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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Son is only one in his year in after school club - what shall I do?

15 replies

suebfg · 13/09/2011 20:07

My son has just started at school - he's only 4.

I work part time so he's been booked into the breakfast and after school club on the days I work. DH took him to the after school club today just to introduce it to him and there were no other children there (the other years finish school quarter an hour later). So he's the only one from his year in the club.

I feel terrible as he's still settling into school with new children. I didn't think he'd be the only one his age in the club - there are 60 children in his year (there are a couple of classes per year) so it never crossed my mind.

I just don't know what to do about it. I love my work and don't want to give up but I feel so sorry for him if all his friends are going home but he has to stay.

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Nagoo · 13/09/2011 20:15

My DS will be going to after school club once they start FT. In his case that is not until november

He's not going every day. You may find that there are children there from his class on the other days you need him to go.

You are also projecting how you feel about it on to him. Wait and see. Maybe you could do some mutual childcare / round for tea type arrangement as time goes on. Just ride it out for a bit and give it a chance.

My DS likes to play with 'big boys' :)

CMOTdibbler · 13/09/2011 20:19

DS likes playing with the bigger children at afterschool club. And I noticed that a lot of people tried to ease into afterschool club, so not using it for the first week or so, so you may find others start soon

Original poster

suebfg · 13/09/2011 20:28

Thanks - I hope that is the case. We will try again on Thursday and hopefully he'll have some company :)

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cjbartlett · 13/09/2011 20:30

honestly don't worry
a lot of people miht have changed their work patterns in the 1st few weeks of term but there will be reception children coming along
is it a very small school?
our aftersch club is over subscribed, huge waiting list. It only has 50 places in a school of a few hundred
people are always shifting around the hours and days they work

TastyMuffins · 13/09/2011 20:32

Is the club at school and just for his school or a club that does different schools?

My DS goes to After School Club and has been except the first term and a half of school. We used a childminder in the beginning because his school was part time for the first two weeks and I didn't like the only club available at that time. He now goes to the same place for Holiday Club as After School Club, at first he was the only one from his school, although there were others in reception. He loves it and enjoys being able to explain the ropes to new kids when they start. It's a great opportunity for him to mix with a whole new lot of kids. He sometimes does Breakfast Club at the school, was there all the first term and a half and I think he was the first in his year although others soon joined.

I love it when the bigger kids call out to him in the street or in the park and he loves that he has friends in other years.

Many reception children don't start clubs straight away, some may still be cared for by childminders that have had them since before they started school. Some are also picked up by parents and grandparents a lot more in the first weeks until they settle in.

Original poster

suebfg · 13/09/2011 20:32

It's quite a large school - there are 60 in each year.

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Original poster

suebfg · 13/09/2011 20:35

It's a club just for his school

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cjbartlett · 13/09/2011 20:44

60 in his year?

They might not realise just yet that there is an afterschool club, they might be frantically interviewing childminders

Original poster

suebfg · 13/09/2011 20:45

Yes, there are a couple of classes each year - double intake

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mollythetortoise · 13/09/2011 20:45

don't worry! my ds will be going to after school club a couple of days a week but prob not till Oct as he isn't full time till then.. IME, (I have an older dd), people will start using the club more over the next few weeks and I agree with the others that the younger children like to mix with the older ones.. even if there are other reception children, they may not be same days as your ds anyway or he may not play with them.

chillikate · 13/09/2011 20:53

MY DS will also be going to after school club, but not for a few weeks. I've been able to change my working hours for a few weeks to settle him in. I think you'll find other year R kids starting at after school club in the next few days & weeks. Someone has to be first!!

Snowballed · 13/09/2011 20:57

DS is in year 5 & has been doing breakfast & after school since reception. He started with no others in his year there, but a couple of lads from year above played with him loads. He now spends all the time there with three or four boys from year below at school. They get on great but it's the only time they get together.

Don't stress, he will be fine! Just give him a few weeks to get to know them

Original poster

suebfg · 13/09/2011 21:02

Thanks all - feeling a bit better now :)

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sleepwouldbenice · 13/09/2011 23:07

Echoing the fact that the others may not have started yet but will be - this is the case for my DD2

And, I know its hard, but soon they will love being the youngest and being looked after by older children

It does seem strange seeing your lo in a room with lots of older kids, and you think they will be overwhelmed and everything may be too old for them - but please remember that plenty of children have older siblings at home and playing and being with older children is exactly what they do every day!

stirlingstar · 13/09/2011 23:13

My DS1 just started school, is youngest in year, and goes to after school club twice a week. It's at a different site but he's picked up by staff and gets minibus or walks over. He's the only one from his year going. I was rather worried.

However, turns out he LOVES it (now in to 4th week). He has mentioned he wishes there were other P1 kids - but only fleetingly. He get a mixture of playing with older kids, who are all really happy to have him there and means he gets to know more children cross-years, and also gets LOTS of attention from club staff as the older children need/want less input so they've loads of time for him.

Fingers crossed it will pan out to similar for you?

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