After School and Holiday Wrap-Around-Care

MASKK are able to provide fun and playful, childcare for children from Reception class to 15 and currently have limited places available.

MASKK is an Ofsted Registered childcare provider which was last inspected in August 2021. Out of School settings like ours are not graded in the same way as schools (there is no level) but we MET the standards with comments from the inspector including “Children play happily together in this stimulating and welcoming club” and “Children have lots of fun during sessions and staff build warm relationships with them”. If you would like to read our full Ofsted report please visit https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY559859 .

MASKK is a registered charity and fund-raises throughout the year so that we are able to keep our fees low and affordable for local people. If you are able to contribute, either as a one off donation or by setting up a monthly standing order, you can do so securely using PayPal by clicking Donate Today.

Bookings and accounts are all managed through https://maskk.magicbookings.co.uk

After School

MASKK is open each day after school, collecting children from their school who then enjoy a one mile walk with our staff to our setting.

We currently collect from St Theresa’s RC School, Woodthorpe Community Primary School and Prince Edwards Community Primary. We ask that children have a suitable coat and footwear for the walk but our team also carry ponchos for if we get caught in the rain.

When the weather allows we also enjoy a play in one of the lovely parks and green spaces we pass on our walks.

Children from other schools are also welcome to attend the After School Club, if brought by a parent/carer.

Children from secondary schools are welcome to attend too, but will need to bring themselves to the setting.

Please ensure you book the sessions you need by the previous Friday to enable us to plan the school escorts, we also share the bookings with schools.

After School Pricing:

(All pricing includes snack and a variety of activities)
School Pickup and collection by 4:15 pm: £5
School Pickup and collection by 6:30 pm: £12 (activities wind down at 6pm to allow our team to tidy and clean and give the children time to slow down)

Monday to Friday we operate a busy setting with a wide range of activities and resources. It’s bright, colourful and at times loud. But some days have other specific things going on:

Tuesdays we have a quieter hall with board games and chess, this session often interests children who like a calmer session.

Wednesdays are very loud and busy, with a dance school in the building too. Children who do not like loud busy spaces may not enjoy this session.

Walk From School

Holidays

Children are welcome to attend our holiday club from any school and we open across every school holiday except over Christmas, check availability on our bookings website.

Please be aware we open the holidays as defined by Sheffield City Council which may differ from some schools planned holidays, and we are closed bank holidays.

School term dates can be found here: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/schools-childcare/school-information-term-dates
We are open each day from 8:30am until 6:00pm and provide a morning and afternoon snack along with a variety of activities including walks to green spaces and parks. We ask that children bring suitable clothes for going outside and will need a packed lunch. Drinks and fruit are available throughout the day.

Please book as far in advance as you can to avoid disappointment if we are full.

Holiday Sessions Prices:-

8:30am until 3:30pm = £23
8:30am until 6:00pm = £30 (including a light meal served at 5:15pm)

Like after school each day is often different with some regular things to note:

Mondays: we run our session alongside our Healthy Holiday activity day. This means we have up to 40 children present and have lots going on throughout the building.

Tuesdays: we go on long walks and use public transport to explore our city and enjoy other places.

Wednesdays: we enjoy more messy and sensory activities in our hall or garden.

Thursdays: after 4pm we go outdoors and enjoy Forest School time.

Activities

MASKK is a Playwork setting, and all our settings are designed and planned with the Playwork Principles and objectives in mind. For more information about the Playwork Principles please visit http://www.playwales.org.uk/eng/playworkprinciples.

As well as supporting free Play and free choice, our team plan multiple activities each week, including baking, arts and crafts and more.

The children have access each session to different spaces, games and toys, role play, loose parts, table football or pool and a ball pit. Towards the end of the session tablets with limited internet access and some computer games are made available.

We put children and their wishes first and so the children have free choice when it comes to the activities and can join in with what is planned or can chose something else.

All the activity planning is done in partnership with the children and based on what they have asked for and enjoy.

During school holidays activities also include regular outings to local parks and green spaces as well as joining in with community activities. Places are limited and so to secure a place we ask that parents book 2 weeks in advance.

Play is whatever bubbles out of the child, and our role as Playworkers is to support this.

Ideas Bubble from a child

Bookings

Bookings can be made online http://maskk.magicbooking.co.uk, once registered online please call the office on 0114 2395739 or text 07784838169 and arrange to come and visit us so that we can meet your child, complete a brief additional sheet and you can ask any questions.

We are unable to collect your child from school until we have met them. Please note our team do not start work until 1:30pm term time, so please call after this time or leave a message (but avoid calling 2:30pm until 4pm while we are on pickup). Visits are booked after 4:30pm to allow us to get the children to the setting and have snack before any visitors come.

Cancelations

If you fail to cancel a session you will still be charged, you can cancel sessions online or by calling/texting us. If canceled with 2 days notice for after school sessions or 5 days for holidays you will be refunded.

Paying Your Fees

Fees can be paid when making the booking online or via your online account. Alternatively you can pay by card or exact cash when collecting your child, or by PayPal or a Childcare Voucher. MASKK are registered with most childcare voucher systems and the Government’s Tax Free Childcare. If you are facing any difficulty paying your fees please speak to us.

Please be aware MASKK are a charity and work hard to ensure our prices are affordable while enabling us to be sustainable. Please note this means we are only able to offer a limited number of the short, lower cost, sessions each day. If this session is not available you will need to book and pay for the full session even if collecting earlier.

Please visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ for information about the different forms of help available to pay your fees.

Inclusion

MASKK aim to be an inclusive setting and our team have experience and training to support children with a wide variety of additional support needs.

We are happy to provide places for children with a range of additional support needs and our team have experience and training to support children, but not all our sessions may be suitable for all children. It often depends on what they enjoy.

Both our after school and holiday clubs run with a ratio of 1 adult to each 8 children. If a child needs a higher level of support then we are only able to provide this when the costs can be covered. If it’s for childcare while a parent is working then SNIPS (details below) have something called a ‘Childcare Grant’ which families can apply for. This grant means we can invoice Sheffield City Council for any additional staffing costs, and the family only pay the same session fee as others.

MASKK aim to provide support that is needs led rather than diagnoises led. Speak to us if you think we can support your child at our sessions.

MASKK have specific activities for children with SEND:

Our Healthy Holiday Activities:

On Tuesdays we have a specific SEND, Play & Lunch activity. These are for children who receive free school meals but due to their support needs are not able to access the other Healthy Holiday activities in the city. Support up to 1:1 can be provided subject to space.
Visit https://www.maskk.org.uk/project/lets-play/ for more information.

Our Short Breaks Clubs (Saturdays and Holidays):

We deliver these for Sheffield City Council SNIPS, specifically for children and young people with SEND who might not be able to attend general activities and to give parents a free short break (can not be used while working). Visit https://www.maskk.org.uk/project/shortbreaks/ for more information.

Parents and carers can refer themselves to the service by contacting SNIPS: 0114 273 5368 or SnipsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

If you’ve got any questions please get in touch.