When Whitehouse Primary School reviewed its wraparound care provision, demand wasn’t the issue. Their before and after school care was popular with families and consistently well attended. The challenge sat behind the scenes.
Despite its success, the school’s in-house wraparound care model was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain due to ongoing staffing pressures and recruitment challenges.
Headteacher Linda Kelly explains: “We ran our own wraparound care, and it was very successful in terms of the number of children we had, but we were facing a lot of challenges with staffing cover and recruiting for the roles”.
Like many primary schools delivering wraparound care internally, what once worked became harder to manage over time. Covering staff absences, recruiting reliable team members and maintaining consistent delivery required ongoing input from school leaders.
Since outsourcing its wraparound care, Whitehouse Primary has seen a significant reduction in internal pressure, particularly around staffing.
“One of the things that’s a real relief for me as a head is the constant struggles with staffing… if a staff member is absent and you need to cover them, or recruiting for roles.”
Responsibility for recruitment, staffing cover and daily delivery now sits with Premier Education. This has removed the need for senior leaders and school staff to step in when issues arise, freeing up valuable time and resources.
Safeguarding and communication have remained central to the provision. “You’re in very, very safe hands… their safeguarding processes and procedures are really, really strong.”
For school leaders, confidence in safeguarding and quality is essential when choosing a wraparound care provider. At Whitehouse Primary, this trust has been a key outcome of the partnership.
“I’ve got that real faith in Premier that our children are getting an exceptional provision.”
Today, Whitehouse Primary benefits from a stable, high-quality wraparound care programme that continues to meet families’ needs without placing additional strain on school staff or leadership.
By combining reliable childcare, enriching activities, and a safe and nurturing environment, Premier Education helps schools offer wraparound care that working families can truly depend on.
If your school is looking to introduce or improve its before and after school provision, we’d love to show you what’s possible.
Explore our wraparound care and find out how we can support your school.
Happy Kids. Healthy Futures.
