By Mrs Hilary Marsden, Headmistress
Balancing a career with family life is one of the great modern challenges facing today’s parents. I meet working mums and dads every week whose schedules begin before dawn and stretch long into the evening – all while ensuring their children are safe, happy and thriving. Here at Webber, I see our role not just as educators, but as partners in making family life more manageable and fulfilling.
Across the UK, access to reliable and flexible childcare is a persistent concern. Recent research shows that nearly two‑thirds of parents rely on wraparound care – before and after school provision – at least weekly, yet many struggle to find adequate spaces or support that aligns with their working hours. Without it, parents often sacrifice jobs, take unpaid leave or adjust their careers to fit their childcare needs.
At Webber, we understand these pressures deeply. That’s why we have built comprehensive wraparound care into our core offer. From 7:30 am until 6:00 pm daily, families can rely on high‑quality care included alongside our educational provision – meaning parents can start early shifts, commute, or work later without the constant juggle of pick‑ups and drop‑offs.
Our fee structure is deliberately designed with practical modern family life in mind. By combining education, lunches and wraparound care into a single, transparent package – with competitive pricing and flexible monthly payment options – we aim to give parents peace of mind and predictable budgeting rather than unexpected bills.
We also recognise that childcare needs don’t stop when school term ends. In response to the growing demand – and the well‑documented national shortage and rising cost of holiday childcare that many families face each holiday – we were thrilled to launch our Webber Holiday Clubs in 2025. These daily programmes, led by our specialist, degree‑qualified teachers, offer engaging activities for children from Reception through Year 7 across school breaks, including summer, Christmas, Easter and half terms.
Parents up and down the country know how stressful holiday provision can be. Recent data shows that many councils simply cannot meet local demand for holiday childcare, pushing costs up and leaving families struggling to find safe, structured options for their children. Our holiday clubs not only provide valuable support for working parents, they give children enriching experiences filled with creativity, team‑building and fun.
In practise, this means parents don’t have to choose between attending a morning meeting and ensuring their child has a day full of meaningful engagement. They don’t have to rearrange their work hours every half‑term or wonder how they’ll cover the long summer break. Our wraparound care and holiday programmes are designed to work around real working lives, not the other way around.
At The Webber Independent School, our wraparound care isn’t an afterthought – it’s an essential part of how we support working families every day. Whether it’s a pre‑work breakfast session before 8 am, a structured after‑school programme until 6 pm, or a fun, active week at our holiday clubs, we’re proud to offer flexibility that makes a real difference.
Supporting working parents isn’t just good family policy, it’s good for our community and our local economy. When parents can work with confidence that their children are safe, stimulated and cared for, everyone benefits.
If you’d like to see our wraparound care provision, holiday clubs or flexible fee structure in action, we’d love to welcome you to The Webber Independent School. Places are available now and for the September start – book a visit today to experience how we support working families every day. Click here to start your Webber journey.
