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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Primary School Breakfast Club

100 replies

Jambo93 · 03/04/2019 21:21

Hi, I would be interested to hear:

how much you pay for breakfast club
is breakfast included
what time does it start?

I’m very upset that our primary school has written to all parents to inform us that after Easter (3weeks notice) the cost of breakfast club is increasing from £1.50 to £3!

I should explain that the current club (whilst called a breakfast club) does not provide breakfast. It starts at 8:15. There used to be a reduced rate at 8:30 to £1 however they’ve just informed us that the club will now be £3 flat rate. If they were offering more for the service (such as earlier start or breakfast) I could understand the hike in prices, but they aren’t offering anything. I work part time and pay for club 3 days a week for my children. This will now mean my weekly cost will go from £9 to £18! I am really upset and feel like I have no time to even look for alternatives because it starts straight after Easter. Would be interested to hear what you get and if you have any advice for me, thanks

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Jamhandprints · 04/04/2019 05:59

£4.50 with breakfast 7.30-8.45, needless to say we never use it. Can you imagine how that would add up! Can't believe yours has no actual breakfast!

Jamhandprints · 04/04/2019 06:02

Schools have lost a lot of funding so they probably need the money. The school I work at is getting rid of half the staff next year and are still £100,000's in debt.

AJPTaylor · 04/04/2019 06:06

Current school 4 from 7.30.
Last school. 4.40 from 8.00

Nquartz · 04/04/2019 06:08

£4.50 for 7.30 - 8.50 Inc breakfast

WhiteVixen · 04/04/2019 06:17

Ours is a private company that run the club in our village community hall next door to the school. It opens at 7am and facilitates both the infants and junior school (separate schools but on the same site next to the hall and part of same academy trust). Breakfast is cereal or toast. Flat rate of £6.50 per session that we pay for monthly. After school club is £10 per day, until 6pm. They do a light tea for the kids.

cliffdiver · 04/04/2019 06:17

£3.60 flat rate, 7.30am - 8.45 (KS1) / 9am (Reception).

The price when DD2 was at the school nursery was double the cost IIRC.

Breakfast is included - toast, cereals etc.

talulahbelle · 04/04/2019 06:22

£5 before school for an hour, breakfast included.
£10 after school flat rate until 5:30pm.
Both run by an external company off site.

birdsdestiny · 04/04/2019 06:27

£3 an hour for childcare is too expensive. It definetely makes those of us working in childcare feel valued.

Fatted · 04/04/2019 06:31

To be fair to the school they don't legally need to provide subsidised childcare. And yes they probably are trying to make a bit of money off it to pay for the things that they do actually legally need to provide. But can't cos the government doesn't actually give them they money to pay for it.

I think you will be hard pushed to find a cheaper alternative. Most childminders where I live charge at least £5 an hour per child. Mine charges £6 per child for before school (can drop off at 7.30am) and £12 per child for after school (up to 6pm). She is about one of the cheapest in our area and we live in a very cheap area for child care costs.

IheartCaptainHolt · 04/04/2019 06:34

Even with the price rise that is incredibly cheap. Ours is £7 from 7:30 with breakfast and £12 after school till 6 with snack. Private company run it and they have qualified staff and lots of stuff for the kids to do.

Theworldisfullofgs · 04/04/2019 06:35

Its quite cheap actually. When it was £1 I suspect the school was subsidising the staff costs.

EluphNaugeMeop · 04/04/2019 06:41

Ours is from 7:30 and includes breakfast. Was £2 per day 5 Years ago, has gradually crept up to £2.90. No additional fees for ad hoc bookings.

I agree it's not reasonable to double the fees with no notice. Charging that much and not including breakfast is even worse. Sounds like they are seeing this as an opportunity to profit from the wealthier families (they are assuming that any family who needs to use wraparound care must be well off, not a very reasonable assumption)

RhinestoneCowgirl · 04/04/2019 06:45

Ours has always been pretty cheap, but we got a letter from head recently saying that prices were going up as school budget is so stretched.

Breakfast club opens at 7:30, currently £1.50 (going up to £2). Breakfast not included, but you can buy it - prices like 80p for porridge etc.

