Wraparound childcare before and after school

Wraparound provision describes childcare that is wrapped around the school day, for example before and after school. Provision that requires parents to collect children at the end of the school day and take them to an alternative location, does not meet the definition of wraparound childcare.  Many schools provide a range of afterschool clubs such as sports, cookery, music, or craft sessions but these are not defined as wraparound childcare, because they do not typically provide the option for children to remain in school until 6pm, from Monday to Friday. The government describe Wraparound as provision which operates from 8am -6pm, during term time or equivalent hours to meet parental demand e.g. 7.45am – 5.45pm.

Wraparound may be delivered in a variety of ways. It could be

• run from your child’s school, by the school trust or governing body
• situated in school, but run by a private childcare provider, who works in partnership with the school to deliver a service to its pupils. 
• run by a private provider, who collects (or takes) children from/to school and takes them to a premises which is not on the school site. For example a childminder’s home or a day nursery.
• run by a small group of childminders, from a room in the school or community building.

In spring 2023 the government announced its aspirations for every primary school aged child (from Reception to year 6) to have access to wraparound childcare between the hours of 8am - 6pm, or equivalent hours, during term time, if there is parental demand.

In Coventry the majority of schools offer some level of wraparound provision to pupils both before and after school.  This is delivered by them or in partnership with a Private Childcare Provider. Less than one third of Coventry schools provide a limited wraparound offer, or no offer at all. We want to work with these schools and private providers within their locality to develop a wraparound provision for all pupils who require it.  In addition, we will also work with schools and providers who have existing wraparound services, to expand hours or places, where there is parental demand to do so.

Paying for wraparound childcare

Schools and childcare providers will set their own fees for wraparound and therefore these may vary from one provision to another. However, parents should expect to pay, on average £6.00 for a breakfast session and £15.00 for an after school session.   Parents may be able to get help with childcare costs by signing up for a tax-free childcare account.  Under the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, the government contribute £2 for every £8 deposited into the account. You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year). These funds can then be used to pay your childcare provider.  Please be aware that tax-free childcare is subject to conditions, for example the provider must also be signed up to receive payments. How to use Tax-Free Childcare | HMRC Childcare Choices.

Parents accessing Universal Credit Childcare may be able to get help with up to 85%  of their childcare costs, to help pay for wraparound care.

If your child attends a school that does not currently have full 8am-6pm wraparound childcare (or equivalent hours) and you need this to support your working arrangements, please talk to your school.  You can also contact us at EYProviderfunding@coventry.gov.uk for help finding alternative providers who may be able to meet your before and after school needs.

Coventry Wraparound Project – Frequently asked questions for families

What is wraparound care?

The term ‘wraparound care’ refers to provision directly before and after the school day, during school term time for primary school age children from Reception to year 6. The Government expectation is that Wraparound care is available to families Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm or equivalent hours, if there is a need. The aim of the programme is to ensure childcare provision is regular, has longer hours and is dependable for working parents.

Who delivers wraparound care?

Wraparound care can be offered by schools and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers (including childminders and early years settings) and can be run on a school site or at another setting in the area. It should not require parents to pick their children up from school and drop them off at another location.

My school runs extra-curricular activities. Is this wraparound care?

No. Extra-curricular activities before and after the school day do not meet the government's definition of wraparound care because they are not usually consistently available from 8am to 6pm, five days a week during term time.

What if my child’s primary school does not offer wraparound care?

The government expects all primary schools to offer wraparound care or work in partnership with a childcare provider such as a Day Nursery, Childminder professional or Out of School provision who provides places for pupils at the school. Primary schools should regularly consult with families to identify ongoing demand for wraparound childcare. Where a primary school does not offer the service on the school site (delivered either by school staff or by a private provider), it could be because: They have an arrangement with a private provider to deliver the service offsite. They are part of a community/cluster model whereby children from multiple schools attend a provision on one site, delivered by a lead school, a private provider, community organisation or another appropriate body. They have an arrangement with childminder professionals (registered with Ofsted or a childminder agency) which schools and the local authority signpost parents to. They have an arrangement with an early year’s provider that takes school-aged children during wraparound hours. They have undertaken consultation with families and these show that there is not a current need.

As a parent, can I ask my primary school to offer wraparound care?

Parents can request that the school their child attends considers establishing wraparound care. The right to request only refers to care and doesn’t extend to extra-curricular activities. Once the school receive this, they will work with their local authority, respond to you in a transparent way, take the lead in managing the request process and make the final decision about what action to take.

I have an under primary school age child and a primary school age child. Can they both attend the same wraparound care provider?

It will depend on the provider and where the wraparound care is provided. If an early years PVI or a childminder is the provider, it is likely that both children can attend the same provision.

How will my child get to and from wraparound care if it is not being delivered at the school my child attends?

Parents should not be required to pick up their children from school and drop them off at another location. The wraparound care provider should have a robust plan in place to transport children from the setting to school at the end of the breakfast session. There will also be arrangements in place between the school and the wraparound provider to agree how children will be transported from school back to the setting for the after-school session. In this model, parents will drop off and collect from the private provider's premises.

