Is your child starting school in September?
Do you work longer hours than school hours?
Do you want to go back to work, or start work now?
Do you currently use a nanny or a childminder who can’t do school drop offs and pick ups?
Is a preschool nursery providing you with childcare at the moment?
All of the above are problems that all parents face when their children transition from preschool childcare into needing different care patterns once they are starting school. As parents we all think if we can just hang on in there until they start school, then working will become easier. Then we realise that finding employers and jobs that are willing to work around school hours is tricky, and working from home doesn’t really get any easier when the children are school age. You leave your desk to rush to pick them up from school and bring home tired, hungry children who need your attention, then a client calls or your boss needs something doing urgently, as it’s still the working day in their worlds. We have all been there!
We can provide you a solution to all of this.
We provide wraparound care before and after school and for full days during the school holidays. This can be as flexible or as regular as you like. Your child stays on the school site but in a very different atmosphere. We are not part of the schools that we rent space from but we work closely with the them. We therefore are able to deliver a far more relaxed, fun atmosphere for your children where they can make new friends, burn off energy, be creative, chil out, whatever they feel like doing, whilst always keeping them completely safe. Meanwhile, you can fully finish your day’s work before you have to collect your children.
If you would like further details about what we offer and what other parents say about us then please do browse this website or feel free to give us a call or email us.
We are taking bookings NOW for all children who are due to start school in September. If you would like to reserve your places we would encourage you to book as soon as you can, explanation below. We will be holding induction visits later in the summer term.
How to Book
We use iPAL as a booking intermediary.
When you arrive on their website you will need to complete registration details for your child. You will then be able to book into a club. Please choose the relevant club for your child’s school for the next academic year – not the current one. Eg St Oswalds – ACADEMIC YR 2025/2026 *NEW RECEPTION CHILDREN ONLY*
You then can choose the days of the week that you require and the start date you need. We are only taking bookings that start in September, but you may not want it to start on the first day of term as the schools sometimes have a week or so staggered start.
You will need to choose Confirm Booking, as opposed to Pay Now (or you will be asked for payment for the entire year in one go). A pop up window will ask if you want to pay via equal monthly installments – click yes.
We do not accept card payments but we do accept all voucher payments. If you are paying using the Tax Free Childcare scheme then please choose this option. If you are paying via a different voucher scheme or by regular bank transfers then please choose “Pay by Voucher and Other Methods” and follow the on screen instructions.
The payments are equalled out into 11 monthly payments between September 2025 and July 2026.
A Few Hints
Be sure to enter the correct date of birth for your child as a mistake is easily made and could end up blocking you being able to book.
Please enter their school year as the year they will start in September 2025, ie Reception for St Oswalds and Havannah or Reception or Nursery for St Bedes
If you have more than one child starting school please book them as one booking to benefit from the sibling discount.
There is a more detailed manual available on the iPal website, found under Documents on your Home page. If you have any issues or queries, once again, please don’t hesitate to contact us.