Childminder or after school clubs?

[SansaryaAgain]

DC starts school in September and the school he's most likely to get into has quite a few after school activities and clubs. However you have to apply for them anew each term. Am I better off signing him up for these or getting an after school childminder. That wouldn't offer as wide a variety of activities but at least there'd be consistency and I wouldn't have the hassle of reapplying for clubs each term.

It sounds like they are activity clubs, bot wrap round care afterschool clubs.

Get the childminder and enroll in the clubs just for the activities he wants to do. Perhaps none for the first term as he settles in.

Activity clubs don't usually run everyweek and they are never guaranteed places. So absolutely a childminder. They can still do some activities for fun that way.

You can't rely on activity clubs for childcare op.
It would be exhausting for a new reception child to have constant activity clubs after a full day at school.
For this reason they don't often tend to do loads of reception clubs, the clubs will be aimed at different year groups.
If he says he doesn't want to go they won't make him, they'll just ring you to come and collect him.
They often cancel activity clubs at short notice and often don't run first and last weeks of term.

Ask of the school has proper wrap around care but if not, find a childminder.

The school does offer clubs from reception, but they're more stay and play sessions than anything constructive. DC has been in nursery for 3 years, 8-6 so is used to long days but I know school is more taxing on them than nursery. I'll look up local childminders too.

Ask for wraparound care at the school. They don't always run till 6pm but one in bigger cities usually do.

I would look into a childminder or similar alternative too. My DS was also at nursery doing long days but school was a massive step up when he started in September and he was exhausted initially. He would not have been fit for after school activities. He goes to an after-school club which basically involves play and loves it

We did childminder for the first term and then a mix of childminder and after school club from then on. In Yr1 we switched to after school club/ activities.

Even though DD was used to long nursery hours, she was exhausted the first term of reception and benefited from being able to relax at CMs house. Plus she fed her which was one less thing for us to do.

When she was a bit older she coped better and we changed - partly as childminder was a lot more expensive, partly because she was ready for more activities. After school club was a good mix of fun games, or just being able to sit in the book corner if having a tired day.

Does the school have an after school wrap around club? My dc both go to that on my work days - they have a permanent booking. Each term, if there is an “activity” club they want to go to, then we apply for that. The after school wrap around staff take the younger ones to / from the activity clubs. This does mean that we sometimes pay for 2 things.

If you want reliability and consistency then you need a childminder or wrap around club. After school activity clubs are excellent, but 1- often oversubscribed. 2- only last an hour or so. Re: oversubscriotion, our school will not let the same child do a very popular club 2 terms running, in order to give everyone a chance. 3 - they are sometimes cancelled, often at short notice, or suspended for a week. This is the case when school needs the space for concerts or parents’ mtgs.

They have activity clubs (mainly stay and play or arts and crafts for reception) from 4-5 and then an evening club from 5-6 which is more relaxed. I don't mind paying for both but wish they could be applied for by year rather than by term!

My kids really like the after school activity clubs. They have done cooking, pottery, gardening and football. It is true that after school they might be a little tired in Reception, but my kids still did after school activities twice a week. My dd even asked to do every day. They like being with other kids from their school. Its a great way for them to bond and make friendships. This way my kids know other kids from different classes and grades. And if someone from their class is in the group, they form more of a bond with them. I think this helps them settle in the school better. The first term I put my son in the after school football and I would take a peak at him sometimes (I'm stay at home mom and had my dd at the park at the time) and I would see he was having a blast playing with his classmates. However, some kids are quite more tired and perhaps need quiet time so I would think about what you think your child would like. My kids have always had a lot of energy and have done a lot of actives. They would have gotten so bored at a child minders.

A lit of our after school activity clubs are provided by a third party, and not insured for U5s, which is why they are not open to Reception.