School-age childcare

After-school childcare options for London families

Compare the whole afternoon: collection, travel, clubs, homework, siblings, supper and school holidays. After-school clubs, childminders and part-time nannies solve different versions of the gap.

Compare the options Explore Filipino nanny services in London

Nanny engaging with children in a London home — Wraparound care, a childminder and a nanny can all be sensible. The best fit depends on school collection, commute, sibling schedules, holiday cover and the amount of home-based support the family needs.

Published by Filipino Domestic ServicesLondon household staffing agency2026 childcare evidence checked 10 August 2026

What are the main after-school childcare options?

3common starting points: wraparound club, childminder or part-time nanny.

Wraparound clubs are designed around the school day. Current government parent guidance says provision typically runs from around 8am to 6pm during term time and can be delivered by schools, nurseries, community settings or childminders. Fees vary by provider and families may be able to use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare where eligible.

A childminder or nanny can solve transport and home-routine problems that a club does not. A childminder usually cares for children in the childminder's setting; a nanny comes to the household and can combine collection with supper, homework or activities. The family should compare the full weekly need, not just the price of a two-hour after-school slot.

After-school club vs childminder vs nanny.

Normalise the comparison around collection, end time, siblings and home responsibilities.

FactorClub / childminderPart-time nanny

CollectionSchool-based wraparound can avoid an extra transfer; a childminder arrangement depends on provider collection and location.Can collect from school and bring the child home or to agreed activities.

Closing timeWraparound is intended to extend towards about 6pm, but individual providers set actual hours.Hours can be contracted around the household's realistic commute and handover, subject to candidate availability and a viable shift.

Homework and supperDepends on the setting; activities and food vary.Can be written into the home-based nanny brief alongside child-related routines.

Several childrenDifferent schools or providers can create collection logistics and multiple fees.One nanny can sometimes coordinate siblings across schools and activities, but the route and timing must be realistic.

School holidaysTerm-time wraparound does not solve every holiday. Holiday clubs and childminders have separate availability and pricing.A nanny contract can include holiday hours if the working pattern and pay are agreed, but term-time-only and holiday schedules should not be left ambiguous.

Cost basisProvider fee per session or week, potentially eligible for Tax-Free Childcare where the provider qualifies.Gross pay for the employee plus payroll, pension, insurance and other employer costs where applicable.

Use current cost evidence carefully.

National childcare surveys are useful context, but a London household still needs local provider fees and its own nanny budget.

After-school club benchmarkCoram Family and Childcare's 2026 survey reports an average after-school club price of £69 per week in England. That is a national average, not a London quote and not a nanny comparison on identical hours.

Current London nanny examplesCurrent London after-school nanny advertisements commonly show gross hourly rates around £16 to £19, with some wider part-time advertisements above that. Gross hourly pay is not the household's total employer cost.

Holiday childcareCoram's 2026 Holiday Childcare Survey reports £191 per child per week across Great Britain, or £1,145 for six weeks. Holiday costs therefore deserve their own plan rather than being treated as a minor extension of term-time club fees.

Tax-Free ChildcareEligible families can receive up to £2,000 per child per year through Tax-Free Childcare and can use it for approved before/after-school and holiday childcare. Check whether the specific provider qualifies.

Nanny supporting a family in their home — The after-school period is often a logistics job as much as a supervision job: collections, travel, food, homework and several children can all collide in a short window.

Map the 3pm-to-handover period minute by minute once.

CollectionSchool finish, pickup rules, route and realistic travel time to home or activities.

ActivitiesWhich clubs are weekly, who transports the child and what happens when siblings need to be in different places.

Home routineSnack or supper, homework, reading, bath or bedtime preparation and what parents expect to be completed by handover.

Parent arrivalUse realistic commute and work variability instead of writing a shift that ends exactly when the parent leaves the office.

Do not solve term time and forget 13 weeks of school holidays.

Holiday coverage can change both the cost and the best provider model.