Do I have to pay for wraparound care?

Yes, parents will have to pay for wraparound care. Parents/carers of primary school-aged children who are eligible for Universal Credit childcare (support for up to 85% subsidy of their costs)or Tax-Free Childcare (covering 20% of costs up to £2k a year or up to £4k for disabled children) can use this financial support to help pay for wraparound care. You can find the information you need on the Childcare Choices website.

If my school does not offer wraparound care on the school site and my child is transported to a neighbouring premises, will this incur an additional charge?

This will depend on the school and transport arrangements. If the distance is not too far then a walking bus may be a feasible option, but if there is a cost to the provider to transport children(for example: use of a mini-bus) then this charge will be added to the wraparound fee.

Can I just attend the before or after school care, or do I have to sign up for both?

The vast majority of wraparound providers in Coventry permit parents to book breakfast and after-school sessions separately. However, you may be expected to commit to a weekly booking pattern for the term. For example: Monday, Tuesday breakfast sessions only; Thursday after school sessions only and; Friday both before and after school. Some wraparound providers may allow you to book sessions on an ad-hoc basis.

What if I only need wraparound until 5pm and not 6pm. Will I just be charged until 5pm or have to pay until 6pm?

This depends on the provider charging model, but most providers will charge for the full session both before and after school.

Will I be charged if my child is sick?

Usually if you have booked a session for your child, then you will be charged for the session – or if you have paid for the session, there will be no refund. Each provider will have their own terms and conditions.

What if I am delayed and therefore can’t pick my child up on time?

Each provider will have terms and conditions that define their late collection fee policy.

Do I have to book sessions, or can I turn up on the day?

Each wraparound provider will have their own booking policy. Some providers will expect you to commit to a weekly booking pattern, in advance, whilst others will allow you to book on an ad hoc basis. It is generally advisable to book sessions in advance to guarantee a place

What childcare ratios apply at wraparound clubs?

This will depend on the ages of the children attending. Where wraparound care is for children in reception year or older, there must be sufficient staff based on a class of 30. The provider is expected to determine how many members of staff are needed to ensure the safety and welfare of children while bearing in mind the type(s) of activities and the ages and needs of the children. Where younger EYFS children attend the session, the EYFS rules will apply. The requirement is a 1:8 ratio for children aged 3-5. When considering ratios, providers should also consider the premises from which they operate to ensure that children are always within sight/sound of adults. Other things they need to consider include current risk assessments and lone working policies, etc. In addition: The needs of children with SEND must be considered as some children will require higher staffing levels.

Will staff be qualified?

There are no specific mandatory qualifications for staff delivering wraparound care, the minimum qualification will be: basic childcare knowledge at Level 2 (or for example: a Playwork qualification, sports coaching qualification, youth work qualification), safeguarding training, paediatric first aid, food hygiene training, enhanced DBS check, experience working with children.

Will all staff be DBS checked?

Yes, all staff caring for children will have to have an enhanced DBS check.

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Can they access wraparound care?

Yes, the programme must be accessible for all children. If a reasonable adjustment is needed to enable a child with SEND to attend childcare providers must pay for it and not parents. Where adjustments are deemed unreasonable by the provider but are necessary for the child to access the provision, parents may be asked to cover the associated costs. Parents in receipt of DLA are entitled to up to £4000 a year in Tax Free Childcare, which may be used towards any additional childcare costs. My child has SEND and they are eligible for school transport before and after school.

Will this be available to get them to school for wraparound care at 8am and then home when wraparound care closes at 6pm?

No. It is the responsibility of parents to drop off and collect children from wraparound childcare or make alternative arrangements. Whilst schools and providers must consider transport for children with SEND, it must be noted that the government are not expanding the current transport scheme.

What activities will be offered to my child?

Activities on offer will vary from school to school or provider to provider. They will be subject to facilities available on site. Within a school, there may be opportunities for extracurricular activities that interact with, complement, or support the delivery of wraparound childcare provision.

Will wraparound care clubs be Ofsted inspected?

All PVI providers and childminder professionals providing wraparound care must be registered with Ofsted, or in the case of childminders, be registered with Ofsted or a childminder agency. Depending on the nature of the provision and the age range of the children, this will include registration on the General Childcare Register (GCR) and the Early Years Register (EYR). Schools that provide wraparound childcare directly as part of their governance arrangements do not need to register on either the GCR or EYR but must adhere to the same standards.

What is the government’s breakfast offer and how does that sit alongside wraparound care?

The government is committed to offering a free breakfast provision in every state funded Primary school from September 2026. It is expected that breakfast clubs will fit with the wider wraparound offer within schools. It will be up to the school to decide how to manage the breakfast provision. The government advises that parents and carers should pay a lower cost for wraparound breakfast care, where the provider incorporates the 30 minutes government-funded element into the session.

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