After school clubs and holiday clubs on school premises

[MissBeehiving]

I don't know if this is in the right place, but I'm a parent governor and the governing body are considering setting up a breakfast/ASC and holiday club on the school premises.

if you either are involved in one or your school has one, can I ask;

What times do you cover? Are they about right?

Who runs it?

What activities do you do?

What happens about food?

And how much does it cost?

we have a good level of interests from the other parents but I'd really be grateful to hear some practical experiences. TIA

The ones my DCs go to start at 7.45. After school club is either till 4 or till 6, so ocasionally you can book them till 4 (or is if 4.30?) if you're running late and they have a place. Food is cereal in the morning and snacks (cheese wraps etc) in the afternoon. More than adequate as they'll still eat at home with us when we get in. It suits us perfectly.

I have no day to day knowledge, but can you not get advice/training on this issue from Governor Training or LA Advisor? Many schools do have this so I am sure there will be others with plenty of experience and advice along soon.

Thanks Milly - there are plenty of resources to set up clubs etc but I'm interested in the practicalities at the moment IYKWIM? What works well and what doesn't?

The wraparound care we use is very good.

It's open for before school club from 7:30am. From 9am it is a nursery. At 3:30pm it turns into after school club until 6pm.

They serve cereal and toast at breakfast.
Nursery lunch is either school dinner or packed lunch.
After school club they do things like pittas, dips or beans on toast, crackers, fruit etc.

In the holidays they are open as holiday club from 7:30am until 6pm.

Before school club is £4.50
After school club is £6.50
Holiday club is £20 per day.
I can't remember the cost of nursery.

The company who run it are a separate company and they do a few schools in the area. It's a small company and is very well-run. If you wanted me to pm you their website so you can have a look copy let me know.

Ours are run by separate organisations. The before school is in the school building run by some Midday Supervisors and parents, and caters for about 30. It has to be book in advance so we can ensure correct adult:child ratios. Breakfast is optional and is a selection from cereal, toast, bagels, yoghurt, fruit, etc. They use the school with the lunchtime tables and chairs out. It runs from 7.30 am and the staff take the children to their classes at start of the school day. Some toys are available and access to paper, colouring pencils, etc.

After school is different company (connected to local nursery). They use several classrooms (real pain for the teachers who need to clear up from today, prepare for the next day, put displays up, etc. and the food aspect means the teacher often has to do an additional clean the following morning!), again they need to pre-book for ratios. Snacks are provided (toast, sandwiches, etc.) or parents can send their own in a lunchbox. Activities available vary between the two main rooms (each geared for different age groups although it is not strict) TV, computers, making, etc. They have access to the reception class outdoor learning area so football, scooters and general outdoor play. They have a central collection area in the school entrance lobby. Teachers have a list who is attending and send the children there at end of school day to be met by club staff and taken to the classrooms used. Club runs until 6pm and parents notify their roughly expected collection time (e.g. 4.30pm or 6pm) again so staffing can be arranged and excess staff leave (and not be paid!) if there are only a handful of children from 5 - 6 pm. There is leeway and parents can ring and alter during the day.

There will be lots of official stuff to organise, hence our school decided to have ours run by other providers. Contracts, staffing recruitment and checks, insurance, policies and risk assessments, salaries, emergency staff cover to ensure. Lots to take on and our school office staff are already over stretched.

THIS IS A USEFUL STARTING POINT

Our local primary does breakfast club from 8-9 and asc from 3.30-6pm. They are both run by one of the school TAs. Breakfast club is fully booked and has a waiting list. I've not been involved for a while but they did charge £3 for the hour per child. With after school, I seem to remember it being either £3.50 until 4.30 or £7 until 6pm. This was 3yrs ago. Very full in the morning and the first hour after school then sometimes only 4kids until 6pm.

From a practical POV, I do know she has to be very strict about 6pm pick up as some parents were habitually late and started charging something like an extra £3 for each 15mins over.

She offered toast or cereal at breakfast and toast, biscuits and juice or milk in the afternoon.
Hth

Room is let to a small company who run the wrap round care. Open 8am to 6pm and the same hours for holiday club.

