Why can after school clubs run in private schools?

[notevenat20]

At the state secondary schools I know all after school clubs, including for example music, have been cancelled. But the private schools are still running school string orchestra for example after school. They separate them by year bubble so the year 7s are 2m away from the year 8s etc. But within the year the can be closer.

Are the rules different for private schools?

At my children’s school they are offering one sports club a night for a designated year group.

Music lessons are run by outside tutors and these are continued via zoom.

Wraparound care is running (thankfully!) but as now it is split into me stage bubbles rather that one club, more staff are required and that means less staff able to offer other clubs.

At my own school we are still offering a homework club but this needs to be booked rather than just stay after school as we need to limit numbers. All our clubs used to run at lunch as our students travel long distances but now as our lunch has been reduced from one hour to 40 minutes we can’t run clubs, do duty and eat.

Also, if the teachers that run the after school clubs are parents and after school club isn't running for their kids, then maybe they can't stay at school as late?

@MillieEpple

Most of our clubs are outside organisations that run as a business. They cant make a profit and be covid secure so they arent running, partly because numbers dropped off as some parents werent keen on childrdn mixing mkre anyway. They are allowed to run so a couple have carried on. My sons school they are mainly teacher led and have carried on.

This is the same for my DCs schools. Clubs that had outside leaders etc are no longer on but SOME of the clubs, especially outdoor sports that are organised by teachers, are going ahead but are much much reduced. I’ve no idea if teachers get paid extra for these but I doubt it as they’re PE teachers and would imagine it’s in their contract. Mine don’t play instruments so I’ve no idea about that aspect. @notevenat20 maybe speak to your school directly to understand the ‘why’ as it could be down to space. Or look at provision outside school?

Oh yes, and the usual ‘just stay behind for homework club’ needs to be booked in advance as spaces need to be limited or at least thought through in advance. I think all the changes are pretty understandable tbh.

@notevenat20

It depends on the club. I work in a secondary school and clubs that involve mixing year groups cannot go ahead.

I was particularly struck by how the local private school had kept the school orchestra going by physically grouping the players by year in the hall. So this is an example of a mixed year group that is still running by some smart adjustment.

Really interesting that some state schools are running after school clubs and some not. Anyone know any state school orchestral music that is still happening?

Maybe suggest this idea to your head. They may not have thought of it and be delight to accommodate!

I don’t think they can run any kind of activity where year groups are mixing together. I don’t think we have any clubs running at the moment, normally there’s loads. They can’t use the library either, if they want a book they can request it and they bring it to their classroom.

Yet another whine about state schools from this poster.

Very odd behaviour.

I am not running my extra-curricular (that I run, for free, in my own time, in a state school ) because it is attended by 7 different year groups and requires shared equipment.

Independent schools have smaller group sizes, larger premises, and can afford extra equipment.

My DD's state school are running music lessons, but not music groups, primarily because there's not enough space to distance them and separate out the year group bubbles (well, plus their third year group bubble got sent home today )

At DS's independent school the staff have as part of their contract that they must offer an extra-curricular club every week, and this (presumably) is taken into account via their salary.

My school isn't operating any after school clubs because they need to have maximum time for the site team to clean thoroughly once the pupils have left. No parents have complained because they actually appreciate the measures we're taking to keep their children at the lowest possible risk.
We are starting supervised homework clubs next week, each year group gets one evening a week- and we've had plenty of appreciative responses from parents that we're doing this.

At the end of the day school staff are now having no breaks to supervise children the entire day... but you want then to stay after school too?

To any teachers thinking about answering the OP.

There is no point, she isn't interested in your answers she just wants to whinge about state schools.

We'll, she's welcome to pay for independent schooling in order to benefit from all those lovely extras than!

Not really the point but it’s a lot more than £1k per child per term.
More like £6k.

The after school clubs are kind of built in to the day. Buses don’t leave until 6ish often. They eat dinner at school, do homework there. So after school activities are really just part of the school day.

The private schools might stop this when they get outbreaks in their orchestras.

DH's school is still running everything. Market forces over health and safety.

There are VERY specific guidelines about singing,wind and brass instruments. There should not be any ensembles. I am happier with a school abiding by guidelines myself.

DD's school mostly has clubs at lunchtime. The only ones running are those for Yr7s to help them settle in. A few are running on Zoom. There are no sports matches with other schools. Even the library is shut.

All of which is mostly to say that it's impossible to generalise.

@Delatron

Not really the point but it’s a lot more than £1k per child per term. More like £6k.

The after school clubs are kind of built in to the day. Buses don’t leave until 6ish often. They eat dinner at school, do homework there. So after school activities are really just part of the school day.

I meant 1k per child per term just for clubs

After school clubs in the state sector are often run on the goodwill of the teachers giving up their time unpaid. After six months of being blamed even more than usual for all society’s ills, I personally gave no goodwill left. I doubt I’m the only one.

Extra curricular and clubs/hobbies are part of what private school parents pay for so those schools need to keep them running really or give a discount. Its not that private school teachers get paid extra for those, it's just in their contracts to run them.
My ds is at private secondary and he's going to 3 different after school activities a week. They are separated for year bubbles though.

Ah I didn’t think the clubs were separated out cost wise

We're not doing after school clubs (other than actual after school club, which has around a fifth of the pre-lockdown children in it), because of the staggered end of the day. We're running breakfast club on 3 days a week for 3 children - have paid a dinner lady to run it for an hour.

Also, I don't do after school clubs since I had my own child, I just don't have the time/energy/inclination. Mad to provide free childcare for other people if that means I have to pay more for my own childcare.

Our state primary is running both wraparound care, and some activity clubs eg drama club, football, hockey etc all split by year group

Is there a difference in pay for after school clubs normally? I mean do private school teachers get paid to do them where state school teachers don't?

I can't speak for all schools, but our teacher led clubs aren't running: I chose not to as I'm not paid to run them, so why take additional risk at the moment.

Our local state primary school has the after school clubs running but it's year wise. Another local primary school has after school club running with mixed year group.
So it just depends on the school. Doesn't depend on the school being private or state.

@pinkbalconyrailing

1k per term per child is why.

Do you mean just for enrichment?

A decent Prep with enrichment included is +/- 5k per term.

Thank you for a lot of fascinating information. Broadly speaking it seems there are three main reasons (please correct me if misunderstood).

a). Private school teachers may have terms in their contracts about after school clubs. State school teachers will not have those.

I have some questions about this. Do state school teachers normally run after school clubs for no benefit to themselves (not even promotion prospects ) at all and with no obligation to do so? That is basically as charitable giving?

DDs community primary head told us she requires all teachers to run one after school club. Is that something that is actually in her power?

Are teacher contracts different in academies?

b) Private school teachers feel pressure to save their school from going bankrupt. I can see this is a big difference.

c) Some clubs might be feasible under COVID restrictions only if a school has more money and facilities.

That makes sense although I am not sure it applies to a string orchestra.