Recession 'hitting school clubs'

After-school clubs and breakfast provision offered by some schools are in danger of closing because of a lack of funding from parents, it has been suggested.

The National Association of Head Teachers has warned that many clubs could close in the near future because parents are not willing to pay the fees required to subsidise the arrangements and ensure that school staff are on hand to look after the children out-of-hours.

According to the union, non-payment of bills by parents has increased in recent months as the recession continues to have a major impact on the finances of parents across the country, the BBC reports.

Some schools could take legal action to recoup the money, but the ultimate result of the problem is likely to be an end to the school clubs in many parts of the country.

The government pushed schools hard to introduce the breakfast and after-school clubs as part of its measures to help parents struggling to access childcare services.

The clubs are designed to fit in more effectively with parents' working hours, so that they do not have to drop off and pick up their children at traditional school times.




Published On 18/08/2009