Basic food offered for breakfast and post school snack. Morning session is £5 afterschool is £8. Holiday club is £20. £5 extra for day trips (cinema, bowling etc) in holidays.

They only take kids from the school which is nice and all the kids know each other.

I do remember she looked at offering more variety of food in the evenings but that didn't work well re cost and waste.
She was obviously able to keep costs down as she was already a member of staff.

At our prep, we pay £4.50ph and it's open 7.30-8.30 then 3.30-6.30. They do a wider variety of foods after school such as pizza and filled pittas but it's run on a much larger scale with at least 4 members of staff at any one time. The woman in charge offers a holiday club for 4wks during the summer at £45 a day.

Activities at the local state where I volunteered were basically playground games in good weather and colouring or DVD in bad weather.

Our school has an after school club run by a private nursery in the grounds of the secondary school next door. ASC use a sports pavilion for their sessions. After school club runs from 3-6 and costs £11 per session regular bookings or £11.50 per session for ad hoc bookings if they have space.

They get tea which can be pasta/curry/jacket potatoes/soup depending on the nursery menu/allergies in operation in the nursery on a particular day.

They have books/games/craft/videos available and also get the kids playing outside if the weather permits. Sometimes play joint games indoors, covers children aged 4-11 which can make things harder.

There will need to be a food policy. There are issues about what you can serve in school;
www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schooladmin/a0012940/school-food-standards

This is great - thanks all

Ours is run by private group in partnership with the local authority. This group runs all of the ASC's in our region.

The ASC runs from 3pm to 6pm and costs £8.50 a session, you book up to a month in advance, but no later than the Wednesday the night before. Bookings don't need to be regular, but its first come first served. Not oversubscribed so has never been a problem. They give a small snack first like soup, slice of pizza, fruit etc with diluting juice.

They have use of a room with about 10 tables where they have the snacks, then they can do arts/crafts, play games, lego, couple of old playstations/xboxs that have been donated. They also have a tv where they have a dvd on now and again. They also have another small room where homework can been done in peace if wanted.

The room has two toilets, one for boys one for girls.

They have a small reception area with a staff toilet behind it.

They also have use of the gym hall which is just off the reception area for football, badminton, games etc. which they rotate.

They can play outside in the school playground in summer, or across the road at the local football cage (if there is enough staff to supervise which there usually is).

Our school does 7.45 to 5.45 wraparound. Costs similar to Mrs Bungles above but holiday club has discount for early booking and siblings and half days are available.

It has run for years and offers a mixture of crafts, toys, pool, films, PlayStation (those last 2 are rationed!), outdoors play, indoor bouncy castle in holidays, outings (from bus to local park, local Scalextrix track, into town on the tube for a museum etc). Very popular and books up early for holidays.

Some of the school TAs and lunchtime assistants work in wraparound too so children usually know at least some of the staff.

One thing no ones mentioned is outside play. Our ASC has the kids out playing in the playground, football, bats and balls, just running around, as often as possible, also use the field though is currenly waterlogged. Really important for my active DS who had been in school all afternoon with no break.

ASC is til 6 pm, kids get a sandwich , play in or out, lots of craft activities available, quiet corner for homework and a cupboard full of inside games. No telly or electronic stuff available. £8 per evening.

Sadly no breakfast or holiday club, I wish there was.

Ours is run by TAs and a few of the Playgroup staff. It is onsite and they also have their own fenced in playground but can also access the school field/MUGA. Runs from 7.45 in the morning and till 4.30 (£5) or 5.45 (£8) in the eve.

They have a Wii, lots of games/sports equipment and do lots of arts/crafts.

Ours is open 7.30 - 9 £2 while range of breakfasts - cereals toast etc toys provided - puzzles, colouring etc. afterschool £7 til 5 £10 til 6 with hot food - made by TAs etc Love it as all on site and really cost effective

Ours is run in nursery building for early years and canteen for older ones. Playground is used for outside activities and play.

