School dilemma - advice please!

[ChalkyC]

My DS1 is currently yr 1 at a small village primary. The school has no after school club, which will become a problem when DS2 starts next september, and we no longer need our nanny. I'm not sure what to do - it's such a tiny school that there aren't really any childminders or nanny share options.

Choices are -

• Move schools - we've been offered a place at a local independent school, which we could just afford, is lovely and has an after school club until 6.15;

- Chance it that we will find someone who wants a part time childcare role nearer the time;

• Give up work!

I love the independent option (esp the sports that they do that aren't on offer currently to my quite sporty sons) but feel guilty about abandoning our local school where we are part of the community, and am a bit worried about the 20 minute commute and long hours...and financial pressure!

Argh what to do?!?

Is there a fourth option of lobbying the village primary about providing after school care? Surely there must be others in the same or similar position as you?

Do you have space for an au-pair? They could pick children up from school (take to activities), and look after till you get home.

There are a few other options you could explore. You could try and change your hours or your partner could, you could hire an au pair, you could do child care swaps with other families, you could advertise for someone (maybe via the school initially?). I hope you find a solution.

Have you actually investigated childminder option thoroughly.

Can't really believe independent school is cheaper than paying for childcare tbh. If you want them to go to independent school just do it.

Our school don't have ASC, but another local schools (privately run) ASC sends a minibus out to pick up 5 or 6 kids from our school.

Keep nanny, encouraging her to seek other hours when you don't really need her?

I also don't understand how paying for a childminder for after school care is more expensive than paying for independent school.

Can you share childcare with some of the other parents?

Thanks all - I have asked the headmaster whether he would look into seeing whether an ASC might be viable - he has agreed to do this. I expect tbh we could find some sort of part time nanny/childminder (although there are none picking up from the school currently, just a few more ad hoc parent favour type arrangements).

I suppose my dilemma is more that I need to make a decision re the private school place in the next couple of weeks - and one of the things it has going for it is great after school and holiday care options. It won't be cheaper certainly, that's not my primary concern...I'm just so rubbish at making decisions - especially ones that impact on the whole family!

Just to put in my tuppence worth - we moved DD1 to a private school in Sept after she won a partial scholarship there. It was a really hard decision to make, and nearly 3 months in, I feel like it was the wrong one. Private school just doesn't feel right for us and we really miss the community feel of DD's old school. We've gone on the waiting list to move back, but there are no spaces, something which we didn't really expect but it's heavily oversubscribed for that year group. So I suggest you take more time over your decision and actually get a childcare situation set up for the state school option so that you do have choices. You are right though, that private schools are set up really well for working parents.

Argh Cakecrumbs that is my worst fear! Especially with two of them to get a place for and small class sizes with little movement....

Can you change/reduce your hours to fit in with school runs?

Yes it's a possibility but I need to work at least 2 full days with maybe a couple of half/school days (currently do 3.5 days/wk) and have an hours commute...

And they wonder why (in my profession at least) there are so few women in senior roles....