Schools must provide information on the provision of – or signposting to – childcare
together with the nature of the childcare for each of the following types of childcare:
- Before School Childcare: offered on school site (yes/no), signpost parents to other
childcare off site (yes/no) - After School Childcare: offered on school site (yes/no), signpost parents to other
childcare off site (yes/no) - Under 5 Childcare: offered on school site (yes/no), signpost parents to other
childcare off site (yes/no) - Holiday Childcare: offered on school site (yes/no), signpost parents to other
childcare off site (yes/no)
Full details on all the data items captured within the Childcare Provision section of the
Spring School Census will be available in our Census Quick Guide. To support schools with
the submission of this information the DfE have provided additional guidance on the types
of childcare and information required.
Before school childcare service [type of childcare equals ‘B’]
By this, we mean a guaranteed, regular service provided on days when the school is open.
This will provide a safe and secure place where working parents can leave their children
before the school opens formally. It has responsibility of taking the children to their classes
when the school opens. This may take the form of a breakfast club and it may include
structured activities of free play.
Is there a regular before school childcare service on the school site? (yes / no)
Where yes:
- What time does it open?
- How many places?
- Who provides the service?
- Is it open to children from other schools (with transfer included)? (yes / no /
unknown)
After school childcare service [type of childcare equals ‘A’]
By this, we mean a guaranteed, regular service provided on days when the school is open.
This will provide a safe and secure place where children spend time after the school day has
finished. The setting will take the responsibility of collecting the children from their classes
and looking after them until working parents can collect them.
It may include structured activities, free play, food, homework support or a mixture of all of
these. It could also be integrated with other after school specific activities offered by the
school.
Is there a regular after school childcare service on the school site? (yes / no)
Where yes:
- What time does it close?
- How many places?
- Who provides the service?
- Is it open to children from other schools (with transfer included)? (yes / no / unknown)
Holiday childcare service [type of childcare equals ‘H’]
By this, we mean a service that usually opens Monday to Friday during school holiday
periods. It may not cover all holiday periods but should provide a useful service to working
parents. We do not include activities that are only available for morning or afternoon
sessions, such as a football class or a language school. Although the service may be
integrated with such offers. If the offer only applies during the summer break, we are aware
that this may change, so please answer for your current arrangements of plans.
Is there a holiday childcare service or scheme offered on the school site? (yes / no)
Where yes:
- What time does it open?
- What time does it close?
- For how many weeks is the service open?
- How many places?
- Who provides the service?
- Is it open to children from other schools? (yes / no / unknown)
Childcare for children aged between 0 to 4 years [type of childcare equals ‘U’]
By this, we mean a service that parents can use for at least 9 hours a day if they choose to.
Do not include provision that is only available during school hours or where children can
only attend for a morning or afternoon session.
Does the school have an on-site offer of regular childcare for children aged under 5? (yes / no)
Where yes:
- What time does it open?
- What time does it close?
- For how many weeks is it open?
- How many places?
- Who provides the service?
Signposting off-site childcare provision
This may include a service provided by another school, a voluntary setting, a private
provider (which could include childminders). If you signpost to off-site services for any of the
types of childcare, we will ask:
Is there a regular off-site service that the school promotes or signposts parents towards?
(‘YF’ / ‘YL’ / ‘N’ / ‘U’)
- YF’ means – yes, we have formal arrangements with another provider for them to
provide childcare to our pupils, including transport from their site to the school - ‘YL’ means – yes, we keep a list of other local providers that will provide transport to
the school to help parents - ‘N’ means no
- ‘U’ means not known
More information
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-the-school-census/data-items
accessed:10/12/2019