Thinking of changing school as struggling with after school care.

[Sugaplum2014]

Hi

Has anyone changed there child's school because of problems with after school childcare?

My dd starts school this September and I feel like I chosen the wrong school. It turns out it's the only school in my area that doesn't have an after school club and local childminders/ nurseries do not do picks ups to (they do for the other schools).

I work full time 9 till 5 so either need before school childcare or after school care (and also have a ds at nursery) and I don't have any friends/family that would be able to pick ds up for me either.

As it was my first time chiding schools I just assumed that they all had after schools clubs. I have found a childminder who has an assistant that is willing to pick up but I'm not very confident in them plus they're not the cheapest either.

I also visited the school the other day when they did the student induction day and wasn't too impressed with it to be honest, it's a small school and didn't seem motivating. So I'm considering changing schools after the first term if I can - what would you do?

[fledermaus]

Why do you want to wait a term? I would change now.

[pyrrah]

Do you have the possibility of changing schools at all? If so, then change now and not a term in.

[morethanpotatoprints]

There is no way you will manage the first term unless your employer is really great about it, so why wait?
You need to do this now before your child starts school and forms friendships.

[Sugaplum2014]

Thank you for the responses so far. I'll give our local education people a call tomorrow then, as with the schools closing for the summer hols end of last week I thought that I'd have to wait for September for them to reopen.

The childminder/assistant I found charges £8 an hour (so I'd b having to pay over £16 a day pick up only) whereas the nursery my ds goes to will do it for £10 a day plus provide tea, so if I could get her into a school near to the nursery it would be ideal. Wish I'd done loads of research before

[MrsTaraPlumbing]

I know parents who turned to the private sector in my area for this very reason.

If you can afford it you may want to consider an independent school. You will get the 15 free hours subsidy for the end of the term in which your child turns 5 so that will reduce the fees in reception - possibly for the whole year.
Some independent schools offer care from 8am to 5 pm and even longer if they have boarders and the longer hours may be at no extra cost. Lunch & swimming lessons might also be included in the fees.

[Toohotforfishandchips]

I would look to switch. You have school holidays to cover too etc. plus inset days etc Your annual leave will only go so far

[ABlandAndDeadlyCourtesy]

Be prepared for the fact that you may not be able to switch - other schools may be at PAN.

Do you know the cost of the after school club in the other schools apart from the one your nursery serves? There may not be that much difference. Will the CM provide food that the ASC doesn't?

Does the nursery provide the ASC for pupils of all ages.

[ABlandAndDeadlyCourtesy]

Mrs TP, all infant schools now provide free school meals to all.