Top tips for dual working families

Rachel Gaynor, Deputy Head at Maltman’s Green School, shares expert advice for parents choosing a school...

Affordability is a big concern when it comes to education. Many parents choose the independent sector to give their children the best start in life, but may find that they need a dual income in order to do so. Having to factor in the costs of a childminder before and/or after school can suddenly make this dream unaffordable. If you fit into this category, how do you go about selecting a school that will meet both your educational and childcare needs? Here are some top tips as both a Deputy Head, and a parent, who has been there.

1. Decide on your ideal location

Consider whether you would rather your child went to a local independent school or if it would be easier to drop them off adjacent to where either of you work or commute from. Both have pros and cons so it is worth having this discussion. Locally will mean it is easier for your child to socialise, attend parties and weekend activities but will inevitably mean you need to pay for before and after school care. Nearer one of your places of work or the start of your commute may cut your fee bills, however, it will also mean you have to get your child up and ready earlier and you will spend more hours on the road, particularly at weekends.

2. Analyse your working hours

Is one of you able to work flexible hours or work from home? It might be worth talking to your employer about this, as dependent on your role, most are very understanding. Some parents manage to arrange things so one parent goes in to work later after the drop off but then works later into the evening, while the other goes into work early and is finished earlier in the day ready for pick up.

3. Do your research

Once you have narrowed down your search area if possible, arrange some childcare and head off to somewhere quiet such as a coffee shop, armed with an internet enabled device and a notepad. Away from the constant interruptions of family life you will have the time to go through each school’s website to identify the type of education that the school offers, as well as the breakfast and after school care availability. If you need to use these services then the times that these are offered will be crucial when it comes to selecting a school. Do not forget to check if any holiday care is provided. Typically, because the school day is longer in the independent sector, the holidays tend to be longer and this needs to be factored into your research.

4. Make a shortlist

Based on your research, make a shortlist and be prepared to be brutal. It was at this point that I had to cross out some schools for my son that I really liked purely based on the availability of their breakfast and after school care. Some schools just didn’t offer care until 8am, which was too late for me or didn’t have a nursery provision to allow my son to stay in one school from nursery upwards, which I felt was important. Once you have your shortlist re-visit the websites and begin to form a list of any questions that you may have.

5. Phone the school to arrange a visit or attend an open day

For me, the phone calls were just as vital as visiting the school itself. I was looking to have interactions with polite, helpful and friendly members of the school community, and conversations which would hopefully mirror the ethos of the school that I had read about online. Of course, the conversation will need to open with an enquiry about the availability of spaces in the school. If a place is available then it is ideal if you a visit with your partner as you can both ask questions and get a real feel for the school. If you are unable to do this then it is worth visiting separately.

6. Look around and make a decision!

Once you have made your visits, it is time to make a decision. Enquire directly with the school about the next steps in terms of accepting a place. After having had this type of discussion with many parents over my career, I have noticed that often one school emerges as the clear favourite – it was certainly like this for me. Choosing a school is like buying a house – when you are in the right one you will know and you will be able to visualise your child there.

Armed with an understanding of the difficulties faced by dual working families, Maltman’s Green launched a day-care facility for girls aged two and up in early 2017, providing year-round care from 7.30am to 6.30pm. This came as a welcome relief to our existing parents who had a little one that needed taking care of, as well as to new parents who wanted their daughter settled in a school that could see them right through to aged 11. Such was the demand for our Little Malties day care, that not long after opening, renovations were made to extend the space. Over the last few years we have gone one step further as we work to help meet the demands of working parents, and extended our out of hours provision right across the School. Girls in our Nursery are now offered the same year round care as those in our Little Malties setting, while girls in Reception to Year 6 can stay from 7.30am – 6.00pm, with holiday care provided onsite by an external provider.

As the saying goes, ‘the proof is in the pudding’, and the ever-increasing number of girls in our Breakfast and After School Clubs prove just how valuable a wrap-around-care provision is for busy parents.

This article first appeared in the 2020 edition of Which School. You can read the e-guide here: