Wraparound care has become increasingly vital for busy working families. When a school can offer this, it makes it so much easier for parents to know their child is in safe, familiar hands.
Wraparound care is something that Craigclowan Preparatory School is committed to providing. In this blog, we speak to Headmaster John Gilmour to find out what independent schools can offer children and young people in terms of wraparound care and why it is so important.
Tell us about Craigclowan Preparatory School
“Craigclowan is an independent prep day school for boys and girls aged 3-13, located to the south of Perth. Our children come from a very wide geographical area, including Pitlochry, Forfar, Fife, Stirling and Crieff.”
What does Craigclowan offers its pupils in terms of wraparound care?
“Since our children come from far and wide, we are committed to making it as easy as possible for our students to make use of our school’s wraparound facilities.
“We provide buses in the morning and also a breakfast club for children whose parents need to drop them off a bit earlier before they head to work. The club provides students with a nutritional breakfast while allowing them to relax and have a chat before classes start.
“We also provide after school care from 3.30-6pm every day, which about a quarter of the school regularly takes advantage of. There are 52 different activities to take part in which means there really is something for everyone – from kayaking and cooking to arts and crafts and computer coding! There’s also a homework club too, meaning students can get their work done and then go home and properly relax for the evening.
“In the holidays we put on an activity club, as we know it can be a struggle for working parents to arrange childcare during the holidays. This includes 3 weeks of summer holiday activities and a week-long camping trip too.”
What have you found the main challenges facing families today are?
“The main problem for families these days is definitely finances – they are constantly being asked to pay extra for things, which is why we are happy to offer the majority of our after-school activities free of charge.
“Parents are simply so busy these days – it is very normal for both parents to be working so they need that extra support and flexibility at their child’s school.”
How does Craigclowan help parents who both work 9-5?
“We help working parents by being as flexible as we can possibly be. Our breakfast club, after school clubs and holiday activities are all key in giving parents the choice of accessing this additional support out with school hours.
“By having childcare at school, it takes out the added stress of having separate childcare providers. Parents also trust us to provide the best care possible, and it helps the children to be looked after by the friendly, familiar faces of their teachers.”
Why is wraparound care important in schools?
“It is now more important than ever that schools provide wraparound care for their students. With both parents working, they are incredibly busy during the week and need this extra support at school.
“We have noticed over the last 10-15 years there has been a shift in the priorities of families – we used to offer weekend activities too, but no longer do so because there just wasn’t the demand for them. Parents dedicate their weekends now to family time, which is well needed after a hectic week.”
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