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Original poster

Ed Balls cuts school clubs

115 replies

swissarmycheese · 07/03/2010 14:21

as part of £500m education cuts

So there it is, in black and white, in an on the record interview. How much will the extra childcare cost us?

It isn't Labour investment versus Tory cuts. It is Labour cuts, Tory cuts, or Lib Dem cuts. At least the Lib Dems and Tories have been honest about cuts from the beginning though.

Why do people trust a word Ed Balls and Labour say?

OP posts:
compo · 07/03/2010 14:25

Does the govt financially support aftersch clubs then? We pay for ours - childcare clubs that us, we also pay for tennis, footie clubs too

SingleMum01 · 07/03/2010 14:38

i pay for mine too, and at £7 per day for afterschool and £3.50 for breakfast club its not cheap.

Original poster
swissarmycheese · 07/03/2010 14:58

They definitely subsidise after-school clubs, especially in deprived areas. I am not sure if they ever provide them free.

OP posts:
Original poster
swissarmycheese · 07/03/2010 14:59

Here is what Mr Balls said, to our faces - right here on Mumsnet, on 9 Sept 2009 - yes, only 5 months ago. Filthy lying hypocrite.

www.mumsnet.com/onlinechats/ed-balls

Ed Balls: All good schools are already providing before and after school clubs and every school must be by 2010. We've given them the money and they should get on with it. It is true that part of the purpose of before and after school clubs is to make things more flexible for parents and that schools can only provide that kind of childcare for parents who are asking for it, but these clubs are also about helping children to learn and have fun - and every child deserves those chances.

OP posts:
wastwinsetandpearls · 07/03/2010 15:01

My dd afterschool club is not cheap, it was one of the reasons we went down the route of dp working part time.

Maybe they are funded for people on lower incomes.

I think many of the cuts are very sensible, getting rid of the bursaries will make people think before going into teaching. I think the bursaries are one of the reasons that the standard of students seems to be falling. I use teachers TV but only ever on the internet.

wastwinsetandpearls · 07/03/2010 15:03

Cuts are hardly ever going to be a good thing, expect perhaps my two exceptions above. Maybe this was one of the cuts that they thought would cause the least harm.

atlantis · 07/03/2010 15:04

Isn't this more to do with the fact that Labour have finally realised there will be so many people unemployed in the coming years that these clubs will become moot, the focus is now keeping men in work and trying to get mothers to stay at home to free up more jobs for the 'working man'.

"£1m saved by taking Teachers TV off Freeview and making it internet only."

Why not axe it altogether? that would save even more money.

"135m from quangos.."

Should have done that a long time ago, how about the rest of them?

" £50m reduction in bursaries for trainee teachers,"

That's because they can see so many 'professionals' losing there jobs and ending up in teaching as a 'soft' option that they don't need as much.

"The election choice is: who do you want to be standing up in the House of Commons delivering the pre-budget statement? George Osborne or Alistair Darling??, "

Can I choose Ken Clark?

muggglewump · 07/03/2010 15:05

We don't have wraparound care, though the Catholic School down the road does.

I pay for my Childcare, though only 80% as I get the Childcare element of TCs.
I don't pay for DD's extra activities at school. She currently does Country Dancing and Healthy Eating eating clubs, but no child is guaranteed an activity. You put your name down, and wait to see if your name is picked from the hat.

wastwinsetandpearls · 07/03/2010 15:10

I think teachers tv is a very good resource, I use it all the time to improve my teaching and there are also resources on there for me to use in the classroom. Much cheaper than paying for INSET sessions or buying the resources.

Dd does a lot of extra clubs at school, they are cheap so we pay extra for them. I am sure lots of parents would willingly pay extra for these clubs so others could get them for free.

I have found that clubs out of school tend to be cheaper than the school care. I think a day at the school's holiday scheme is about £30. For that price or usually less she can have a day at a local art school with materials provided or a day at a theatre workshop.

southeastastra · 07/03/2010 15:13

worrying. i also watch teachers tv is a fab resource. can think of tons of other things that could be cut, but it's always childrens services innit.

compo · 07/03/2010 15:16

If you workand need wraparound care I'd expect to pay forit tbh
you get help with working tax credit anyway

wastwinsetandpearls · 07/03/2010 15:26

It is expensive though, we have an above average income and find wrap around care expensive , again which is why dp works part time from home. We don't get any tax credits though.

Kneazle · 07/03/2010 15:43

Our after school club is 7 pounds for 3 hours per day including snacks and craft materials. I think that is pretty cheap. There are a large amount of staff on hand. Is it subsidised then ?

CleverlyConcealed · 07/03/2010 15:47

lolol at 'given them the money and they should get on with it'. Extended schools have never been properly funded.

muggglewump · 07/03/2010 15:50

£7 for 3 hours is cheap.
Whilst I only pay 80%, the full cost of my CM would be £12 for 3 hours.

I know I get help from WTC, and of course I am grateful for this but I still don't have much money, and won't have any more unless I get a much better paid job, which is unlikely, or go over 30 hours.
I have had to turn down an extra two days as it makes no financial sense, leaving, me with less money than the three days I do.

When will there be an incentive to work?

muggglewump · 07/03/2010 15:51

Dunno how the random comma got in there

MmeBlueberry · 07/03/2010 16:00

Why don't you pay for your childcare yourself? Why should the taxpayer have to foot the bill?

You are right not to trust Labour though.

wastwinsetandpearls · 07/03/2010 16:27

£7 for 3 hours is cheap. I am sure we pay about £20 for a morning session which is 4 hours. I think tbh it is a fair price but it would be too much for me to pay every day during the holidays. Luckily I don't have to.

southeastastra · 07/03/2010 16:28

so is he going to cut all the esco's? seems a waste to build them up then drop the lot?

compo · 07/03/2010 16:29

Agree with mmeblueberry

muggglewump · 07/03/2010 16:31

MmeBlueberry, I think everyone on this thread is a taxpayer, but not all taxpayers have plenty of spare cash for childcare.
It kind of makes it pointless for some people to work in the first place.

I'd never give up my job, but when DD was small, I'd have been worse off working and paying even 20% childcare, so I didn't.

Why not subsidise childcare to make it easier for everyone to work?

activate · 07/03/2010 16:32

we get no school clubs that aren't parentally paid for - haven't done in 17 years apart from the odd one that a teacher volunteered to take

muggglewump · 07/03/2010 16:33

Oh, and the thread I have going on AIBU at the moment, shows that I will be worse off working 5 days, than I am three due to extra childcare costs.
I don't feel great about not wanting to work more, but really, what is the point?

PiratePrincess · 07/03/2010 16:37

I'm an ESCO so hope he doesn't - is such a fab job.

Watching with interest...

Kneazle · 07/03/2010 16:40

I don't understand MmeBlueberrys point I am a tax payer and thought i was paying for my own childcare. I didn't even realise it was subsidised. The kids just go to after school club and we pay the bill. I suppose it will go up in price from now on ?