Guest Posted September 12, 2014 Posted September 12, 2014 Hi All, I currently run a charity based per-school and playgroup out of a small building next door to a school. We are thinking about starting wrap around care and holiday club for our children aged 2 -4 not for school aged children there is already a well attended club in the school, she hasn't the space for our children and we are losing children to full time nursery because of this. how do i go about starting this up? We've sent out a questionnaire to all our parents to see what the take up would be. would we need to change our registration with ofsted? because we would be purely EYFS children and these children would also attend the sessions do we need to do observations etc during the BS and AS clubs? sorry im sure I will have loads more questions. any advice will be welcome
AnonyMouse_9650 Posted September 13, 2014 Posted September 13, 2014 When you say "wrap around care and holiday club" as it is for children aged 2 to 4 surely it is just a case of extending your opening hours and instead of being term time becoming either all year round or semi-term time. I am in the process of doing something similar - insofar as changing your Ofsted registration - it very much depends on how many weeks of the year you intend to open and hours each day. Assuming you will open Mon-Fri e.g., 5 days/week - If you open for more than 3 hours each day for 45 weeks or more you will have to pay the higher annual fee which is £200+ However if you open for less than 45 weeks a year you pay a much lower fee which is from memory under £50. I am looking at opening for a longer day and being "semi" term time opening for the half term hols and extending into the summer hols but remaining closed in August, at Christmas and at Easter.
AnonyMouse_19733 Posted September 13, 2014 Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) Contact Ofsted to talk about it or look on their website for info on costs. You would only need to be on the Early Years Register, not the Childcare register as you will not have school children. I think you would have to pay the higher fee of £200.00 as you would, in effect be offering full day care and not sessional. I don't think it would be any less if you were to be just term time its down to the length of the day. You would have to provide the EYFS and all it entails for all the time you are open no difference first thing in the morning or later in the day. Seeing what parents want will help you to decide. Good luck and good luck to Sue J too Edited September 13, 2014 by Pimms o'clock? 1
AnonyMouse_14688 Posted September 13, 2014 Posted September 13, 2014 Children fine! One parent was heard saying as she left her happy child "isnt it sad, when they dont cry when you leave" err NO!
AnonyMouse_14688 Posted September 13, 2014 Posted September 13, 2014 Children fine! One parent was heard saying as she left her happy child "isnt it sad, when they dont cry when you leave" err NO! Not sure why but this should be in Its September!!! 1
AnonyMouse_25678 Posted September 14, 2014 Posted September 14, 2014 We changed for exactly the same reason, we now offer 08.00 - 18.00 to compete with local nursery. Staff are on flexible contracts so of we have no children staying beyond 3 staff are only paid until 3.30. We had to run at a loss for about 6 months for the extra hours to become established but it was definitely worth it.
Guest Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 thank you for your replies I've done lots of reading and research, we already offer full day for children between the hours of 9 - 3.10 so would just be extending this to 7.30 - 6. parents feedback is all positive and there does seem a need for us to offer this service to our families. we have had a little resistance from staff about working longer hours we have our AGM next week and the committee plan to discuss the questionnaire feedback then.
Guest Posted April 17, 2015 Posted April 17, 2015 thank you for your replies I've done lots of reading and research, we already offer full day for children between the hours of 9 - 3.10 so would just be extending this to 7.30 - 6. parents feedback is all positive and there does seem a need for us to offer this service to our families. we have had a little resistance from staff about working longer hours we have our AGM next week and the committee plan to discuss the questionnaire feedback then. hiya silver genius, i was wondering what research you have done for this? i am chair of a village pre-school and i think we need to look to extend hours but everyone is hesitant. we have asked current parents who have expressed an interest but actually i am wondering if we need to ask more parents - especially those that are nursery users - but am wondering how best to go about this. ...and worried about making a loss but at the moment we have so many spaces for september i am thinking that longer sessions may be a something we need to do - currently we only do 9:15 to 12:15 and then a 12:15 - 2:15 arrangement
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