Schools Out Clubs
General information about Schools Out Clubs
Mission Statement for Schools Out Clubs
Schools Out Clubs are committed to providing high-quality out-of-school care for every child who uses the Club.
The Clubs provide a friendly, caring and safe environment in which children are encouraged to develop social, personal, educational and recreational skills under the supervision of trained and experienced staff. We aim to provide a service that is open to all regardless of their racial, religious or cultural background, language, gender or child’s abilities and the physical restrictions of each club site.
Out-of-School Care
Out-of-school care was first provided at Balham Community Centre in April 1978. This award-winning scheme has developed over the years and now provides care for over 600 children crossing five sites, for 50 weeks of the year.
Our clubs provide care for children aged between 3 and 11 years.
All clubs are registered under the Children Act 1989 with Ofsted and work on a staff ratio of one adult to every ten children.
Breakfast Club
During the school term, the Breakfast Club opens each morning providing the children with a nutritious, healthy breakfast that offers them a wide range of choices, which includes yoghurt, fresh fruit, toast and cereals. Before being escorted to class the children have time to play quietly or to participate in planned crafts.
Schools Out Club
During the school term, the Club collects children at the end of the school day.
On arrival at the Club they are provided with a light-cooked tea, the menu is planned at the start of each term, and includes ideas from the children.
The children are free to play and participate in a planned variety of activities, which include cooking, imaginative play, physical play, art/crafts, construction play and a variety of workshops e.g. dance, music, and discussion. The children are also encouraged to participate in activities, which promote awareness of health and well-being, culture, and current topics of interest. The Club provides either outside play or hall games.
The tea time menu and evening programme are displayed on the club notice boards and a copy is also available to parents.
Holiday Club
During the school holidays, our Holiday Club is open at the Balham Community Centre. Each morning the children who arrive before 9.00 am are provided with breakfast and all children are given a mid-morning snack and afternoon tea.
On arrival, children follow a day full of planned, prepared and fun activities based on a theme and fun. The Club arranges various all-day outings to farms, beaches, and many of London's museums, commons and parks.
A programme is available a week before the holiday starts and includes off-site trips and has a fully inclusive weekly fee.
This club is our first school-based site and opened in September 2003. We provide after-school care for children that attend the Holy Ghost Primary School and Balham Nursery school.
The club is situated on Bedford Hill in a large Victorian house giving the children the feel of a place that’s home from home. The club has a long-standing excellent reputation the clubs provide care during the school term for children from Ravenstone and Trinity St Marys Primary Schools. During the school holidays, the club is open to children from all areas of Wandsworth and neighbouring boroughs.
This club opened in September 2013 at Belleville Primary School. At present we provide breakfast and after-school care for Belleville children that attend the Webbs Road site only.
This club opened in January 2010 at Fircroft Primary School. We provide both before and after-school care for children that attend Fircroft Primary School
This is our second school-based site and has been in operation for six years. We provide both before and after-school care for children that attend Honeywell Primary school only.
We opened as a breakfast club only in September 2014, and then in January 2015 we opened the after-school club at the Belleville Primary School Meteor Street site. At present we provide breakfast and after-school care for Belleville children that attend the Meteor site only.
Staffing & Children
Staffing & Children
At all of the Schools Out Club sites, we make sure that the site always has the correct ratio to cover the number of children that are registered with the club. In cases of staff absence, we are able to call on bank staff or get cover from our other sites.
All of our clubs operate an adult-child ratio of 1-10. All staff employed by the Balham Community Centre are DBS checked and hold a relevant childcare qualification, our club managers all hold a level 3 qualification and all our contracted play-workers are working towards or hold a level 2 qualification
Balham Community Centre is dedicated to the development of its staff, which is demonstrated clearly as it has; in some cases, nurtured several children who have used the Centre in the past into qualified play workers. So as to enhance this development we intend to continue building relationships with training establishments for work experience students. We encourage staff to further their qualifications with salary increases based on the level of qualification obtained. This also applies to our volunteers as they often use their position as a career move into childcare work which we encourage.
Registration & Costings
Registration
All parents using the club are required to complete registration forms before their children attend. Open evenings will be planned in advance in order to give parents the opportunity to:
• Complete registration forms.
• Discuss any concerns or needs their children may have.
• Receive information on the Balham Community Centre including
• Fees and payment method.
• Program and session structure
Costings
The 12-month contract is for you to be able to pay off the total cost of using the club for 39 school weeks.
Between September - July of any year or within starting month during a 12 months period, your child would have used the clubs for 39 weeks. We have calculated the total cost for these weeks and broken it into 12 payments and as there are 12 months in the year you make a payment per calendar month.
The cost is at a calculated discounted rate in comparison to our ad hoc fees.
The cost is worked out on how many days your child/children need each week.
Discounts & Sibling Discounts
If you decide to use just one club for example after-school club only and have more than one child then the first/older sibling pays the normal rate and the second child the discounted rate.
If you have one child using both breakfast and after-school clubs you automatically qualify for the discounted rate for both clubs. This will also be the same for siblings using both clubs.
Payment Types
All parents will be asked to set up a monthly standing order to make a payment to our account. We prefer that the payment is made by the 15th of each calendar month.
Childcare Vouchers
We accept all childcare vouchers at no additional cost.
Contact us.
For more information about the clubs and costings please fill in the form below.