Your checklist for a quality aftercare programme
When choosing an aftercare programme for your child or teenager, it’s essential to ensure that it provides a well-rounded environment that promotes safety, growth, and personal development. Use our handy checklist to evaluate potential aftercare options and find the best fit for your child.
✅What are the main considerations for a Primary School Aftercare?
For younger scholars, aftercare should provide safety, structure, and a sense of belonging:
- Safe supervision and predictable routines
- Homework support and early academic intervention through Beyond the Bell
- Play, creativity, and movement to support development
- Opportunities to build friendships and social confidence
- A nurturing environment where children feel secure and known
We will delve into each of these areas individually.
✅Does my high school scholar really need an aftercare programme?
For teens, once they’re dismissed from school, the question that busy parents ask shifts from “Who is watching them?” to “How are they using their time?”
SPARK’s Beyond the Bell Programme supports high school scholars to:
- Use afternoons productively instead of drifting into passive screen time or isolation
- Get targeted academic support where they are struggling
- Extend and excel in subjects where they show potential
- Build study habits, accountability, and independence
- Strengthen peer connection in a structured, positive environment
- Participate in sports and physical development opportunities
- Engage in cultural activities
It’s about helping teenagers make better use of their afternoons; a solution that builds confidence, discipline, and direction.
✅ Is safety a top priority?
At SPARK Aftercare, safety is our top priority. Our safety measures include:
- Supervised environment with a low staff-to-child ratio
- Clear knowledge of staff responsibilities and how children are monitored
- Structured schedule with safe transitions between activities
- Details about food offerings (snacks, meals) and what your child can bring
- Activity locations, with provisions for weather changes
✅ Does the aftercare provide an opportunity for children to learn new skills?
SPARK’s Aftercare and Beyond the Bell programmes recognise the importance of offering:
- Activities that promote social-emotional learning, such as empathy and problem-solving
- Opportunities for creativity and self-expression through arts, crafts, or performance
- Structured group activities to develop teamwork and communication skills
✅ Does the programme support academic growth?
Through Beyond the Bell, SPARK offers targeted support for scholars who:
- Need additional academic intervention
- Want to extend and excel in their learning
- Benefit from structured homework time and guided support
✅ Does it help children build relationships and culture?
Aftercare and Beyond the Bell are where community grows. SPARK’s after-school programmes focus on:
- Positive peer connection and belonging
- Shared routines that reinforce school values and culture
- Team activities that build empathy, respect, and collaboration
✅ Does the programme nurture confidence-building beyond the classroom?
In our Aftercare and Beyond the Bell programmes, we create space for confidence-building through:
- Creative activities, performance, and self-expression
- Leadership and teamwork experiences
- Safe opportunities to try new things and develop independence
✅ Does the aftercare programme include physical activities to stimulate minds and bodies?
At SPARK Aftercare, we ensure our children enjoy:
- Regular opportunities for outdoor play
- Activities that help improve physical fitness and coordination
- Encouragement of healthy habits and active lifestyles
At SPARK Beyond the Bell, our teens have access to:
- Professional sports coaches who support skills development, conditioning, and a healthy, active lifestyle
✅ Does the aftercare programme provide personalised attention and support?
SPARK’s Aftercare & Beyond the Bell teams:
- Meet the individual needs of each child
- Take the time to understand each child's strengths and challenges
- Provide opportunities for quiet time
- Provide a nurturing environment where children feel valued and understood
Why choose SPARK Aftercare?
Choosing the right aftercare programme is an important decision for any parent. SPARK’s Aftercare model extends learning, builds confidence, and strengthens relationships beyond the classroom.
Through Beyond the Bell, including academics, sport, and culture, scholars are supported to catch up, keep up, or get ahead while developing socially and emotionally in a safe, structured environment.
If you'd like to learn more about the SPARK Schools aftercare model and how we support holistic development, click here.
