Wraparound Childcare is before and after school childcare that wraps around the school day. It typically runs from 8am until 6pm during term time, either on school site or another local setting such as a nursery or a childminder.
This childcare is aimed at working parents, or for parents who are studying or training for employment but is accessible to all parents who need it.
The government has committed funding to support and increase in Wraparound Childcare for parents and carers of primary school aged children.
Childcare Choices
The Childcare Choices website has been updated with information about the programme. This includes guidance on the right to request childcare, and information on the ability to use Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare to pay for wraparound if eligible.
More information can also be found on the Department for Education's Education Hub blog.
Your child’s school
Some schools work together with neighbouring schools to provide wraparound as a cluster (group of schools working together). This supports schools that do not have sufficient demand to run provision alone, reduces costs, and enables children to interact more widely with their peers.
If your school’s provision is off-site, a walking bus will be provided to get your child from their school to their nearest afterschool club. You will not need to pick up and drop off your child at another provision but will have to collect them from the afterschool venue specified by your child’s school.
Afterschool and enrichment club differences
Many schools offer afterschool clubs that are run by teaching staff, providers or a combination of both finishing well before 6pm.
Schools’ existing enrichment and extracurricular offers can interact with, complement, and support delivery of Wraparound Childcare provision.
Paying
You will have to pay for before and after-school childcare, although costs will vary and are set by the school or the provider.
Our ambition is that schools and providers keep costs affordable for families. Your child’s school can provide you with a breakdown of their costs.
Check what support is available to you by using the childcare eligibility checker. You may be able to access Tax-Free Childcare , or Universal Credit Childcare to help with payments.
Children with special educational needs and disabilities
Wraparound is intended to be an inclusive provision. Speak to your child’s school about their offer for children with additional needs and what support may be available.
If your child gets transport to and from school, this cannot be used to support attendance at a wraparound provision. If your child has higher needs, they may be able to access support from short breaks. Support can be many things, it can be working with the provider around training and guidance, providing visuals and tools to allow better communication, or support from staff to work alongside your child at a setting working towards independent access.
The short break service is accessible if your child meets the criteria and after an assessment of need. If you feel your child meets the threshold for this service, read more about the short break service.
Our SEND Information Hub (Local Offer) also has information on accessible and inclusive activities for children locally.
More information
For more information, speak to your child’s school.
You can also contact our designated Wraparound Coordinator Adele Bradley by emailing wraparoundprovision@medway.gov.uk.
This page will be updated when more information becomes available.