When kids go back in September, should schools stay open till 4pm

[Lardlizard]

To allow kids to catch up and allow workers to catch up on work

[CallmeAngelina]

No.

[worzelsnurzel123]

Yes definitely. One of my kids goes to a school which finishes later and it’s no problem for the kids. A lot of teachers will say the kids are too tired but I guess it depends on age and structure of teaching but mine has done it since early primary with no problem at all!

[Wishforsnow]

Yes, can't see why not. The state school days are very short so 4pm should be easily doable

[MasterGland]

Most schools already do. The library at my old school was open until 5, I think. There were also a variety of after school sessions held.

[midnightstar66]

No, we'd struggle to fit in all the after school stuff unless they ditched all homework

[SunflowerProsecco]

No

[pigeon999]

Yes of course!

[truebeliever]

No, children would not benefit as they are mentally tired by mid afternoon.

[Ohfrigginghellers]

No they bloody shouldn't it's long enough

[Iggly]

Yes but have more playtime. Kids are probably mentally tired because actually they don’t get decent breaks. 15 mins is not enough. (Lunch time aside)

In fact a longer day with more time for sports and arts/music would be ideal.

[CrowdedHouseinQuarantine]

for how long?
2 months?
6?

[cptartapp]

They can for me. Year 11.

[heartonastring]

Why though?

[Lockdownseperation]

Ridiculous. Primary teacher already work 60 hours a week and secondary teacher 55 hours a week. For those extra 5 hours marking they will do 5 hours of planning and marking.

Do you think someone who is working 65 hours a week is working to the best of their ability?

[Attictroll]

Totally.

I also just heard on the news about welsh schools being open from today with only 1/3 of kid’s allowed in school at one time. What a hugely sensible approach compared to England.

[Tyranttoddler]

Uncertain if it can go through this quickly. We changed the school day last year and it took ages. Obv things might be more easily changed in this scenario.
Selfishly, no, because I work an hour from. My daughter's nursery and have to collect by 5pm haha.

[BumpkinSpiceBatty]

Why? Who is going to be caring for them for this extra time?
Teachers already go above and beyond their contracted hours as it is. They all have their own families and lives to get back to after a working day.

[TiptoeStar]

@Lockdownseperation oh dear, 115 teaching hours a week between you and you still can’t spell (unless it’s meant to be ironic)

[Xmasbaby11]

No. Kids will be tired and it's unfair on teachers who already work long hours.

[worzelsnurzel123]

@BumpkinSpiceBatty

Why? Who is going to be caring for them for this extra time?
Teachers already go above and beyond their contracted hours as it is. They all have their own families and lives to get back to after a working day.

Clearly the teachers will as we are looking for extra teaching. Not a child minder . We need kids to catch up. The kids manage fine at my son’s school. The day just needs to be structured better.

[Mintjulia]

No. Teachers already have enough to do and children will benefit from returning to normal, and having afterschool time to socialise with their friends.

[DCIRozHuntley]

Erm, no. Kids are already at school for 30+ hours a week. Scrapping statutory testing and focussing on kids' mental health would be a far better use of everyone's time, not "catching up" with some arbitrary expectations or measurements of success.

[MasterGland]

If you want the state school day officially lengthened, with formal teaching, then you must also expect there to be shorter terms. As in private. I teach in a private school. I teach 8.30 to 4 but have 3 weeks for Christmas and 8 weeks for summer.

[coronabeer23]

ours does anyway. 8.30 - 4

[TiptoeStar]

Controversial I know, but if there’s a need for children to catch up then a lot of teachers haven’t been doing their hours during closures so there shouldn’t be an issue with using them to catch up (plenty of MN polls with more than half of teachers saying their hours much reduced over lockdown... yes I know it’s not all etc etc). Where schools have provided good support and children are not in need of catch up work it shouldn’t be necessary.