URGENT advice please: re primary schools and after school clubs for working mums xxx

[Wolfgirl]

Hello lovely ladies; My DS will be going to school in 18 months; YES I know its a way off, but I have to consider my working hours - NOW. I currently do 4 days 8-4pm; I want to drop to 3 days a week as Im not coping. I have to submit my Flexible working application to my boss; I was going to apply for job share, which would be 2.5 days a week; THe NHS takes forever!!!! to get anything done, and if I applied say.... today, it would take at least another 6-8 months for anything to change for me. And then in 18 months (so that would realistically only be a year after the changes) I will need to apply for reduced hours because I would need to pick DS up from school. DD will still be in nursery.

So, my question: do most schools have after school clubs - and if so, do they charge, and what kind of charges - are we looking at same kinda rates Nurseries charge, or £2.50 an hour, £10 an hour etc? If so, at £10 hour, we are looking at anohter £50 a week, £200 a month!!! AND another question, what do working mums do in the school holidays?

Unfortunately, I need to work as my DH is on low salary, already has two kids which we pay maintenance for.

Many thanks, and I hope all this makes sense. (am posting this in Education too, as not sure where to put it)

Most schools do have before and after school care. Ours is around £3 an hour per child I think. You have to pay upfront for the care in advance, ie before the end of term for the following term's care. If your child then does an an extracurricular activity, or goes to a friend's house for tea or is off sick you get no reimbursement. They don't get breakfast but they do get a snack after school.

hello from a working mum!

my DD's school has no afterschool or before school care (apprently there's no call for it - which seems true, I am the only working mum in DD's class!) I do 27 hrs per week meaning I have to drop DD at a childminder two mornings a week from 7.30am, which costs me about £45 a month.

As for school holidays, they are the root of all evil for working mums! luckily DD is a late july birthday so she goes back to nursery during hols and inset days, although when she is 5 she will have to go to playscheme (there are usually a number of holiday playschemes in all areas run by leisure centres, sports centres, churches etc) - as for the inset days I will ignore them and hope for the best (flutter eyelashes at non-working mums in my village!)

After school and before school care will become a legal requirement for all schools in 2010 so only 3 yrs to wait! Best of luck!

Why not get a childminder that can pick up from school, and cover all holidays and inset days, I have 3 in my care that come or breakfast, taken to school, picked up and given snack, and spend the holidays, going out playing in the garden running around, trampoline and paddling pools, meals thrown in!

My parents don't want their children in a school environment for more than school hours, and although there is after school clubs feel they are better off in a home care, especially the reception children.

thanks for all your help ladies! its been great. I'll have a jolly good think about everything. But at the end of the day, its just a shame I cant be there for him (another subject/thread I fear )

xx