Out of school/holiday care
Out of school/holiday care is for school aged children to play and have fun in groups. They are usually based in or near a school and more are being set up to help families where parents work. Some out of school carers encourage links with schools, including:
- Homework
- Reading activities, and
- Special events arranged throughout the year
Out of school care includes:
- Breakfast clubs - open in the morning before school so children can enjoy breakfast there
- After school clubs - open in the afternoon between 3pm and 6pm
- Holiday play schemes - open during school holidays typically between 7:30am/8am and 6pm
They are run outside of school hours by a team of staff usually called 'playworkers'. Activities will be planned to help children learn, play and relax with their friends.
If the club is registered with Ofsted, they can accept the Tax-Free Childcare for:
- Children up to the age of 11 years, or
- Children up to the age of 16 years if your child has special educational needs or disabilities
Ofsted Registered Childcare
Many nurseries and childminders offer holiday care. Some is for the children they regularly look after and some offer additional childcare just for the holidays.
It is worth checking with your childcare provider when you first visit to see if they offer this service.
You can use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for your holiday care as long as the service you are using is Ofsted registered.
If your child is receiving 15- or 30-hour funding, you can 'stretch' this over the holidays. This means that instead of receiving 15 or 30 hours a week term time only, your child would receive 11 or 22 hours a week all year round.
Ofsted Registered Holiday Clubs
Some holiday clubs are registered by Ofsted. This means they are inspected the same as schools and childcare settings and have to follow Ofsted regulations. It also means that you can use your funding options with them like Tax-Free Childcare.
Holiday clubs will vary in the times that they run and the prices they charge. Search our directory to find out what clubs are close to you.
Holiday Activities and Camps
Many clubs that your children may attend during the school year will offer holiday schemes or clubs, these can be for a few days or weeks. It is worth checking if they are registered with Ofsted if you want to use your Tax-Free Childcare to pay for it.
Most activity clubs and camps will have a limit to how many children they can take so it is worth checking and booking in early. Check our Family Information Services directory to see what is available.