DS's school has breakfast club run by the school, which starts at 0745 and includes cereal and toast in the £5 per child cost (just gone up, far too expensive!)

ASC is run by a private company who do similar in ither local schools, plus holiday clubs. £12 a day for ASC, including snack (beans on toast, wrap etc) until 1800. Holiday club is £24 for 0800 to 1800 but need to provide all food.

Ours is run by the school, on site (uses the large Nursery). The school employs a separate manager, and play workers, many of which are school TAs as well. Breakfast club from 7.30, after school til 6. Breakfast is toast, cereal, crumpets, pancakes, fruit etc, and after school they get a snack (ham/cheese pitta, crackers, hotdogs, cheese on toast, carrots/cucumber etc.

There are always tons of activities going on, lots of craft and cooking, construction toys etc, use of the ICT suite, inside sports hall, outside playground etc. They have a wii and sometimes watch films. I think it's brilliant, and I'm so grateful for the provision. They are also really flexible, and always have a few spare spaces so that emergency or one off dates can be covered. For me, it was one of the really important features I considered when choosing a a school. I teach full time, there are v few childminders in my area, and the 7.30 start is a godsend, as I need to be in my school across the city by 8 at the latest. I really love them.

Breakfast session is £4.00, after school £6.50. They run a holiday club depending on demand. So you are asked to book dates well in advance, and they look at numbers and staffing and let you know which dates will be offered. This was annoying, as I like to know one way or another, but it has got better as the clubs got busier as they are usually open most days. I think it's £20 for a full day 7.30-6. They are non-profit making, so any profits get ploughed back into the provision.

Breakfast club - within the school

What times do you cover? Are they about right? 7.45 to start of school. Seems fine.

Who runs it? The kitchen staff - they supervise while prepping.

What activities do you do? Board games and colouring. It's pretty minimal

What happens about food? Toast, cereals, milk, jiuces

And how much does it cost? £2.50 a day

After School & holiday club - separate organisation

What times do you cover? Are they about right? After school until 6. Hols are 8.45 to 6. Wish they opened earlier to cover the equivalent of the breakfast club.

Who runs it? Local pre-school has just taken it over.

What activities do you do? Loads! Seasonal crafts, board games, lego etc, role play & dens, outdoor games & equipment, x-box & wii, snooker table.

What happens about food? Simple snack at 4.30 - noodles, toast, pasta, pizza, cake on birthdays

And how much does it cost? £3.60 per hour, 50p for snack. Discount for siblings.

We open at 7:30am and close at 6pm.

Breakfast is toast or cereal and a light tea is provided. e.g. Pizza or crumpets and fruit. We have looked at getting the school kitchen to provide a meal but feedback from parents is that they prefer to give their Dc their main meal at home.

There is a craft table and they use the playground for outdoor games as much as possible. Mainly free play with toys provided.

It's £2.50 for an am session and £7 for the afternoon.

It's run by TAs but the money side of things is done in the office. It needs to be done separately from the club itself - we've found it doesn't work when the lovely ladies looking after the DCs have to chase the money too. They're too nice and will agree every time someone want to pay next week (or the week after!) Two completely different skill sets (being kind with the children and hard with parents who don't pay)

The hardest part is collecting the money (i.e. getting parents to pay) and we had huge arrears at one point. Now under control but keeping on top of it is a huge job - not something someone with an already busy workload can squeeze in, so you need to allow for that in your costings. It was a real eye-opener to me - how many parents just don't pay if they think they can get away with it.

Holiday clubs at our school are run by outside providers who pay us a % for the use of the school.

This is all brilliant. Thank you

Our breakfast club is free (wales) and is 8-9. I wish it opened a bit earlier 7.30 or 7.45. Judging by the number of parents waiting for it to open at bang on 8 so they can leave for work I don't think I'm the only one. They all get cereal and toast with Apple / orange juice. Kids need to be in breakfast club by 8.30. After they have a drawing table, some books, wooden bricks, board games, giant jenga etc. there is an after school club as well until 6pm costing £6. Have never needed to use that though.