To think the timing of these governors' meetings isn't family-friendly?

[Rolf]

I'm a governor at my children's school. The school day finishes at 3.15 and the meetings are at 3.45. Sometimes I get can my girls into after-school club, sometimes I can't. Even if I can, it's still really difficult for me to get to the meetings. I have 2 other children who are at secondary school. They finish at 4.15 and get home about 4.30. I think they are a bit young to let themselves into the house on their own (they are 13 and 11). If they have an after-school activity at school, they need to be collected at 5.15. Those evenings are the easiest as I can put the girls in out of school club and leave the meeting at 5pm to get the older children.

My DH can't get home for 3.30. The girl who babysits for us from time to time generally can't babysit that early - she's still at college at that time. On evenings when she's available she could come at 6.30, after they've all had supper, and put the younger children to bed. So the best meeting time for me would be 6.45.

AIBU to think that 3.45 is a ridiculous time to have governors' meetings? Or am I assuming the world revolves around me and my children? I'm a bit sensitive about having no childcare backup - my parents aren't around and my DH works long hours, so it's a genuine question. Other school governors - what time are your meetings?

Dare I suggest that your 11 and 13yr old are perfectly old enough to be in for an hour without an adult? I can quite see you might not want them to do that every night as they may feel they aren't " welcomed home" in the way you'd want them too etc, but actually they do need to learn baby steps to independence.

could you see if they would cycle it - 3.45 every other meeting, later every other meeting?

This is an issue here too. Meetings are held at all sorts of times: 8.30/9am, 1.30pm, 3.45pm, 6pm... the problem is, there is no one time that suits everyone. 3.45 is the least child friendly though I would say!

The previous school where I was a governor held all meetings at 6.30/7pm. It was much easier.

Could you arrange for your dcs to go to a friend's house?

Previous primary school I was a parent governor at the meetings were 3:45. At my daughters school the meetings are at 6.30.

I'm a governor at a special school and we have our meetings during the school day!

At my DD's school everything was held at about 8pm as we were in commuter belt and 99% of children from 2 parent families with one parent nearly always working and often two.

It did strike me that it was very difficult for the 1 parent families though, or for the families where a parent usually worked away from home.

Although after school club is expensive it is probably less than an evening babysitter for those who don't have someone who can cover in the evenings at home. On the other hand my view would be that children can be loitering somewhere - certainly once they are past Reception age, rather than have to be in the after school club (paid for).

13 & 11 is plenty old enough to let themselves in tbh.

No time is a good time but at least you have after school care for the littlies so in your case I can't really see the problem.

Usually later meetings would be when governors have a day job & therefore can pnly get at 6.30/7.00

Theas18 yes. I can see I'm being a bit precious about that .

Dewdrop there are 4 children and I don't always have access to the car, so juggling them being at friends' houses would just be another layer of complication!

Snowsquonk I don't really mind paying for childcare. I certainly couldn't bring myself to accept money from the school's budget. But it would be nice if it was offered, and even nicer if I felt my family's timetable counted for something.

Cwtches when I volunteered I just assumed the meetings would be at a manageable time, either during the school day or in the evening. It didn't even occur to me that they would be at such a daft time. During the school day would suit me beautifully but I can see that it would be v difficult for governors who are out at work during the day.

The problem with meetings during the school day is that you automatically disbar most working parents and thus the governing body becomes rather unrepresentative. I'm not sure what the idea time is - our local school has their meetings at 7.30 and this didn't seem to cause problems when I was Clerk to the Governors - but in your case I wouldn't be worrying about childcare for a 13 and an 11 year old. Letting themselves into their own house a couple of times a term is exactly the sort of independence they should be encouraged to have.

In my case school time meetings are actually a plus for the parent governers, none of us work, and due to the care needs of our children we would struggle to do after school as childcare for disabled children is not easy to come by!

Every school is different and it is unusual to have a time that pleases eveyone.

I was a school governor, and meetings would vary depending on who was on that particular sub committee. Those sub committees I was on, were all evening meetings, 6:30 to about 8pm.

Full governing body was a 6:30 start, and some committees were in school hours (eg a H&S walk around), or straight after school. We varied it to ensure that we all had the chance to play a part.

I would pay good money for our governing body meetings to be at 3.45pm. The poor teaching staff will have to stay for the 7pm meeting tomorrow night, which will take two hours at least. The bulk of our governing body is made up of retired people, who outvote us all when the subject of changing the meeting times to an earlier hour, or even alternating the times. But no. They bring wine and nibbles and have a high old time because they have nothing better to do. Hey ho.

I would like to point out that employers have to give employees time off to attend school governors meetings in the same way as jury service etc

I agree with everyone else that an 11 and 13 yr old should be perfectly capable of letting themselves in. My Yr6 does, regularly, and had done occasionally since Yr5.

Have you thought about suggesting changing the times on a rolling basis - 1st one at 8am, next one at 4pm, next one at 6.30 ? That way, everyone should be able to make one or two of them, and it's not so bad just missing the 3rd. I don't think it's fair on the HT, teacher and staff representatitves to ask them to wait until 7pm or 7.30pm to start the meetings, when they are likelt to have already been there 12 hours before the meeting even starts.

I'd never be able to go to meetings at 3.45 - worst possible time of day if you have a job, an OH with a job, and primary school age children. Our meetings start at 6.15. (And sometimes go on too long...) I'd be trying to change the time if I were you. And would definitely make the point about equal opps.

surely is a meeting is at 7.30pm the head is not waiting around plenty of time unless living hours away to go home and back which is what everyone else at meeting has to do

All the HTs I've worked for, I've never known one go home and come back.

I think its a sensible time and it seems to suit everyone else. I can see why people wouldnt want to go home to come back for 7pm. At an earlier time its done and dusted and everyone can get on with their lives evening. And i personally think your children are probably (hard to say without knowing them) old enough to let themselves in the house.

School things round here are ridiculous. Especially at primary level. The timings and attitude are all aimed at people who don't work. Then they complain that parents aren't involved. Er, no they won't be if you schedule meetings at 3pm while they are at work!

Exactly, DrCoconut.

school day is that you automatically disbar most working parents and thus the governing body becomes rather unrepresentative thats ridiculous, there are plenty of people who dont work full time 9-5, on our governing body we have an education advisor, someone who analyses stuff for NHS, the chair is and accountant and so on and we dont have to schedule meetings for 7/8pm!

our meetings are usually 1-3 or 4.30pm, childcare is paid for if with a registered childcare service like childminder etc, babysitters and so on wouldnt be paid, they help us find childminders if we need one.

I would like meetings at 3.45 as I wouldnt have to walk the mile home and back again!

I'm Chair on two GB's. My main one is an inner city high, and we meet at 6pm for FGB, 4.30pm for committees, exclusions etc. All my governors go out to work, and sometimes 6 pm feels too early, but it's only 3 times a year for full governors meetings, so I think they work around this, especially as I set the dates for the full academic year in September.
My second school is a new free school, and for our first meeting we met at 10am. Lots of the governors couldn't attend, and we're relying on workplaces giving time off. I have always worked part time, as school takes up so much time, so I tend to arrange meetings around the days I don't work. I realise I am privileged to be able to do this, but am interested in Wilshaw's comments about paying governors, as it can be a massive time commitment!

Ours are usually 4pm Of it was any later school staff wouldn't volunteer to be governors etc. they have usually been in school since 8am and the meetings go on for a couple of hours. Then they have to go home and plan lessons etc