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Original poster

New to the UK school system - wraparound care/extra curricular activities questions

39 replies

user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 15:14

As per the title, I didn't grow up in this country and my son is starting Reception in September. Today we got accepted into the school we chose and I spent MORE time trying to understand how everything works!
We are both full time workers in 9-5 jobs, with some flexibility around working from home. However, for his first 4 ish years our son has attended nursery full time and our routine is based on that security. No matter what, nursery is there and is open long hours.
My understanding now is that school ends at 3,15 and then we either pick him up or we book him into one of the extra curricular activities offered in situ, or into an after school club. By looking at the offering I think I could book him in for sports (ending at 4,15) on 2 days , for the after school club (ending at 5,30) for another two days , and then pick him up at 3,15 on Friday and keep him at home with me until I finish work.
Does it seem ok? What other parents generally do?

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LIZS · 17/04/2023 15:30

Book asc every day or arrange a childminder to pick up, unless by any chance your nursery offers wrap around care. There is no guarantee he would be able to do sport, numbers may be limited, he may not take to it or be overtired. What are your plans for the holidays and odd days off like Inset days?

cantkeepawayforever · 17/04/2023 15:50

Extra curricular clubs often don’t eg run in the first or last week of term, may not run if staff are sick (running a club is often a voluntary extra by school staff), may get cancelled for weather / if the hall isn’t available and may not be open to Reception for the first half term at least.

Basically a useful addition / variation to asc - who will often pick children up afterwards - but not a reliable sole form of childcare for a working parent.

somuchtolearnabout · 17/04/2023 15:52

Generally families with two parents working long hours either do after school club every day, or the have a local childminder who does school pickup for that particular school and then keeps the child until the parents collect them. After school club places aren't guaranteed however, so if you need this then I would apple ASAP

cantkeepawayforever · 17/04/2023 15:52

(Oh, and days for extra curricular clubs may vary by term - Football on Mondays in Autumn, hockey on Tuesdays in Spring, cricket on Fridays in the summer, for example. Places will also be limited and there may well be a rotation to ensure all children who want to can be included over the year)

Labraradabrador · 17/04/2023 15:53

Agree with @LIZS - after school care will be much more reliable in general, and for reception age sports clubs can be a big hit or a big miss. You also need to understand the policy for bad weather- not all will have an indoor option, so in bad weather you might be expected to collect at 3:15 with not much notice

PuttingDownRoots · 17/04/2023 15:55

At DDs school they have a choice of one extra curricular club a term (none in Reception) unless its an external one.

The ASC club runs until 5.30 Monday to Thursday and 5pm Friday... thats the childcare, the teacher run clubs are extras.

BlueChampagne · 17/04/2023 15:55

Contact the school to make sure that Reception children can join all the clubs. And find out what they offer by way of food, or whether you have to supply something.
You might decide that for the first year or two, the same childminder every afternoon (or 4 of 5) who (hopefully) will provide them with a good meal, might be a less exhausting option for such a young child. I don't suppose the current nursery offers this sort of service?

Needmorelego · 17/04/2023 16:01

Many schools often don't really do many interest clubs that the Reception age children can do and from my experience the after school wrap around care is a bit boring. All mixed age from 4 - 11, usually in the school hall, some snacks and a few board games (obviously different schools will vary).
I would look at an after school child minder. My daughters old primary had loads. They collect your child and take them to their house, feed, play, relax or whatever in a more 'at home' environment until you pick up.

PragmaticWench · 17/04/2023 16:03

Could one of you agree a change to your start time with work? Our school gate opens at 8:40 so DH starts work at 8:00 and I start at 9:15 after dropping DC to school. There is a breakfast club (part of the after school club) but that makes it a long day for DC. Despite them having been fine with 8-6 at nursery, school is exhausting for the first year or so.

Original poster
user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 16:11

Wow, fantastic responses and I just learned so much. THANK YOU!
The school list of activities tells you for which class they are available and there is something for Reception children every day. However, they all end quite early and frankly I don't think I would be able to remember what day he's having rugby and what day dancing etc. I didn't think about the weather or what to do if the class get cancelled. They are fairly costly so I assumed you could rely on them, so thanks for opening my eyes!
It seems after school club is the best option to make sure to have a consistent and reliable service.

School holidays/half terms: we made a plan for the first 3/4 breaks (that involves travelling - we will either go on holiday or travel abroad to stay with family, as we can both work from abroad for limited period of times). I know there are lots of holiday clubs around as I see they advertise, but maybe I will wait for him to be a little older to enroll.

OP posts:
Dodgeitornot · 17/04/2023 16:13

ASC for sure. Clubs often get cancelled at the last minute and due to staff ratios, those kids can't just flock to ASC whilst they wait for parents.

