Out of School
An Out of School Club is a supervised programme that provides care and play-based activities for children outside of regular school hours. These clubs can operate before school (often called breakfast clubs), after school, and during school holidays.
They offer a range of activities, including academic support, sports, arts, and other extracurricular activities, helping parents balance work and family life while providing children with a safe and engaging environment.
Find information, reference documents and professional development specifically for out of school clubs, wraparound, holiday play schemes and Birmingham Holiday Activities programme and those considering becoming an out of school provider.
Registration Requirements
Ofsted provides information relating to inspection for out of school and the registration requirements you need to follow.
Settings providing wraparound care for children younger than those in the reception class age range should continue to be guided by, but do not have to meet, the learning and development and assessment requirements.
Get to know your district
Birmingham Early Years Networks are divided into ten districts based on Birmingham’s constituencies, with each district made up of several wards. Find yours below.
Helpful pages and links
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Tax-Free Childcare (TFC)
Did you know that parents can spend their tax free child care allowance on access to out of school provision? Find out more on the Gov.uk site linked below.
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CPD: Funded professional development
Whether you're just starting out in your training or you've been in the profession for 30+ years, we've got plenty of fantastic CPD to suit every need!
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Safeguarding and Early Help
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Find resources and information on our dedicated safeguarding page.
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Special Education Needs and Inclusion
Create a positive environment for children with SEND.
CPD: Funded professional development and learning opportunities for the early years sector in Birmingham.
Whether you're just starting out in your training or you've been in the profession for 30+ years, we've got plenty of fantastic CPD to suit every need!
Birmingham Holiday Activities programme (HAF)
Since 2018, our holiday activities and food programme (HAF) has provided support to children in who receive free school meals through holiday periods.
The programme is funded by a grant to local authorities by the Department for Education based on the number of children eligible in that area. You can read more about the background to the programme on the Gov.uk site.
Some local authorities will coordinate the programme themselves, and others may choose to work with another organisation to coordinate the provision on their behalf.
In Birmingham, the programme is known locally as Bring it on Brum.
Birmingham City Council have commissioned Streetgames to coordinate HAF on their behalf.
Other Guidance Information
The Playwork Principles
The Playwork Principles define what is unique about playwork and give a shared understanding of what playworkers do.
You can read more about the importance of playwork in out of school provision on our blog post.
Charter for Play
The Charter for Play by Play England, a charity which advocates for the right of every child and young person in England to freely enjoy play throughout their childhood and teenage years, emphasises the vital role of play in a child's life, promoting physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development.
The Charter highlights the positive impacts of play on children, families, and communities, supporting healthier, happier lives. For more information, visit their website.
Out of School Alliance
The Out of School Alliance (OOSA) provides information and support to individuals and organisations setting up and running out of school clubs, including breakfast clubs, after school clubs, holiday clubs and play schemes.
You’ll find a wealth of resources on their website to help you get started, with information about training requirements, Ofsted registration, staffing ratios and much more.
Where to go for advice and support
See our other pages for advice relating to:
Early Years & Childcare Duty: is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. An Early Years Consultant will respond to questions you have relating to out of school, wraparound or holiday playschemes as well as other queries. Please call: 0121 675 4996 or email your queries to EYDuty@birmingham.gov.uk
