To think schools should get with the times re working parents.

Said every parent/carer of children since the 1940s

Hey, I haven’t read all the comments on here.

I lived in Spain for a while and schools actually do open a lot longer in the day here and holiday clubs and breakfast clubs are a lot more affordable.

The below hours are from infantil 1 (the September of the calendar year your child turns 3)

An example school day; breakfast club (including breakfast) is 10€ a week and opens at 7am.

School start at 9am

Patio at 11am (snack and a play)

Lunch 2-3:30

Sports/art/languages/homework until 5:00 (free of charge)

The example above is a normal state school timetable.

Other schools have a different variation but the school day does somewhat match a working day.

They don’t have half terms. They have bank holidays through the year.

Summer is mid June - September and holiday clubs run in the schools (not the teachers) are less than 100€ for the whole month.

Teacher training days happen in July when the kids are off school and sometime during term time but they have cover.

Kids here were healthy, well rounded and social.

Lunch is around 60€ a month but it is a 3 course meal and all schools have their own kitchen generally so is exceptional quality - kids don’t get a choice of meal - everyone eats the same (except obvious restrictions).

I think there is a case for a longer day at school but not for school work - to offer sports, art and other activities for children whilst parents are working. Lunch and after school activities are actually also optional here - you can collect them for lunch and take them back for a club or just keep them at home.

This Absolutely. Shit work. Shit hours. Shit pay.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d859af6efa83001ddcc55b/National_Wraparound_Childcare_Programme_Handbook.pdf

have you read this? Sorry if someone has already posted

But at the same time school can dictate to parents about holidays, pack lunches, our children identity - earrings/hairstyles/make up choices (for older children), the uniform, homework, revision, request for various fundraising support…yet parents asking for abit of understanding when it come to needing more flexibility so they can work is seen as a outrageous request

Who do you think might be staffing the schools? Oh look-working parents!

This would NOT help gender equality in the workplace. It would create an even greater deficit in teachers

And it would be very interesting to see what percentage of those workers staffing the breakfast/afterschool clubs (for minimum wage) were women…

I am a school teacher. It means my children HAVE to be in their school from 7:30-5 on my work days.
This stops me from working full time.
Approximately 80% (the last time I researched) of teachers are female.
This would NOT help gender equality in the workplace. It would create an even greater deficit in teachers

I have no problem with school buildings being open 8 - 6pm to help support working parents, BUT gov need to fund separate staff to run the wraparound portions of the day.

They've been supporting families like this in other countries for years.

Teachers are parents, too!
Do what we did - when our two were tiny, DH worked from home to be there for them before and after school and for school events. I was teacher training. We had next to no money. When they were older, we paid for breakfast club and after-school club.
How much childcare do you expect teachers to pay for their own children if they're at work before 8 and after 6? Teachers are leaving in droves already; you seem determined to drive the last of us out of the profession.

Absolutely YABU, OP. School is not a child minding service. Teachers teach (and plan for that teaching)- who provides the wrap around care? - Teachers shouldn’t, and indeed, couldn’t, if they are going to plan well thought out, prepared lessons; so who would ultimately be responsible for the care and well being of children on school premises before and after the hours of teaching, and ensuring children are collected on time once 6 pm is reached?
Parents have a duty of care too, and responsibility for their own children and that includes sorting out child care if needed, not expecting school to provide it for free before and after lessons.

Yabvu but they should shorten summer holidays, but stagger them across the UK

What absolute nonsense!! Sort your own childcare out.

My dc were both in asc from 3-6 every day. If definitely wasn't 'school'. They got to play, inside and outside, do craft or just sit and chill on the chrome books.

They def preferred it when they were old enough to come home by themselves and chill at home though.

I think you are missing the point…the child finished the day at 330 remaining in school grounds. Playing in the playground, doing activities, watching movies.

Yes quality affordable wrap around childcare care should be available to everyone. Not sure it should be at school though. Children need time and space to play.

We've gone full circle, there is a new initiative for September 2024. Not sure what effect the election gas but my LA gave already started to review current provision and to plan more in line with government demands. Government haven't, of course, done anything to solve the many issues already mentioned, they just expect LA’s and schools to solve them.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d859af6efa83001ddcc55b/National_Wraparound_Childcare_Programme_Handbook.pdf

Maybe parents should organise their own wrap around care. It is not a function of education to provide wrap around care.

Schools could allow an external provider to run it on a school for a few. But all the organisation, payments etc need to be sorted by the provider not the school.

My kids primary had three halls, so had a fair bit of flexibility. But they also had about a third of the playground covered with a wooden structure that provided shade in the summer and allowed for a rain cover when it was wet, so there was outdoor space kids could use year round.

Of course I see that some schools would find it challenging, as I said I would expect there would be a need for infrastructure investment.

A serious policy to make schools work for a much longer day providing extra curricula activities outside of school hours might mean a few schools with limited sites would have to take fewer children and more schools would be needed (though changing demographics might well take care of that in the near future).

The point is that these are solvable problems if there is political will. The current ethos of underinvestment in schools and disregard for the expertise and effort of teachers wouldn’t support it, but I’m not suggesting it should be done in that way.

They are in breakfast club and after school club.

The hall can't be used for breakfast or after school club.

Why are there kids in a classroom 7.30am-6pm? What are they doing before 8.30am and after 3pm (or whatever the normal school hours are)? The hall can still be cleaned at lunch if it's going to be used for before and after-school club.

We do have a hall, it is just used as a classroom.

Grand so a portakabin on the road outside will work will it?

Why can't parents pay?

OK, so some schools don't have a hall but most of them do. Anyway school buildings can be extended / portakabins installed. A lack of space in some schools is a not a good enough reason to dismiss the idea of all day free wraparound care.

Yep happens in mine we are all in the classroom. During wet play days there are kids in my classroom 7:30am - 6pm. There is not one minute they are not there. We can't use the hall as it needs to be cleaned after lunch and has to be done before 1pm as this is also a classroom. Yep 'common areas' now are rare within schools. Every space is utilised.

The hall is a classroom in my school.

The hall is usually used for sports after school not the childcare club.