After school club

[Chipnpotato]

I'm interested to understand the experiences of those using wraparound care when provided in house by the school. For context my two are in after school club 4 days per week at a cost of £35.75 (£18.25 and £17.50) per day. This is till 6pm and includes a light snack. The fees are I think somewhat average for a south east primary school, a little on the high side perhaps and this coupled with the inflexibility is what I'm finding hard to stomach. There are no cancellations allowed at all unless you are cancelling your "permanent" space and then you have to give 4 weeks notice. Bookings are made at the start of each academic year for the academic year. There's no flexibility on this; no credits for residential trips, illness, meet the teacher/open class afternoons etc. I'm assuming this is common but thought I'd ask here. Thank you.

It is for our after school club... Funnily, they are happy to add extra sessions on, however absolutely will not let you drop days unless it it permanent.

Can't really complain because I need the service and understand ratios etc, but it does irk occasionally.

It will vary a lot and there is no best option really.

I work in an ASC and we do the lists day by day but that means you have to remember to book in (you can book a few weeks in advance) and if it is full that day then you won’t get a place.

block booking works well to guarantee a place but then a place is reserved if you use it or not so you will end up paying.

I'm in the North West, with ours you can only cancel permanently not one off sessions too, but you can cancel at any point in the year with 4 weeks notice. You can also request sessions at any point throughout the year and if space available they will accommodate.
Breakfast club is £4.50 a day 7.30-8.40 when school starts includes cereal and toast.
After school club is £7 a day 3.15-5.30 includes a snack.

Our ASC is the same cost but you can cancel up to 72 hours in advance and get credit for it. It's an external provider and is not oversubscribed so I don't know if those two things make a difference.

We are also SE (not Home Counties) and it is £12 per evening. We are able to cancel booked slots with a month's notice

Ours is £7 a day and you book via the app up to a month in advance. Funnily enough it used to cost more, similar to yours, but since they cut prices DS no longer likes it.

South Coast here, ours is run by an external provider. It's 5.50 for breakfast club (7:45-8:45) and £11.50 for ASC (3:30-5:30) where they get a snack.

We use a website to book (you can book a term in advance if needed) but we can't cancel, it's just a case of let them know you can't go & lose funds which has been annoying when DS was unwell or wanted to go to a friends for tea etc...

My niece attends an after school club and these can be booked about a month in advance , no commitment whatsoever , but is first come first served . Same for breakfast club & holiday club. Cancellation needs to be 24 hours beforehand otherwise chargeable, never seems to be a problem getting her in though, even last minute . Very flexible .
This is also SE England.

Forgot to add cost
£12.50 until 6pm or £8 until 4.30pm
That includes a snack such as toast or crackers

Our school has clubs and play club running til 5 and 6pm play club needs to be booked by the night before and clubs are booked for the term with automatic continuation for the year.
play club is basically supervised free play with a snack, and is ideal for sporadic needs.
clubs are activity based, and you commit to them .
you are not guaranteed the activity club of choice but you will get play club whenever you want it.
think they are £7 a session. Or £12 for 6pm
east London state primary .

That’s a 3 form entry state school

Ours is booked on a half-termly basis. First come first served officially but unofficially they prioritise regular users.

Once booked you have to pay, even if you change your mind. You can book additional sessions at short notice if there's space (there usually is) but it's an extra £1.

Charges are £6 for breakfast club and £8 for after school club. Breakfast club opens at 7.30am and includes a selection of cereal and juice. After school club is until 5.30pm and includes a snack, usually toast.

My dd goes to after school club that is very similar in cost and timings. Also has a 4 week notice period. It is run by an external company but on school premises. It has never occurred to me to request a cancellation for the odd day I know we won't use. They still have the same number of staff in. Just one less bagel or whatever to cook for 5pm. Dd also goes to school run breakfast club which we occasionally don't use too, again never occurred to me to request not to pay. I'd be more tempted by that one as it's school run. Maybe I'll ask next time!

In my school you have to book per term . I think it's fair enough . How can they plan staff / resources / activities if people drop out at the last minute ?

North West- £5 for breakfast club (opens at 7.40am) and £7 for after school club (closes at 5.45pm). You just pay for what you need via an App so no contract/cancellation issues. You have to book the sessions you want 48 hours before the day of at the latest.

Similar prices here, although ours charge the same per child whereas it sounds like yours charges on age of child?

My two go twice a week, once until 6pm which is £36 (£18 each) and once until 5pm which is £24 (£12 each).

One of those days they don't usually go because my mum picks them up but she's had some health problems so can't always do so. I have to pay for the term regardless unless I give notice. There's a long waiting list and you can't just book ad hoc, you commit to the term.

I'm not thrilled with the quality either. It really has gone downhill tbh. The childminders are full though so I don't have an alternative.

Thanks all for taking the time to share. We get a small discount for siblings and further very small one if you book 5 days a week. Breakfast club is £7.50 (sibling £7.10) from 7.15am.

I'd be happier if the two sessions approach could be used as in pick up before 5pm for a smaller fee or same fees more flexibility. They're a school not a business and whilst I understand how underfunded schools are, it feels like working parents and women in particular are being used to turn a profit. Anyway, like others we have to work so no choice. I appreciate the information you've shared. Thank you.

Ours is more flexible, you can cancel on the day before 2pm and get a refund, I was surprised by that, but it's also more expensive it's £11 per child and finishes at 5:45 latest, most of the children are gone by 5:30. They do a 3 sessions approach though
3:15-4:30 £7 no food
3:15-5:45 £11 sandwiches fruit and often cake/a biscuit , it's whatever is left over from lunch I think.
4:15-5:45 £7 (ASC lates) used only for children who are doing after school sports or other activities on school grounds from 3:15-4:15 , the activity leader will walk then to the ASC after the activity finishes. Includes the same food as the full session

Breakfast club we don't use but is £3.50 and available from 7:30am

That breakfast club is expensive!

From another perspective as a recent ex school governor.

ASC are incredibly difficult to make financially viable and whilst schools are now meant to run them they should not be subsidised by the school budget and successive govts do expect school to run business activites to supplement budgets (hiring halls erc).However, you ASC does seem inflexible.

My DC's primary school ASC was very similar @Chipnpotato, although we had very slightly reduced fees for later drop off, and earlier pick up. Even if it is run in school, by school staff, the staff need paying, the club may well have to rent the space they use from the Govenors out of normal school hours, abd power bills, equipment etc needs paying for. . It needs to be a viable business,, even if it appears to be an add on to the school day.

£7.50 for childcare for 90mins, plus a meal ?

Doesn't sound expensive to me.

When mine were in Out of School Provision, you booked at the start of the year (well, end of Summer Term for the following year) for your fixed days, and that meant you held you place until you gave notice. Seems sensible to me. The club need to know how many places they are providing and the parents need to know their place is always going to be there.
It wouldn't have occurred to me to expect a refund / credit if they missed a session for any reason.

I do see there might be a market for a reduced fee if you only wanted the place until 5 though - although it depends on the market in your area / how big the club is / if demand for that meant they needed fewer staff after 5pm. If most people need provision until 5.30 or later, then it doesn't work.

Ours is very flexible and as a result now financially unviable. I very much doubt the school is turning much profit and I'm not sure exactly what you think is unreasonable about the set up? Nearly all private nurseries you pay for whatever days you need regardless of whether you send your child and no one really questions that.

Ours go in at 8:30 so it'd be an hour and a bowl of Cheerios , not really a meal

But the OP, said from 7.15am.

Ours were very well fed and looked after at Breakfast Club.
Obviously going to be different if they are only there 20mins.