Wraparound Care – Essential for Modern-Day Parents?

Busy mornings, nursery, school runs, and no matter how well planned, how early it starts it always seems to end in a frantic rush out the door, hopefully with everything and everyone on board. The average 9 to 5 day also conflicts with school pick-ups leaving parents searching for other childcare solutions. 

There has been over a 10% rise in mothers of school-aged children working full time between 1996 and 2017, added to this the employment rate of fathers is over 93%. All of this adds up to a busy family life with Mum and Dad juggling full-time work, childcare, and the school run. 

The benefits of a healthy breakfast in the mornings are well documented, for busy families, squeezing this in can sometimes be a challenge. Equally, after school provision offers an affordable, safe, reliable service to busy parents who are unable to collect children at the school bell. Wraparound care is fast becoming a need-to-have influencing school choices for stretched parents.  

For Children 

Research shows that children involved in extra-curricular clubs benefit in many different areas. Improved academic achievement, increased likelihood of progression onto further education, improved social skills, increased confidence, and improved soft skills. After school clubs offer much more than just a safe space to stay after school. Children who regularly take part in after school clubs are less likely to develop behavioural problems, with increased attention and participation in class. 

Extra-curricular clubs, wraparound care and after school clubs provide children with the opportunities to engage in new interests alongside the opportunity to remain physically active and the benefits that come from increased physical activity levels. 

(read our blog on physically active learning here) 

The opportunity for children to be absorbed in new skills over video games, television or social media can only be a good thing for young people, their development and academic performance. 

For Schools 

A regular healthy breakfast for children is proven to improve academic performance and is associated with maintaining healthy body weight. Research found that children who eat breakfast are twice as likely to perform well in tests and assessments in comparison to those who start the school day on an empty stomach. Research also shows that breakfast clubs improve school attendance, an important factor in overall school performance. 

Pupils who attend after school clubs develop more confidence and better attention spans, making them more likely to participate in class and improving academic performance. Students who regularly participate in extra-curricular clubs are more likely to progress onto further education than their counterparts. 

Physical activity pupils are 20% more likely to achieve top grades in Maths and English 

(read our blog on physically active learning here) 

There is significant research showing the increased benefits of being physically active on health and academic performance. 

For Parents 

We are more ‘always on’ than ever before, work often interrupts precious family life. For parents, breakfast clubs and after school activities provide a reliable, safe and affordable childcare alternative, enabling parents to pursue careers and get to work on time with the hope they can then leave their work where it should be (at work). 

In the south-west childminders can cost upwards of £5 per hour on average. This cost soon adds up making after school clubs a preferable alternative for many parents. For children, the opportunity to spend time with friends in directed, sport and activities makes for a far more enjoyable afternoon! 

Where do PH ActiveEd fit in? 

For schools, managing wraparound care is just another administrative hassle and can apply large amounts of extra pressure to already busy school teams. The recruitment, planning, organisation and monitoring required by wraparound care goes above and beyond that of busy school operations. Utilising PH ActiveEd and our skilled staff can release that time for school management to focus on school life knowing that the wraparound provision will be taken care of in a professional, supportive manner. 

Our online booking portal means no more paperwork piling up in the school office. Phone calls, administration and bookings are all taken care of freeing up valuable time for your admin staff. 

To find out more about our wraparound, breakfast or after school clubs, get in touch.