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Original poster

Child's school still not open full time

51 replies

NoNameNoOne · 17/06/2021 21:07

Hi All.
Just wanting to gauge an idea of if this is normal.
Dd primary school only opening half day on Weds and slightly shorter hours the other days with no plans to "make up" lost hours in the future at all.
They say the half day is necessary for additional cleaning and to ensure the teachers receive their statutory planning and break times.
They have advise ASC is available £5ph to parents in need of childcare but ASC is obviously not a teaching environment and is mainly playground play.
Are you all experiencing the same or back to pre-lockdown timetable?
Thanks for taking the time to respond.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoNameNoOne · 17/06/2021 21:43

We have had term dates but not times yet. So far dates are in line with previous year's so no sign of additional catch up.

Breaktimes are the same length as normal - not reduced for additional teaching time.

Thanks all. Trying to decide if I want to be "that parent" and complain or if I should wait to see what is planned for next year.

Appreciate you all taking time to reply Flowers

OP posts:
Snuzzle · 17/06/2021 21:45

Our primary is doing staggered start and finish times and then an hour earlier finish on a Friday.
The hour on a Friday is used for doing a deep clean and then everything is left untouched for the whole weekend.

Not sure if it’s helping or pure luck but we haven’t had a single case or any bubbles burst since going back in September so worth the slight hassle of leaving work early on a Friday.

Classes don’t seem to be missing out on learning either, teachers are cramming the work in and they’re bringing more work home than they have in previous years.

AMistakePlusKeleven · 17/06/2021 21:46

Our school has also been doing this and will continue until next school year now. They have only decided to go back to normal next year under pressure from parents and massive demand for the wrap around care which they tried to charge for on the half day to begin with.

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General education
Onceihadaname · 17/06/2021 21:47

We are in the north West and are still on reduced hours.
5-10 mins later start, 15-20 earlier finish & they finish after lunch on a Friday for lesson planning (otherwise the teachers either don't have planning time or the kids will all end up sharing the same cover teacher over the week & if they got sick the entire school would have to shut!
No sign of it stopping and at this stage I doubt it will before the summer, but that being said cases are on the rise in our area and several schools have had to close

Sweak · 17/06/2021 21:56

I think I would wait and see what the plan is for the next academic year. Realistically they aren't going to change things for this last half term.

I would complain if this continues into the next year though. I wouldn't expect them to provide additional catch up time though..at least not yet...the gov need to provide some direction and funding on that. I can't see how schools can afford to run additional sessions without extra funds.

Original poster
NoNameNoOne · 17/06/2021 22:00

@Sweak thank you! Brilliant advice and fair point! Star

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 18/06/2021 08:18

@Sweak school have already got additional catch up funding - I think it started last September. Schools were using it to catch up from last lockdown. Parents may not be aware of it or how it is being spent as there are targeted measures for those children who need it most. So one thing in the school I govern at is that they have employed an additional maths teacher for mornings who take certain snall groups for targeted intervention but also it has allowed a slightly different organisation of groups which the children wouldn't even realise.

SpnBaby1967 · 18/06/2021 08:37

Our primary school never changed their hours thankfully.

Our secondary school is still on shorter hours. They get a 10 minute morning break and a 20 minute lunch which means they finish school at 2.30pm. I hope it'll change to normal hours come september as there is barely time to eat lunch and use the bathroom at the moment which is a nightmare for girls especially for obvious reasons.

Sweak · 18/06/2021 08:42

@Mumdiva99 indeed there has been some additional funding. But enough to offer catch up sessions to all children in every school? No.

What you describe with interventions is common and a good idea of course. But I'm assuming the OP was talking about catch up for all based on the fact that all pupils have had their school day shortened

FlyingBurritoBrothers · 18/06/2021 08:53

My DS's school has used the disruption caused by Covid to sneakily cut 15 mins off the school day permanently, without consulting parents or governors.

