Out Of School Cub Admissions

[Guest]

Hi all

My son goes to before and after school club and has been there since Sept. This is committee run (ie parents). The thing is they say that they cant guarantee a place for him or any child! He goes every morning and thurs/fri after school. When I had to change my days (due to number at the pre-chool where I worked) the staff were not able to tell me if there was a place available for him the following month and were not allowed to give me the phone number of the committee member who deals with admissions. Instead I had to email the school club and wait until she picked up. Not ideal when you have a boss waiting to hear straight away is it? Took me over a week to sort out!

 

You book your days that you need a month in advance and pay as you book which I have no problem with. They then give you back your booking form a week or so later to tell you if you have got your booking. On the form it states that those who are long term users of the club ie length of time not how many days you book pr week, who pay on time will be given a place first before other people. So I take it to mean that if another parent who has been using the cub longer than myself suddenly wanted Thurs night she would have priority over myself as I have only been using the club since sept. I have already heard of parents, who paid on time not been givin their place that they normally have! Not good when there are no childminders in the village to pick up from this school and you dont have family close by is it? Im waiting for it to happen to me! Surely places should be allocated by if there is a vacancy? So if that long trm user asked for a Thurs night and there wasnt a vacancy they should be refused rather than take someone elses place.

To be honest Im not comfortable with a of this as we dpnd on this servic and are we not a paying customer? As for the committee I have no idea who they are either!!

 

How do you do you admissions and who does them? Are you committee run?

 

Thanks

[AnonyMouse_12960]

Hi Marley, just a couple of points

 

1. Ask for a copy of the admissions policy (insist on getting the full version) and query the content with the manager.

If still unhappy....

2. Ask for the contact details of the chair ( probably the person for formal complaints so you must be allowed to make contact) and explain your concerns, especially how the system is too slow in dealing with parental enquiries), and seems unfair with particular refernce to the admissions policy. Also ask why the parents are not advised of who is on the committee and how to contact them, as this is Ofsted best practice

If still unhappy.....

3. Take your concerns to the school head, after all they have an obligation to the extended schools scheme (even if not directly involved with the ASC in question) and see if the head can put any pressure on the ASC

If still unhappy

4. Attend the next AGM and bring up your concerns, and try to involve other parents...afterall, the provision will have an obligation to listen to the views of parents.

 

Sorry I can't help more. but I am sure that someone else will come and post their views soon.

[Guest]

what a strange system

we have 16 places each night parents book in and usually stay booked from rec. to yr7 if they wish to change if there is a space they can . however it is more difficult to fit in occasional bookings but we do if we can. priority is whomever has booked first from the school we are based in and then our other school. as for fee paying we use the normal fee system up front or weekly default and you lose your place in reality we have people leave without paying but usually have someone on our waiting list. we do not swap and change how could working parents deal with that I am surprised they get any bookings

we are a worker co-op so we run how we choose but do ask for feedback and opinions from parents and children of any changes

sue

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice and info. I agree I think I need to check out their policies and procedures!

Good to know that I can also approach the Head of the school.

[Guest jenpercy]

I have never heard of anything like that - our parents booking regular days have those days until they give us one month's notice. If they don't want the same day each week, for eaxmple because of shift work, we will only take bookings for one month ahead. If anyone then wishes to take up that place full-time, and we haven't any other spare places, the parent on shift work is then given first refusal on a permanent place for that day. If they don't want to do that, they will lose that day's place. In practice, as we are a large setting, that does not happen very often as we have over-capacity most days.

[Guest]

Our after school club is run by first come first served really!!

 

There are a fair number of children who have a regular pattern of attendance and parents let ASC staff know what they need........ so usually IF they are problems re numbers it is with a child who is booking a one off session, but again we rarely are up to full capacity and if numbers do teeter on the edge there we see if we can get extra staff in to cover.

 

The system marley describes doesn't sound very parent friendly........... and if you have a job and need the cover the worry each month would be too much!!!

 

Good advice though re looking at the policy..... and IF all else fails OFSTED could be contacted. It might be something to be brought up in the next inspection!

[AnonyMouse_12960]

Thanks for the advice and info. I agree I think I need to check out their policies and procedures!

Good to know that I can also approach the Head of the school.

 

 

Sorry, just to clarify, the link between the school and the out of hours provision may be tenuous at best, but it is in the schools interest to have a good provision available for parents, and hence why I am suggesting contacting the head with your concerns about access to the provison. However, I can't see any head getting involved before you have exhausted the other routes first!!