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Out-of-school clubs: getting started

The government wants to make sure parents/carers of primary age pupils can access term-time wraparound childcare. Find out what's expected of your school and how to assess demand, and get to grips with how to set up wraparound provision.

Last reviewed on 1 March 2024See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 10478
Contents
  1. The DfE expects you to provide wraparound childcare
  2. Find out how much demand there is
  3. Decide on your delivery model
  4. Think about how you can use your school premises
  5. Carry out operational and finance planning
  6. Check if you need to register with Ofsted
  7. Consider staffing carefully
  8. Understand your safeguarding and health and safety requirements
  9. Prepare resources and equipment
  10. Out-of-school clubs for EYFS pupils 

The DfE expects you to provide wraparound childcare

All schools that teach primary school-aged pupils are expected to have wraparound care on the school site, unless there’s a good reason not to.

Wraparound care includes breakfast clubs and after-school clubs. This provision can help parents balance work with family commitments, while providing children with a broader range of experiences.

See the DfE's wraparound childcare guidance for more details (page 7 and 8).

Note: most of this article is relevant to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) settings too, and the final section below has EYFS-specific guidance. References to 'parents' throughout this article should be taken to mean 'parents/carers'.

Find out how much demand there is

Survey parents regularly to see if there's a need for wraparound care in your school community. Use our survey pack and our article on conducting an effective survey to help you.

Send an online questionnaire through your usual communication