Afternoon playtime

[islandofsodor]

Do your dc (junior age) have a playtime in the afternoon? If not, do you think this affects them at all in terms of tiredness, concentration etc?

I would also be really interested in hearing the opinions of teachers too as to whether 2 hours 20 mins is too long for children to go without a break even if it means they finish school 10 minutes earlier which is what my dd's school is propsing to do from Sept.

[bagpuss]

At the dcs old school ds1 never used to get a break after the lunchtime one and I think he was quite miserable when he came out of school. Now they are at a new school and the teachers tend to make them play outside at every available opportunity. Both dcs have colour in their cheeks and enjoy school but ds1 was particularly impressed when one day he got 4 breaks! I do think that a bit of fresh air helps to stimulate them and makes the afternoon more bearable etc.

[Madsometimes]

All the children in our school, both junior and infant have an afternoon break, at about 2:30. The junior children have 10 minutes less at lunchtime play, that is the only difference.

[bellavita]

At our primary school, foundation and key stage 1 get both a morning and afternoon playtime. Once they get to key stage 2, they only get the morning one, which I think is wrong.

The kids need to let of steam and run about, I know my son would benefit from this.

[Hulababy]

At DD's school the prep girls (same as juniors) have a break in the afternoon, as well as one in the morning and one at lunch time. It's about 15 min long, same as in the preprep (infants).

[JeffVadar]

I think they definitely need a break in the afternoon, especially in this weather! They need to get a change of air and get the blood flowing.

At DSs old school they stopped the afternoon break in Yr 3. Luckily he left at the end of Yr 2 so I never had to experience the hell of bringing home a very ratty little boy.

[islandofsodor]

Hula, could you tell me the start and finish times of your prep. Ours is currently 8.45am - 3.40pm with afternoon break. They are changing to a 3.30pm finish but no break. Pre prep finish at 3.20pm and will still get a break.

[Littlefish]

The reason that some schools opt not to have a KS2 afternoon play is that KS2 is required to do a greater number of hours than either foundation or KS1. Some schools shorten the KS2 lunchtime, and keep the afternoon play, but others opt to cut the afternoon play as a way of making up the additional time.

This avoids the issue of having different finish times at the end of the day which means that parents have to hang around if they have children in different key stages.

[Seona1973]

dd is in school from 8.55am to 3pm - she has a morning break of 15 minutes, 50 minutes for lunch (12.10pm till 1pm) and no afternoon break.

[islandofsodor]

I understand that Littlefish, but ours already do a much longer day (currently 8.40am - 3.45pm).

Also I'm sure I read somewhere that staggared finishing times was a condition of them extending the school and opening the pre-prep and nursery.

I think that if it was only 2 hours between lunchtime ending and school finishing it would be OK but that extra 20 mins makes all the difference.

[blametheparents]

No playtime for Yr 3 DS in afternoon. Lunch is 12.30 until 1.30 and then they finish at 3.30

[Littlefish]

That sounds broadly the same as my school Seona.

KS2 starts at 8.55, 15 min morning break. Lunch is 12.30 - 1.15, no afternoon break - finish at 3.00pm.

Island of sodor - that sounds like an excessively long day for primary. Is this state or private? I'm sure that our school hours fulfil the statutory requirement, and it looks like you're working for an hour per day more!

[islandofsodor]

It is private and their day is much shorter than the other locla private school where the juniors finish at 4.00pm!!!!!!

Mind you I would never send the dc there, too posh and pushy by half. DD currently finishes at 3.20pm in pre prep so it will be a jump to finish later in September when she goes into juniors (prep)