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Out of School Servicies

This page is for providers of breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs, holiday clubs and childminders providing care to children outside of school hours

Registration guidence from Ofsted Childminders and childcare providers: register with Ofsted

Registration guidence from Ofsted afterschool, breakfast and holiday clubs

Early Years Register

If you are caring for children aged from birth to the 31st August following their fifth birthday for more than two hours per day, you are legally obliged to register with Ofsted on the Early Years Register, and you must comply with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and will be inspected under these criteria. In practice, this means that if your club accepts children who are in their reception year at primary school (or younger) you will need to register on the Early Years Register.

Compulsory Childcare Register
If you care for children from the 1st September following their fifth birthday (ie in Year 1), up to the age of eight for more than two hours per day, you are also required to register on the Compulsory part of the Childcare Register

Voluntary Register

If you care for children aged eight to 18, you may also opt to register with the Voluntary part of the Childcare Register

Advantages of voluntary registration:

  • If your setting is Ofsted-registered it enables eligible parents to access the various government subsidy schemes for childcare: eg childcare element of Working Tax Credit / Universal Credit, childcare vouchers, and Tax-Free Childcare.
  • Some parents see Ofsted-registration as confirmation that certain standards are being met in your setting, and that your club is therefore more ‘legitimate’

Disadvantages of voluntary registration

  • Registration on the Voluntary Register costs are high.
  • Your club will be inspected against the statutory requirements for settings on the Voluntary Register.  

Ratios : Before/after school care and holiday provision

Where the provision is solely before/after school care or holiday provision for children who normally attend Reception class (or older) during the school day, there must be sufficient staff as for a class of 30 children. It is for providers to determine how many staff are needed to ensure the safety and welfare of children, bearing in mind the type(s) of activity and the age and needs of the children. It is also for providers to determine what qualifications, if any, the manager and/or staff should have. See footnote 5 at paragraph 1.1 for the learning and development requirements for providers offering care exclusively before/after school or during the school holidays. (3.4 EYFS Statutory framework)

For children from 3 years to reception class a ratio of 1 adult to 8 children should be present