School Age Childcare

Many families continue to need childcare before and after school, and during the school holidays. As a result, the DfE is taking a strategic approach to the future of School Age Childcare (SAC) which builds on the successes of programmes such as the National Wraparound Childcare programme, the Holidays Activities and Food programme (HAF) and the national rollout of the Free Breakfast Club programme, to ensure families are supported, year-round, by an outstanding SAC system.

The updated School Age Childcare guidance for schools and academy trusts has been published. The DfE has also refreshed the School Age Children landing page on GOV.UK.

This update replaces the National Wraparound Childcare Programme Guidance for schools and academy trusts. The intention behind the changes is to set out more clearly the role they want schools to play as strategic partners within the wider childcare system - working proactively with local authorities, private and voluntary providers and communities to improve access to high‑quality provision.

In particular, the guidance is designed to support:

• more strategic engagement by schools to enable better access to holiday childcare (including HAF) and enriching before‑ and after‑school provision
• a clearer articulation of expectations for schools within the SAC system, including their role in supporting delivery of HAF and laying the groundwork for future universal free breakfast club provision
• practical advice on establishing and sustaining a range of delivery models, in collaboration with local authorities and PVIs
• clearer signposting to Ofsted registration and government childcare offers
• updated operational guidance on key delivery considerations such as staffing, use of premises, safeguarding and food standards.

The DfE has now also published guidance detailing what activities the local authority needs to undertake in the financial year 2026/27. This will be undertaken by The Education People and will begin with a requirement to complete a School Age Childcare Parental Demand Survey and an audit of School Age Childcare supply.

Both surveys will be completed using Microsoft forms and the links will be sent to all schools, PVI settings and childminders offering childcare to school age children. It is vital that we capture information about existing provision which is already being delivered to ensure that future development is focused in the correct areas and does not impact on any existing businesses. Similarly, the parental demand survey is important to help us understand where there may be gaps in the market that need to be addressed.

As ever we are very grateful for the dedication you have already shown over the last two years in supporting this agenda and ask that when you receive the link and QR code you complete any necessary surveys or send to your parents and carers to complete.

As a reminder the wraparound funding has been extended into this financial year, so we are still able to support, where eligible, the creation of term time out of school brand new places, expansion of existing provision and/or an extension of hours.

If you would like further information, please contact the School Age Childcare lead Jeni Smart at sufficiencyandsustainability@theeducationpeople.org.

Contact details

Jeni Smart
School Age Childcare lead
Email: sufficiencyandsustainability@theeducationpeople.org