Extended Schools Provision

At Cherry Orchard Primary Academy, we are proud to be able to offer working parents daily ‘Wrap-around Childcare’ through our Extended Schools Services. Our Breakfast and After School Clubs offer before and after school childcare in a relaxed, happy and safe environment, whilst at the same time promoting the same high values and ethos provided at Cherry Orchard.

In addition we offer several different Key Stage After School Activity Clubs each term, to give your child the opportunity to try different sporting, leisure and learning activities. Online registration is required on a term-by-term basis.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club (BC) runs from 7:30am until 8:45am, after which the children will be dismissed to their classroom for the start of the school day. Our aim is to provide a happy family atmosphere, where children are encouraged to work together as a team! BC in the Preschool for EYFS/KS1 is supervised by Mrs Barber (nee Pilcher) (Preschool Manager) and Miss Dhott and KS2 is delivered in the school hall for Years 3 to 6 by qualified teaching assistants Mrs Moss and Mrs Sachdev.

Dropping Off

Children attending Breakfast Club in Years 3 to 6 (KS2) should be dropped off at the school hall door, via the main school gate and those in EYFS/KS1 at the Preschool via the Preschool electronic gate to be signed in with supervising staff.

On arrival, children will have a choice of activities such as board and construction games and will then be encouraged to help lay the breakfast table, before being served a healthy breakfast in the Preschool or school hall at 7:45am provided by our on-site caterers Olive Dining. Breakfast will typically consist of a choice of cereals, toast or muffins and fresh fruit, accompanied by juice, milk or water. In addition a hot option will also be offered on certain days of the week. There is a cut-off time of 8:15am to receive breakfast, outside of this time cereals only will be available. See Olive’s sample menu on our website.

Five-a-Day Fitness

At 8:15 children in Years 3 to 6 will access the academy’s subscribed daily Fitness Routine which you can view on this link //5-a-day.tv/ or take part in some keep fit activities with staff, such as ‘Let’s Dance’ or in warmer weather physical outdoor activity.

“Vigorous exercise BEFORE learning improves student memory, mood and behaviour, and helps create a heightened state of attention. Exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimise your brain function and improve learning. To keep our brains at peak performance, our bodies need to work hard.”

– John Ratey, MD, author of SPARK

After School Provision (ASP)

Our ASP runs from the end of every school day through until 6pm. We understand children have been working hard at school and wish to relax and unwind at the end of the school day; our two week activity programme is designed to meet this requirement. Our aim is to provide the atmosphere of ‘playing at someone else’s house – but with lots of friends’. EYFS will be supervised by the Preschool Team, KS1 by Miss Hackett and Years 3 to 6 will be under the supervision of Mrs Smith.

Access to ASP

Children from Reception will be escorted or collected from their classrooms to Preschool; Year 1 are met by the KS1 supervisor, whilst older children will access the ASP from inside school and be met by one of the ASP staff in the hall. From 3:15pm, Registration will take place and all children will be offered a healthy fruit snack and drink on arrival.

Activities Programme

Children will be encouraged to join in one of the varied daily adult-led activity sessions, such as junk modelling, playdough, cooking, loom bands, board games, seasonal arts and crafts or nature activities, role play areas and construction games. EYFS/KS1 and KS2 activities rotate to avoid duplication for children attending the same session each week. In addition, we will also provide suitable working areas with coloured pencils, paper, books and iPads, for those who may wish to practice or extend their home learning and during the summer months, access to the outside areas including the woodland area and trim trail.

Tea

KS1/KS2 children will be served a light tea between 4:30pm and 5pm in the School hall, provided by our on-site caterers Olive Dining – see sample menu on our website. Please note in the Winter months, some hot teas such as jacket potatoes, pasta and soup will be served. EYFS will eat earlier at 4:15pm. During the warmer months, a picnic tea may take place outside. Again we include the children in helping to lay the table and create the atmosphere of a relaxed informal meal, where children will be encouraged to chat about their school day. Activities and menus will be rotated for ASP, so children can sample and experience a variety of different things – especially if they only visit us on certain days of the week!

Pick Up

Children must be picked up by an appropriate adult to ensure safe collection of all children. Collection from KS1/KS2 ASP will be via the main school Reception and parents will need to ring the doorbell outside the Main Office; your child will then be brought to the door by ASP Staff. EYFS collection will be via the Preschool side gate, unless otherwise notified; please press the buzzer to request entry. Any unfamiliar adult collecting may be asked to provide proof of validity for safeguarding purposes.