Club

Ask whether holiday provision is separate.

A school after-school club may not operate in the same form during holidays. Find the holiday provider and hours before committing to a work pattern.

Childminder

Check full-day holiday availability.

Coram's 2026 survey found childminders were more likely than holiday clubs to offer an 8am-to-6pm day, but availability is local and provider-specific.

Nanny

Agree term-time and holiday hours explicitly.

A part-time nanny may be willing to increase hours during holidays, but the contract, pay and annual schedule should reflect what is genuinely required.

Mix

A mixed plan can be more resilient.

Some families use school wraparound in term time and a different arrangement for holidays or late-work days. Compare complexity as well as cost.

From our work

We write the school run into the brief before calling it an “after-school nanny” job.

Filipino Domestic Services' current nanny process asks families to define the children's ages, postcode, normal days and hours, working arrangement and recurring duties. For an after-school role, those fields need an extra layer: exact school finish times, pickup locations, travel between siblings, regular activities, homework, supper and the parent's realistic handover time.

That matters because a three-hour shift can contain more logistics than a longer home-based day. If two children finish at different schools and one has an activity across London, the timetable may be impossible for one person no matter how attractive the job description sounds. We prefer to identify that before introducing candidates.

We also ask how holidays change the requirement. A term-time 3pm-to-7pm job and a school-holiday 9am-to-6pm job are materially different working patterns. The household should say whether it needs both, whether another provider covers holidays and how the annual schedule affects pay. That gives candidates enough information to decide whether the role fits their availability.

Choose the provider after you know the complete afternoon.

If the gap needs home-based flexibility, move into the nanny service; if the family is changing its wider work pattern, revisit the return-to-work plan.

explore Filipino nanny services in LondonSee the FDS nanny route for home-based after-school cover.plan childcare when returning to workUse the wider childcare timeline and coverage grid.

Questions about after-school childcare in London.

What is wraparound childcare?

Government parent guidance describes wraparound childcare as before- and after-school childcare for primary-age children, typically available around 8am to 6pm during term time through schools or other local providers such as nurseries, community settings or childminders.

How much does an after-school club cost?

Coram Family and Childcare's 2026 survey reports an England average of £69 per week for an after-school club. Local London fees vary, so treat that figure as national context rather than a quote for your school.

How much does an after-school nanny cost in London?

Current public London advertisements commonly show roughly £16 to £19 gross per hour for after-school nanny work, with some part-time roles advertising broader ranges. A household employer also needs to budget for applicable payroll and other employment costs.

Can Tax-Free Childcare pay for after-school care?

Eligible families can use Tax-Free Childcare for approved before- and after-school and holiday childcare. The scheme can provide up to £2,000 per child per year. Check that the particular provider qualifies before budgeting the top-up.

Is a nanny better than an after-school club?

It depends on the gap. A club can be efficient when school-based hours fit the parent's day. A nanny can be more useful where the family needs collection, home routines, several children on different schedules, activities or a later handover.

What should I do about school-holiday childcare?

Plan it separately. Holiday clubs, childminders and nannies can all provide coverage, but availability, hours and cost differ materially from term-time after-school care. Agree any holiday-hours change with a nanny in advance.

Sources and cost boundary.

National cost figures are context only. Local London fees and the exact household schedule decide the real comparison.

Best Start in LifeCurrent wraparound childcare hours and provider types, updated June 2026.Coram Family and Childcare2026 average after-school club price.Coram Family and Childcare2026 holiday childcare cost and availability.GOV.UKTax-Free Childcare top-up and eligible childcare types.Little Ones LondonCurrent London after-school nanny market example, £16–£19/hour.

Write the collection-to-handover timetable.

Then compare whether a club, childminder or nanny covers that real afternoon without relying on impossible travel or hidden work.

Start a staffing enquirySend the school schedule, duties and after-school hours.Full-time or part-time cover?Compare working patterns once the after-school timetable is clear.