GiantToadstool · 18/06/2021 08:55

Mumdiva - yes our school accessed it since last October and has had an extra 45mins on the day for all pupils until last half term.

Sweak · 18/06/2021 09:00

Giant toadstool - I'm really surprised they can afford to do that. Is this is secondary or primary?

GiantToadstool · 18/06/2021 09:04

Primary. I think it is easier logistically to do that than secondary!

Argument was everyone suffered in covid so they put an extra maths or english lesson in every day. They seem to think its been a success.

Mumdiva99 · 18/06/2021 09:09

@giantToadstool that's fab they could afford that....I think they must have subsidised the catch up funding as we can only afford to pay one teacher....not the amount we would need to give the whole school additional time.

Mumdiva99 · 18/06/2021 09:12

@sweak and unfortunately there never will be enough to offer all children catch up.....

Doveyouknow · 18/06/2021 09:21

Our school days are 15 mins shorter than normal due to staggered starts / finishes. Primary school in London. It's a pain and I am hoping it goes back to normal in September. Missing a whole afternoon seems madness though.

GiantToadstool · 18/06/2021 09:24

They didn't pay for an extra teacher at all though, but I imagine extended pay for 30-45mins for each teacher (or cynically used hltas for the last non maths/english lesson maybe? ). I completely see that each school would have decided differently how to spend the funding depending on their situation.

Im not sure I even agreed with our school as my child did all the work etc and didnt need to "catch up" but anything they made optional wouldn't reach target groups. It also isnt small groups/targetted but was taught as an extra lesson in the day.

It seems to have worke though. They were on it from the outset with their group of schools and insisted at the time it was in line with gov ideas .

anothernamereally · 18/06/2021 09:49

Dc primary are losing 30 minutes each day due to staggered starts and finishes and all years now finish at least 15 minutes earlier than the school day used to

Yellow85 · 18/06/2021 09:51

Odd. Although I think our teachers are having ‘non contact days’ as my DCs now have a second teacher that covers one day a week. Maybe that’s the alternative to closing?

Di11y · 18/06/2021 16:29

We've got slightly staggered start and finish time so kids are losing 15 mins a day but nothing else apart from that.

Hm2020 · 18/06/2021 19:47

We are in Central London primary and it’s full time with extra curricular clubs opening up now as well I don’t think your school has a leg to stand on why can every other school manage.

Gardenwalldilema · 18/06/2021 20:49

We've got staggered start and finish time, each classes about half and hour, no child gains teaching time. Breaks have not been shortened.
Breakfast and after school clubs seem to have been scrapped, no talk of them starting back in Sept.
Other local schools are fully back up and running, I feel very disappointed in ours.

ilovebagpuss · 18/06/2021 20:57

Our primary (midlands) kicks out 15 mins earlier every day and finishes at 1 on Friday. They are stopping this at end of school year.
So 3 hours lost a week.
It’s a bit irritating but if it helps them get through I’m ok with it.
Initially it was to do with extra cleaning and time for teachers to have some time back who were covering for other Staff off and so unable to have their usual free periods etc.

FishyMcFishyfingersFace · 18/06/2021 21:57

Blimey, our school was open as much as it could be over the last 16 months. It was only closed or working on limited pupils when the government said it had to be, but I think our head would have it open 52 weeks a year if he could! The only difference has been staggered start and finish times so there are fewer people around at the same time for the drop off and pick ups, but they still get a full day in school. We've even had some after school clubs this last term.

BoxHedge · 18/06/2021 22:08

Back to normal since September, except for the lockdown closure Jan through to start of March.

There is staggering of the start and end times over a 15 min period, but each class still has the same length of day, if it starts 5 mins earlier it finishes 5 mins earlier, etc.

Parents have to wear masks and there is more of a one-way system around the school, and parents of older years have to drop off at the gate, they come in at pick-up.

Parents not invited to sports day or plays etc.