After School Clubs - your experiences?

Doodles

Hi Everyone!

This is my first post, I've been reading this forum for a while now and I think its great and everyone here seems so knowlegeable and helpful. I wanted to ask a question about After Schools clubs - I hope I'm posting this in the right area?

Anyway, I have a 10 year old son who has been going to a childminder for the last 5 years after school. (I take him to school every morning). However, his school has just signed up for the extended schools programme and is now offering a breakfast club and an after school club, this is starting from 1st March

I am interested in placing him in the after school club for several reasons:
1) I think it will be a fair bit cheaper - I currently pay £65 a week to the childminder
2) The MAIN reason - I think he will enjoy it alot more - he is a sociable, active child, not afraid to mix with new children - whereas at the childminder the other 2 kiddies are aged 2 and 5 and he tends to just sit watching tv or playing nintendo - not ideal.
3) Quicker distance for me to walk from the train station (ok that's a selfish reason!)

My son is happy with the childminder, but now I've mentioned the club he says he wants to go there.

So I'm going to make enquiries, but first I wanted to ask if there was anyone on this board who has experience of using these clubs please? How much do they charge (I'm based in London by the way)? Are there any disadvantages that you've experienced? Do they tend to give a drink/snack? Do they charge extra if you're 5 mins over the collecting time?

Any experiences or thoughts gratefully welcomed please.

Huge thanks
Doodles

cheekymole

Hi Doodles and welcome to the board.
If the club is run properly there will be plenty of different activities, a quiet corner, a homework room etc and yes they should get a healthy snack and drink.
No idea of the cost involved but think it will be far cheaper than your current child minder
HTH

fannyadams

Hi
I live near MK and the reason why DS#1 is changing school is because I cannot find decent childminders in my local area. They all say that Ofstead is too strict witht eh regulations and they are giving up becuase of this! but that's another discussion on another board!
The new school has a before and after school club (long before 'kelly hours' were introduced), and DS#1 has already been there during the school hols coz the current school doesn't have anything lke this despite being a 'beacon school'!
Anyway to cut a long thread short - if your boy wants to go then let him go - BUT bear in mind that SOME childminders will want paying even if your boy isn't being cared for by them, most want one months notice or payment in lieu of notice so you may end up paying twice for childcare...
I am amazed you only pay £65, I thought London was way more expensive than that!!!
Good luck for whatever you choose,

amanda40

Our school has after - school care from 3pm until 6pm. It costs £6 a session ( regardless of whether they are there 1 hour or 3 hours), but other schools in the area are roughly the same or run till 5.30 and are £2.50 an hour. My son doesn't go although friends kids do, they get crisps and juice and maybe some toast later I think. They seem to do a range of activities - no homework though. My son has been asking to go since he started school. Oh by the way I am in East Kilbride , just outside Glasgow, so not sure how our prices compare - the breakfast clubs in this area are normally £1 and are on for an hour in the morning - kids get cereal and/or toast.

Hope this helps you.

Spendless

Hi

My sons school is going to start offering a breakfast/after-school and holiday club in the Spring. We have been told it'll be £3.50 for breakfast club and £6.75 for after school. they will provide something to eat and drink at both including in price. They will offer a range of activities and 'homework support' if needed.

clu

hi

i have worked in out of school care for 13 years (gosh i feel old now)..first for a 10 year old out of school care is definetly a more suitable place to be and he will enjoy it far more than a childminder.

Is it the school that is running the club and if so check the dates it will be open, I am in scotland so I know it is different, but some if the school clubs only run for say 8 weeks, if you are a working parent this does not work for you.

Breakfast clubs and before care can be different, breakfast clubs can have 20 minute slots and then the children go into the playground, before care will care for the children till nine but is more expensive.

Everyday a snack is provided and juice should be always available.

Ask for their inspection report, talk to the supervisor part of their job is to help you feel at ease.


childcarelink

this is the childcare information service, click on your area and you should be able to find -prices.

Unfortunetly the late thing is something we take seriously. Not sure if the school runs it but my organisation has a let and we have pressure from the janitorial staff to get out! so being there on time is important.

If you require any more information please ask away

Becles

I've used our after school club but just on a couple of occasions when I had no free people to help out!

I liked as they had a "kids council" where children had written behaviour rules and a code of conduct, then agreed on punishments if the rules are broken.

My boys really enjoyed it, and came back in high spirits. There was only one negative, in that they said they serve an evening meal, but usually it was more of a snack meal like beans on toast or a cheese sandwich. My two came in expecting a cooked meal as their food wasn't filling enough :rolleyes:

Spendless

Becles wrote:

There was only one negative, in that they said they serve an evening meal, but usually it was more of a snack meal like beans on toast or a cheese sandwich. My two came in expecting a cooked meal as their food wasn't filling enough :rolleyes:

We've been told that ours will do snacks like this too. The reason they gave was that they were aware kids came home hungry straight from school so they wanted to give something quick but they didn't want to take away from the evening meal with the parents by the kids being too full.( I suspect cost comes into it too;) ).

clu

Spendless wrote:

We've been told that ours will do snacks like this too. The reason they gave was that they were aware kids came home hungry straight from school so they wanted to give something quick but they didn't want to take away from the evening meal with the parents by the kids being too full.( I suspect cost comes into it too;) ).

In addition to that there is food hygiene regulations, the more food groups you enter into the more regulations you have to comply with, costs more money, then cost will be carried onto parents.

the main point of after school care is play and care.

traciemk

at the school where i work as a dinner lady they have a breakfast club
its very good value for money the child only pays 20p and for that they can have 2 food items and a drink
the drink are water, milk, fresh juice.
toast and ceral
toast x 2 with jam
2 bowls of ceral
and every day they can have porrige, beans on there toast or scambled egg we also put out yogurts as well

so there is loads of choice
after there breakfast they can go out on playground or play board games or do colouring or have a natter with there friends :j

poly1

I am currently in the process of helping to set up an after school club at my local school (we are just awaiting OFSTED inspection). We are going to be charging £5.50 per session, that is from 3 til 6pm, but it will be probably be more in London I imagine. I think for a 10 year old it will be much better than a childminder from his point of view, we will be offering a wide range of activities and a place for them to do homework or use a computer too. Until we recieve our Food Hygiene certificate the parents will be providing a snack for their children, but once we get it we will provide a small snack but it certainly wouldn't be intended to replace the evening meal. As for being late in collecting children we do have a very strict policy as do most out of school clubs in the area, some clubs will charge up to £5 extra even if you are only a few minutes late:eek:, but if you ask they will be able to show you what their policy is for this. Why don't you go and visit the club (if you are able) and then you can find out what it is like, what is available and ask anything that may concern you then.