again, arriving home at about 7 am. I did not go into work that day - I was physically, mentally and emotionally shattered. A parent made a complaint about my lack of commitment to her child because on that day the club did not run and I was unable to give prior notice to parents.

it is not for you to decide what is or isn't 'good enough' when it comes to people giving their time for your child. If you are so worried, how about offering to help out? Sadly, in my experience, the parents who like to complain about the school's lack of commitment, are the ones who are least likely to actually be prepared to give up their time yet expect others to do so on a regular basis.

pointydog · 13/05/2009 17:34

YABU.

You should not assume that the after shcool club is providing childcare every week for those times.

I know of an AS club that has been cancelled 3 times this year - once to do with illness and twice because a training course came up that staff had to attend.

I can understand if your ds is fed up and wants to stop. It's not up to the school to help you fit in your work time.

PortBlacksandResident · 13/05/2009 17:36
MummyDragon · 13/05/2009 18:20

sayithowitis - I salute you. I can only hope that the parent who complained about you was given a resounding smack around the chops by your headteacher??

My dh is a teacher and he gets this all the time too. It's a nightmare. Parents ringing his mobile (unfortunately the number was given out once by mistake) during funerals, hospital visits, you name it. After Saturday sports fixtures there is always at least one parent who is an hour late picking up little Johnny, despite being given a firm pickup time.

So - whilst YANBU to be annoyed, YABU to expect free childcare from the school - as your original post seems to imply.

Hulababy · 13/05/2009 18:23

I am not sure I would agree with this:

"You should not assume that the after shcool club is providing childcare every week for those times."

Surely that is the point of schools offering wrap around care? We pay for our wrap around care (not that we use it much) and I would be annoyed if it was not something i could rely on.

Hulababy · 13/05/2009 18:23

Has the OP said the ASC is free?

southeastastra · 13/05/2009 18:25

i work in an a/s club but we do get paid. it's never cancelled. maybe more schools should go down this route? not easy though as not all parents can pay.

Hulababy · 13/05/2009 18:28

Staff can paid to run ASSC at the school i work at too.

The teachers don't at DD's school but it is part of the teache's contract - they only do one day a week at most. However the assistants who are there are paid for their time, or rather the hours involved are part of their contracted hours.

MummyDragon · 13/05/2009 18:29

I think the unreasonableness of the OP does partly depend on whether or not the club is free, and whether it is supposed to be part of wraparound care or if it is an optional extra that is provided at the school's discretion

MrsMattie · 13/05/2009 18:32

Can I just add to the general moan: Schools who announce inset days with 3 days notice. I mean, wtf? DS's school tells us today in an oh-so-casual way that they've decided on having an INSET day on Friday. Grrrrr. Double grrrrr.

Doodle2U · 13/05/2009 18:33

Depends on circs.

Hulababy · 13/05/2009 18:34

INSET days at such short notice - def not on either. I thought they had to be announced much earlier. I know whent he INSET days for my school is fromt he start of the academic year.

MrsMattie · 13/05/2009 18:38

It's not a huge deal for me because I am a SAHM...for the next fortnight. When I go back to work this sort of thing is going to majorly fuck me off, I can see it now...

surreylady · 13/05/2009 19:00

I received a text today saying Sport Afterschool club cancelled as it was raining (it had been all day) and so I needed to pick up DS - this was sent with 35 minutes notice......I think I feel the OP frustration - I called the school to divert him to late class and did ask if they could find a better way - as I could not get from work with the 35 minutes notice and also had to leave a meeting to make a call and make arrangements - it is less for me that things are cancelled - this happens of course - but the way it is handled which causes the stress.

piscesmoon · 13/05/2009 19:07

'Surely that is the point of schools offering wrap around care? We pay for our wrap around care (not that we use it much) and I would be annoyed if it was not something i could rely on. '

This isn't wrap around care! This is teachers very kindly giving up their spare time to the benefit of the DCs. They do not get paid. If they are ill or can't make it they have to find someone else on the school staff to volunteer to fill their place for free-not easy! Sometimes the only option is to cancel.

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