After school is currently £9, (going up to £10), runs until 6pm, includes a snack like a cheese pitta.

Turquoisetamborine · 04/04/2019 06:48

I don’t have to use wrap around childcare but my kids school is great for this. It’s £2.50 for a 7.45 drop off. This includes breakfast of cereal, milk, toast, fruit and juice.
The after school club is £3.50 and runs til 4.45 and includes a snack, use of PlayStation, craft materials etc

MongerTruffle · 04/04/2019 06:50

Free (it’s run by volunteers and food is donated by parents), from 07:00 to 08:50, breakfast included

Longdistance · 04/04/2019 06:53

7.45 til 8.45. Last time I looked it was £3. I pay £6 for ASC til 6pm.
Breakfast is included. ASC they can have wraps, rolls, beans on toast, fruit, yogurt. Friday they have a movie and popcorn to wind down for the weekend.
This is run in-house by the school and is profitable and made money for the school.

Turquoisetamborine · 04/04/2019 06:54

My mam works in a school in a very deprived area and they (well she!) offers wrap around childcare for free. School subsidise it and she applies for grants from Kellogg’s etc but she will pay for a lot of the food herself and does a fruity day so the kids get to try new fruit. It’s an area of 45% free school meals so it’s not really because parents have to work but it’s to ensure the kids get fed and have a calming environment before school.

pipnjo · 04/04/2019 06:55

Ours is 8-8.45 and we only pay for what the children eat. But they have to have something, even if it's just a drink. So I pay 75p a day.

twolittleboysonetiredmum · 04/04/2019 06:57

Unless you’re in an independent school (as maybe the rules are different) schools aren’t allowed to run things for profit. They are allowed to charge to cover costs but can’t accumulate the extra to spend on other things. They can fundraise to pay for dedicated things eg equipment but not work like a business.
So unlikely to be for profit. Schools don’t generally like annoying parents and especially don’t like raising costs when they know it’ll impact on their parents finances. It’ll be due to raised costs somewhere - even if you can’t directly see it. There are free breakfast clubs around the country and this will increase as the government have created a 3 year funding package for schools to feed their entire pupil numbers. They have to be in certain wards or have a certain percentage of FSM children to be eligible and also have to apply for it.

KeptTheBeachesShipwreckFree · 04/04/2019 06:57

£3 for 2 dc from 8a.m with breakfast included. Bagels are provided for all children who want them, bfast club or not.

NerrSnerr · 04/04/2019 06:59

Ours is £1.50 from 7.45 with breakfast included. After 8am it's free but you buy the individual breakfast items.

EffYouSeeKaye · 04/04/2019 07:03

£5 for 90 minutes, breakfast of cereal, fruit juice, yogurt, toast, pastries etc included. Private club on school grounds.

It’s absolutely fine for schools to run these clubs, if they own them, at a profit. Schools need the money and are making good use of their buildings and convenient location! All the profit goes back into the school budget.

itsnotso · 04/04/2019 07:06

I've also been tapping the calculator after we received a similar letter. Ours will be £4.50 for breakfast 7:30 to 8:50 (cereals and toast included), and after school is £8.50 3:15 to 6pm with a light snack provided. This is a rise of £2 each session due to it being taken over by a private provider.

There is no cheaper alternative available so I will have to suck it up, but it means a bill of £240 a month. I've spoke to my employer and I can flex my hours a little to start later a few mornings to stop the need for the breakfast club some days, and this will help a lot.

Looking at the other prices, it's seems I get a good deal. Doesn't make it feel any better though!

Dementedswan · 04/04/2019 07:07

Ours is £1 from 8am and includes breakfast. After school clubs are free but only run for one hour until 4pm. Still saves parents an hours childcare fees so it's appreciated.

EffYouSeeKaye · 04/04/2019 07:10

All schools are encouraged to make their facilities available for use by the wider community. Many schools already do so, but they may be able to do more, especially in providing wraparound and holiday childcare. Schools are able to charge for the provision of extended and community services such as wraparound childcare and / or holiday childcare if they wish.1 However, any profits that a school makes from providing these services must be reinvested in the service or in the school.

^From the DfEE guidance on school-based wraparound care. Profit is fine as long as re-invested (ie it goes in the school budget.)

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