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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

After school clubs held at different location - experiences?

16 replies

TeamEponine · 07/11/2018 16:22

We are just looking at primary schools for DD, and both DH and I are particularly worried about one issue that is making our choice very difficult...

How do people feel about their children being taken to a different school for after school club, and what experiences have people had with this?

We are debating between two schools for our top choice as wrap around care is essential for us, but then we also want DD to go to the best and most appropriate school for her...

School 1: One form entry, very close to home, good ofsted and ok reputation, both before and after school club are at the school.
School 2: Two form entry, next village across, but pretty much on my route to work, outstanding ofsted and great reputation but children are taken to a different school for the afterschool club. This different school is in the opposite direction to home, quite close to where I work, but not near to DHs work.

I feel uncomfortable with the thought of DD being moved between sites when she is only four, which is putting me off of school 2, but I'm not sure if I'm being over anxious (I tend to be!). DH feels the same though.

Does anyone have any experience or suggestions? Thanks!

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RedSkyLastNight · 07/11/2018 17:07

The moving moving between between sites wouldn't even be a concern (very normal)
I'd want to know the make up of the club. If it's mainly dc from the school it's in with only a few from the other school, mixing might be awkward (note I say might).
If it 's more even , no concerns.

RedSkyLastNight · 07/11/2018 17:09

Moving between sites is no different to taking the dc on a school trip (well less risky as much shorter!) Would you worry about her going on a trip as well?

Zinnia · 07/11/2018 17:19

This was a big concern of mine when we applied for primary but it's turned out to be a real benefit not to be in the same location I think. Our circs are different from yours (my dc go to a separate after school club serving a few different local primaries) but there's a lot to be said for the children having a change of scene, both in terms of location and with the adults and other kids they see there. Being in the same set of buildings until 6.00 every day is a long time. They get to know the children from the other school(s) too, it's a nice way of making new friends and gives them a break from hanging out with the same people all the time.

didireallysaythat · 07/11/2018 17:24

We have done this - as long as you can find a reliable taxi company it's not a problem. Our company sometimes took DS to the wrong after school club.....

SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT · 07/11/2018 17:26

My DD3 went to after school care at a different location, it was only 5 minutes walk. Children had flourescent tabards, held hands 2x2, younger ones holding hand of an adult. No concern to me being in a different location, nice for the children to have a different environment when they have been at school all day. I might be concerned if it was half an hour walk in the rain. I would be more concerned about the level of care rather than the location.

LtGreggs · 07/11/2018 17:32

We did this. It was ok-ish. Club itself was fine. The change in locations meant that not many kids from his school used the after-school club. Location meant that I had to pick up by car after work, instead of it being walkable.

We only did it for one year, and it was a factor in us deciding to get au-pair the next years.

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 26/11/2018 14:41

Check the admission/over subscription criteria for the afterschool club at the second school. Our school used to share provision with another nearby school, who then decided they were full and chucked out anyone not from the host school. So families from the other two schools who shared provision were left high and dry with no notice...

UserName31456789 · 26/11/2018 18:52

i would choose the better school. The moving between school won't be an issue for long (by the time she's in Y1/2 it won't bother you at all) and it sounds the better of the two. Otherwise surely there;s a childminder in the village you could use until she's ready for afterschool club?

MaybeDoctor · 26/11/2018 19:04

School 1 seems the obvious choice.

The thing I would say in favour of on-site after school clubs is that, as a teacher, I developed a good relationship with the club workers and could pass on messages to parents via the club staff. Also, if I found a stray coat or jumper at 4.30 pm, I would pop it into the club. Not all teachers did that, mind, but there you go!

But school can be tiring in the first few years - are there any childminder or home-based options open to you?

PatriciaHolm · 26/11/2018 19:25

I'm assuming they are walked down together? The problem with this is it restricts what other clubs they can do I would imagine - much harder to go along to after school care after another school club.

Would you get into the further away school?

HexagonalBattenburg · 27/11/2018 07:54

A lot of the on-site after school and before school staff at ours are TAs during the day at the school so there's a lot of continuity. However our linked junior school uses our breakfast club and then the kids are walked up to their school with no issues - and that actually also helps the younger kids know a few more older faces when they move up to KS2 which I quite like.

My eldest, who adores school, is desperate to be allowed to go to after school club for additional chances to socialise with her classmates (stand around flossing no doubt)!

anniehm · 27/11/2018 08:04

A very small school is great for young kids I found, it's really good to be in your village too because if there's any issues you can build a network of backup (eg slightly late!)

Original poster

TeamEponine · 27/11/2018 08:55

Thanks all!

We are now looking around the schools and trying to put them in some kind of order for the application.

They have to go on a bus to the after school club, and its about a 10-15 minute drive. I think it is the distance that worries me. If it was close, then I'd not worry so much.

But thank you, everyone, for your advice. I'm trying to go into this open minded, and I'm also considering whether a childminder might be a good option instead.

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BikeRunSki · 27/11/2018 09:04

School 1 seems ideal to me. What is making you prefer School 2?

Unless the school in question is truly terrible, there is a lot to be said for going to school in your own village, particularly as the children get older and can walk to school/their friends’ houses etc themselves.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 27/11/2018 17:00

DS going to an afterschool club at a different location, and it's completely fine, but it's not actually far away. Is school 2 much better than school 1? Will many people from your village go to school 2? There's a lot to be said for a local school and therefore local friends.

Original poster

TeamEponine · 29/11/2018 10:57

I think it is the reputation and outstanding ofsted that is swaying me towards school 2. Which is ridiculous because I went into this process knowing and saying that there isn't much difference between good and outstanding.

Will see how each school "feels" and go from there. Ultimately, I think either school will be good, so we are in a very lucky position really.

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