Working in a Before and After School Club

 Information on working in a Before, After School Club and Kids Club

A Before and After School Club is for school aged children. They open from 8am to accommodate those parents that need to get off to work early, some clubs do open earlier. The club then re opens after school and offers childcare up to 6pm. Most clubs are based in or near the school. In the holidays most Before And After School Clubs run a holiday club scheme, the opening hours are from 8am till 6pm in most cases.

Before and After School clubs provide a safe and secure environment that provides many different play opportunities. Some clubs offers specific activities such as sports, whereas out of school clubs run by early years practitioners provide children with a variety of choice. Breakfast is offered in the mornings and some clubs offer a snack or tea after school.

People who work in Before And After School Clubs do have to have experience and hold childcare qualifications especially if they are leading the group. Working in a Before and After School Club is slightly different from working in a day nursery and can be a fun and challenging career. The role will vary from day to day, some of the time may be spent outdoors supporting children’s physical development and then other times may be helping children get creative indoors.

You will be expected to work as a team, organising and planning a range of activities for both the morning and afternoon sessions. Some Before and After School Clubs work closely with the school and foster in homework time at the club.

What job roles are available in Before and After School Clubs?

Most Before And After School Clubs will have a person responsible for the overall running of the club, depending on the size of the club will determine whether a deputy/supervisor is needed. The rest of the team is either early year’s practitioners, play workers or nursery nurses.

As the hours are limited eg before and after school, some employees work within a nearby preschool or a nursery in addition to the club hours.

 Training and qualifications needed to work in a Before and After School Club

The minimum qualification to work in childcare is level 2 however these is scope to gain employment if unqualified as a percentage of staff can be unqualified. However it is best practice to undertake a childcare qualification which can be achieved whilst working in the setting.

To help find a job in a nursery, pre-school or out-of-school club contact childcare settings in your area and search our online job site