Budget - before / after school provision

[isthistheendtakeabreath]

I don't know if anyone does know the answer to it but just mulling it over - todays budget mentioned that there will be funding for all primaries to to offer a full wraparound offer

So does this mean that the school will have to provide spaces for all those that want to use it? Or will there still be a cap on numbers? Often the barrier is not so much the provision but availability of it at my eldests school (which uses an external provider on school grounds) - so not full 5 mornings and afternoons

It’s just extra funding for schools to set stuff up, no details. So if a school already has provision it might help them provide more spaces, but I don’t believe there will be a requirement for space for all

no, obviously no school is responsible for providing after school child care places - totally outside their remit

Yes that's my thinking too

My eldest is with a before/after childminder but I will have twins to place in 2025 as well so would have been good to have them all at the same provider (or at least options - currently only 2 childminders cover the school both with long wait lists and then the one on school grounds) and obviously the school would accept tax free childcare payments whereas childminder doesn't so my childcare will still be £1k a month until they are in secondary

Idle daydreams today as 2025 a long way away but as single parent with looming divorce payout to fund It would have been good to put some good news into my personal budget spreadsheet (which runs to 2030 😂!)

Our school doesn't have the space at all for it so not quite sure how that will work tbh!

Agreed. I find term time childcare ok to navigate as my ds school has great breakfast and afterschool club which is affordable for us but it's the holiday childcare which is a headache. Most of it is 9am-3pm but I need longer

I believe todays announcement said schools can partner with external providers - I know a few schools that do that

I'm lucky in that that the school does offer school holiday clubs and they are very affordable (compared to what I currently pay!) but finishing at 3 is no good to anyone 😂

Labour tried to do this with "extended schools" back in the 2000s, it fizzled out.

Yes I suspect in 2025 we'll be here saying "whatever happened to schools providing before/after school care" as there will be little change to the current status quo

I don't know how this will work in some areas. Around me, wrap around care is closing because beyond infants many parents don't use it when they WFH. We've already had to cut to one adult, which means a teacher has to stay on the premesis too. If said adult is sick, guess who is asked to cover? We already transport children between rural schools to share provision but is it's a challenge because of the extra adults in involves. No one wants the job, including our TAs, because it's not worth it for the pay even if their own child can attend for free (which only works if they attend the school their parent works at anyway).

@HubertTheGoat

Yes it will be interesting when I do start enquiring about space for the twins whether the WFH expansion and a falling birth rate will mean there is less of a clamour for spaces but then there is the risk that it gets cut back because demand has fallen - very fine balancing act. It was stressful enough with my eldest - I couldn't apply for her school without knowing if I had childcare but most childcare providers said they couldn't confirm a place until she had a confirmed school place 🙄

Our school uses the classrooms which are obviously available outside school hours, of course they have space and lots already do it.