Activity Clubs

We also offer a range of after school activity clubs in addition to our BC and ASP provisions from 3:15 until 4:15 every evening. These must be booked termly as activities change regularly according to staff availability. Activity clubs are very popular and should be booked online via MCAS (MyChildAtSchool) in advance of each term, to avoid disappointment. Full details of which clubs are running will be notified on School Dojo in advance and then on MCAS. We would respectfully ask parents to discuss choices with their children to ensure the club is really something they are interested in learning or participating in, as these are not designed for childcare.

Pick Up

Collection for all KS1/KS2 Activity Clubs will be via the side gate adjacent to the main school gate, and Club Leaders will escort children down to the gate and dismiss to a known parent only. EYFS should be collected from the Preschool entrance in the usual way.

Late Collection

Please notify us by phone if you are unable to pick your child up on time. We do appreciate there will be occasional unavoidable emergencies; however should this begin to happen more frequently, you will be charged a late collection fee. Late pick up after 6pm will be charged at £5 for the first 10 minutes then £5 for every 5 minutes after that. Children not picked up on time from Activity Clubs will be taken to ASP and charged accordingly.

Security

For security and safeguarding purposes if any person – other than a parent – is collecting a child, the parent must notify the school office beforehand, We will not allow any child to depart from Activity Clubs or ASP with an unknown adult without proof of validity.

Club Costs

The cost of Breakfast Club is £4.50 per session to include breakfast and After School Provision is currently £10.50 per session to include a hot/cold tea. Costs for Activity Clubs varies, depending of whether this is an in-house club (£4) or provided by an external provider. From time to time there may be a slight increase in these costings to reflect consumables, staffing and resources. Payment should be made in advance of each term via your MCAS Account and no provision can be booked for the next term if there is an outstanding balance remaining on your account. No refund will be given in the event of cancellation or non attendance.

Registration

Registration and payment should be made in advance of the term on MCAS. Please register stating the sessions or clubs you would like your child/ren to attend. If you are paying by childcare vouchers, please select the offline payment option, pay in the normal way into Cherry Orchard Bank Account and your account will be reconciled once the payment has been received. Ad-hoc sessions for childcare may be accepted mid term, if there is availability, but must be requested in advance at least 48 hours prior via Extended Schools. An order will be created on MCAS.

Children Entitled to Pupil Premium Funding (PPG)

If your child is registered as PPG, you should select Activity Clubs in the usual way and select the ‘offline payment’ full payment
option to avoid disappointment. Extended Schools will then manage the process and send you an order to pay on MCAS and you should wait for this before making payment.

Confirmation/Payment

Confirmation of your booking and payment will be immediate and will show on your MCAS Account – except if you pay by childcare vouchers (see above).

Opening/Closing Dates

Bookings for Wrap Around Childcare will open by Friday of the first week of term and will be notified on School DoJo / School Bulletin once each club registration is live on MCAS. Bookings close on the Monday of the last week of term to enable us to process bookings and address any queries. Activity Clubs will open mid-term and are on a first come, first served basis and close once the maximum number has been reached. Monies generated in fees go towards staffing, resources and enriching the curriculum. For this reason, once you have booked your child/children’s place it will be non-refundable.

Child Illness/Cancellations/Changes to Bookings

If your child is unable to attend a session due to illness, please inform the school office as soon as possible, so that they know not to expect your child. There will be no refund for sessions that are cancelled through illness or non attendance, so please make sure that you require the sessions you book, before confirming.

Late Payment

Extended Schools’ provision should be paid for in advance of each term. You will be sent regular reminders to check outstanding balances on your Account; if your account is still in arrears by the end of term, your sessions may not be confirmed for the next term. If you are experiencing any difficulties with payment, please contact us to discuss a payment plan.

School Closure

If, for any reason, there is a school closure, you will be notified in advance and the option to book that session will not be available. We will also endeavour to contact you as soon as possible, if provision or clubs are cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. Please also refer to the school website and local radio stations for information.

Amendments to Bookings

Whilst Extended Schools will always try to accommodate amendments to bookings and address queries in the last week of the current term, no changes can be made once the term commences. as catering, staffing and resources have been arranged in advance.

Contact Details

Please contact extendedschools@cherryorchardprimary.org.uk by email if you have a query with your booking. Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Allen are responsible for the day to day management of all our clubs and can be contacted during the school day on the above email. Please allow time for emails to be answered or contact the office if urgent.