If there’s one thing that’s pretty much always on working parents’ minds, it’s childcare. And while things get slightly easier – well cheaper, certainly – once children reach school age, there is always the challenge of fitting working hours around school hours.

But the good news is, you can support working families while giving your school a competitive edge. Wraparound childcare provision refers to a facility whereby children are cared for during the tricky before and after school periods and can be a lifeline for working parents.

Although it isn’t a legal requirement for schools to offer wraparound care, it is the ambition of the UK government that all primary schools will offer wraparound childcare by 2026.

Why is wraparound childcare important?

A recent YouGov poll found that a quarter of the parents surveyed could not do their job without the help of wraparound care services. This figure increases to one in three for women only.

Childcare which wraps around the school day provides a safe and reliable service to many parents who otherwise could not get to school by 3pm, or have family members on-hand to do the school drop-off or pick-up. It can also be more cost-effective than a childminder.

But it’s not only of huge benefit to working parents – attending breakfast clubs and after school clubs has been found to have a positive impact on children too. These clubs offer additional learning opportunities in a relaxed environment.

As well as offering quiet time, they include a range of games, activities and sports, helping children build greater social skills, increase confidence and exposing them to activities not covered during the school day.

How can schools set up wraparound childcare?

It’s no wonder that more and more schools are looking to establish their own wraparound care provision, as it’s clear to see that parent demand is high.

In order to provide wraparound childcare, schools have to ensure they have the resources to cover the before and after school clubs.

One key consideration is Ofsted registration; all wraparound care facilities have to be registered, however if a school is running wraparound care itself using existing staff, then it may be covered by the school Ofsted registration which is already in place.

Staffing requirements, equipment, meals, booking, registration and payment are all considerations – not to mention any additional costs that may be incurred.

You will also need to consider any further qualifications for staff that may be necessary. These may include paediatric first aid, for example.

However, that’s not to say that your school has to provide wraparound care itself. Outsourcing wraparound care to an external provider can be the ideal solution for any school with stretched school resources.

At Premier Education, we have been supporting schools for over 24 years. Our experience and expertise allow schools to offer this vital childcare provision without the headache of increased admin.

Let’s look at the key reasons why schools choose to outsource breakfast clubs and after school clubs to us.

Why schools choose Premier Education

1. Reduce the administration burden

As already mentioned, establishing a reliable wraparound care facility benefits the local community but can be a large drain on resources, especially if the primary school is small. Premier Education takes on this additional administration – in fact, we take care of everything.

Our simple online booking system means parents can book directly with us with just a few clicks, meaning we can quickly and easily manage the registers for each day.

We also take time to plan the sessions, ensuring we bring our own equipment for the range of activities on offer.

Of course, we also provide children with a healthy breakfast, and after school we make sure they have a nutritious snack to keep them going throughout the afternoon. 

2. Flexible, tailored approach

We work closely with each school to ensure our wraparound services are in-line with the school’s own ethos. There is no ‘one size fits all’ – we know that the very best outcomes happen when the provision is specifically designed for the individual school.

Each school is provided with a dedicated wraparound care manager who has regular meetings with the school to ensure that the activities on offer suit the pupils who attend and reflect the school’s objectives.

Our fully qualified activity professionals are trained to deliver a wide range of activities, meaning pupils benefit from learning new skills as well as being able to discover new passions.

3. Extra income for your school

By having Premier Education deliver your wraparound childcare, you can even generate additional income for your school. Simply through hall hire fees, you could earn an extra £10,000 a year to invest in your school’s facilities.

4. A wealth of child benefits

The benefits of being involved in after-school clubs or extracurricular activities are well-documented.

Not only could regular participation in after-school or holiday clubs reduce stress and enhance social interaction, but it could even help to boost academic performance and improve behaviour.

Our Ofsted-registered activity-based provision focuses on encouraging children to take part in plenty of physical activity, getting them fired up for the day or helping them to burn off any excess after-school energy.

Breakfast clubs focus on preparing children for the school day – we always try to get everyone moving to get the blood pumping!

After school clubs combine time to allow children to complete any homework or reading, enjoy a range of crafts, puzzles, and participate in sport sessions such as dodgeball and archery.

Embedding physical education, enrichment and active learning is at the heart of the wraparound care curriculum and therefore we can ensure that children will get endless opportunities to unlock their full potential and have a tremendous character-building experience. 

5. Set your school apart

By offering wraparound care at your school, you’re not only enabling parents to work their normal hours, but you’re adding a valuable facility to your school services.

We know how important childcare provision is, so access to this service could be a key reason why parents choose your school over other schools, leading to increased pupil numbers and, in turn, better funding.

How do we know if parents want wraparound childcare?

As we’ve already discussed, it’s highly likely that the parents in your school are having a daily battle over who’s going to do the school run (and be late for work).

In fact, you may already have been written to by some parents asking if you offer wraparound childcare.

Providing this additional support to working parents cements your school as a family-centric school in the local community.

Contact us today

It really couldn’t be easier to establish a breakfast club and an after-school club with Premier Education. Our Ofsted-registered provision makes your life as easy as possible, allowing you to support working families with little or no impact on your own staff.

Contact us today to find out how working with us to provide wraparound care could be just the solution you’re looking for.