Original poster
user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 16:16

We will not need a breakfast club. We could possibly do without an afterschool club but my son would get very bored at home if we don't play with him and I absolutely don't want to put him in front of the TV for an hour or two while I finish work.
The after school club is run by the nursery attached to the school, so it look like a fab set up. I will inquiry as soon as possible, thanks for suggesting that!!

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Original poster
user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 16:17

This forum is amazing. I am so grateful for all these replies!

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Jules912 · 17/04/2023 16:28

You'll need asc or childminder. I use a childminder as ASC is really oversubscribed at DC school, plus I feel it suits the younger ones better.

Original poster
user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 16:33

Jules912 · 17/04/2023 16:28

You'll need asc or childminder. I use a childminder as ASC is really oversubscribed at DC school, plus I feel it suits the younger ones better.

I literally just emailed the after school club at the nursery!
We never used a childminder and I am not sure what to expect. My son is VERY active and tends to run away. It's probably irrational and anxiety-driven, but I am afraid a childminder who has to pick up multiple children wouldn't be able to keep him safe. He's also very much used to the nursery environment as he's been attending full time for almost four years now.

OP posts:
gabster33 · 17/04/2023 16:50

He will be very tired after school even if used to nursery - the familiar nursery environment will be good if he can go back there. Hopefully he can have some chill out time. Don't underestimate how tired he will be.

MakeItAll · 17/04/2023 17:05

The other thing that caught us out when moving from nursery was that some schools only do half days for the first few weeks. Caused us huge issues

ZebraKid71 · 17/04/2023 17:21

Depends how flexible ASC is - at our school you can book either for the term or ad hoc, so parents can book in for the days they need around their work and any temporary clubs that come up. Reception is exhausting for them, so wouldn't be the worst thing to have him home for a few hours after school on a Friday for him to relax and watch TV. Good luck!

MintJulia · 17/04/2023 17:30

LIZS · 17/04/2023 15:30

Book asc every day or arrange a childminder to pick up, unless by any chance your nursery offers wrap around care. There is no guarantee he would be able to do sport, numbers may be limited, he may not take to it or be overtired. What are your plans for the holidays and odd days off like Inset days?

This. Much more reliable.

Heckythump1 · 17/04/2023 17:52

The extra curricular clubs at our school are booked termly on a first come first serve basis and you can only book one club per pupil. There's only 1 club (with 20 spaces) a week for both reception classes, around 60 children in reception.
I wouldn't bank on being able to use the schools extra curricular clubs as guaranteed childcare.

viques · 17/04/2023 18:19

user1471523870 · 17/04/2023 16:11

Wow, fantastic responses and I just learned so much. THANK YOU!
The school list of activities tells you for which class they are available and there is something for Reception children every day. However, they all end quite early and frankly I don't think I would be able to remember what day he's having rugby and what day dancing etc. I didn't think about the weather or what to do if the class get cancelled. They are fairly costly so I assumed you could rely on them, so thanks for opening my eyes!
It seems after school club is the best option to make sure to have a consistent and reliable service.

School holidays/half terms: we made a plan for the first 3/4 breaks (that involves travelling - we will either go on holiday or travel abroad to stay with family, as we can both work from abroad for limited period of times). I know there are lots of holiday clubs around as I see they advertise, but maybe I will wait for him to be a little older to enroll.

If I were you I would be trying to find a childminder who picks up from the school. Reception is exhausting, even for a child who has been used to full time nursery. A more relaxed home setting such as a childminder will be much more gentle for him, the autumn term is a long hard slog, and cold and dark at the end of it. And thinking ahead, if the child minder is available in the holiday periods you will have someone your child knows to provide some or all of the holiday care you will need.

Reugny · 17/04/2023 19:11

I was about to say get a CM if you can as they can also cover you for random days in the school holidays.

My current CM provides holiday care on random days for school children she has looked after when they were under 5, and the ones she looks after now. Most of the days seem to be in the autumn half term, spring half term and Sumner holidays.

Phineyj · 17/04/2023 19:14

Research holiday clubs. They sometimes don't take children till age 5. I got caught out! Barracudas does take 4 year olds if you have one locally.

I see a previous poster warned you about staggered starts in September. Do not, repeat, do not, give notice at nursery till you know exactly what the plan for September is!

LIZS · 17/04/2023 19:22

And is your employer accepting of their employees doing childcare and school runs in the working day?

ChocChipHandbag · 17/04/2023 19:42

Just to add that for a child who has been in a private nursery until 5 pm every day or later, after school club should be no problem. The ones who struggle with it and maybe need the more "family" environment of a childminder tend to be ones who are not used to longer childcare hours.

My DS went from nursery till 6pm 4 days a week ( which he started age 1) to ASC til 6 4 days a week from day 1 of Reception. He has managed fine (Year 1 now, is really fond of the ASC leaders and has all sorts of elaborate regular games he plays with his fellow clubbers). I don't work on Fridays so collect him at 3 then. He sometimes tells me he's sad to miss it on Fridays!