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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Last day of term

464 replies

tazmaniandevil · 13/07/2017 21:28

Why on earth does school have to close at 13:45 on the last day of term? What is the purpose of this? Confused!!!!

OP posts:
mumtomaxwell · 13/07/2017 21:46

At my school there are so many teachers leaving that we need to finish early so we have some vague hope of going home that night... The leavers' speeches are considered directed time!

Mistressiggi · 13/07/2017 21:47

Moanyoldcow thank you for the support Flowers
I'm guessing anyone on this thread complaining about the half day also benefitted from one back when they were at school.

cardibach · 13/07/2017 21:49

Definitely Maisy - which is why I didn't! :)

Why do you care OP? It's secondary so it doesn't affect you, surely? Your child can just go home.

seven201 · 13/07/2017 22:12

It's so the teachers get to listen to endless leaving speeches and have time allocated for chucking lots of stuff in the direction of the bin.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 13/07/2017 22:14

Surely any secondary aged kid would not need picking up or parents at home unless they had special needs so why would it matter?

mummyrabbitpeppapig · 13/07/2017 22:17

My dd nursery is finishing on the Thursday!

tazmaniandevil · 13/07/2017 22:20

All these reasons are opinions, can no one give me the ACTUAL reason rather than how hard all teachers work all year/ summer etc etc? 😴

OP posts:
exLtEveDallas · 13/07/2017 22:24

I'd say it was to try to stop trouble, pranks etc. All kids seem to go crazy on the last week, never mind the last day. Certainly at my last school it was like that, we had to send home a number of pupils - fixed term exclusions - for being complete idiots.

Better to let them go in that case.

LockedOutOfMN · 13/07/2017 22:27

Our school finishes at the end of the usual school day in the afternoon and we have many parents asking why we don't finish at lunchtime and others not sending their children that day or picking them up early.

user1494237944 · 13/07/2017 22:28

OP no idea - I remember I used to finish early at Christmas, Easter and July and my DC do too - historic - but no idea why. 2 of mine finish 12.15 and other 2 finish 14.00.

Emeraude · 13/07/2017 22:29

You have been given lots of reasons and now you just sound like a knob.

WaitrosePigeon · 13/07/2017 22:30
Mistressiggi · 13/07/2017 22:35

State schools need to be open for 190 days a year (or 380 sessions). You could count them up OP and see if your dc's school have had the required amount.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 13/07/2017 22:35

All these reasons are opinions, can no one give me the ACTUAL reason rather than how hard all teachers work all year/ summer etc etc?

Well my opinion is that you are being deliberately goady.

HTH

ByeByeTrain · 13/07/2017 22:37

I'm a teacher and our school finishes at 2 on the last day of each term so that we can sort and tidy the classroom.

ParadiseCity · 13/07/2017 22:40

So there is less time for kids to set off the fire alarm surely?!

tazmaniandevil · 13/07/2017 22:40

Not being goady, just fed up with any question about school being met with how hard teachers work (not disagreeing) and then being accused of teacher bashing. It's become a stick response. It was a simple question that should have a simple universal answer, that should be no need for anyone to try and justify what they do because teachers have not made this decision.

OP posts:
tazmaniandevil · 13/07/2017 22:40

Stock not stick

OP posts:
junebirthdaygirl · 13/07/2017 22:40

Same in lreland. Think its just tradition from the days when dms were at home and it made holiday time an extra special day. Probably needs to go as awkward for working parents.
But as said already the day of the holidays is hell for teachers as they are all chomping at the bit ready to be realised into glorious freedom.

Amanduh · 13/07/2017 22:42

Because the kids can't contain themselves for the whole day.. and there is so much to be done before school closes and cleaners come in etc. Believe me, the staff at my school certainly don't get to leave early - we stay later than ever moving furniture, books, setting up new classrooms, cleaning and sorting! The pub gets busy about 7pm!

Mistressiggi · 13/07/2017 22:43

they are all chomping at the bit ready to be realised into glorious freedom
^^ you are talking about the teachers, no?!

cardibach · 13/07/2017 22:45

I doubt there is any one reason though. Some schools might have discipline issues which are eased by early finish in the last day, some might have the leaving lunches PPs have mentioned (not a feature of schools I've worked in), some might do it as a treat... any number of reasons.

MaisyPops · 13/07/2017 22:48

Lots of people have already given a range of valid reasons.

  • leaving assemblies are on the morning. No point trying to do 2 afternoon lessons when the work can't and won't be marked. Rather than 2 hours of quizzes or film, we give them time off.
  • kids are ready for it
  • we don't do lots of residentials/ fun days type things like primary so breaking up 2 hours early is nice for the kids
-parents taking last days off anyway to get cheaper flights
  • it means that the staff meeting for leavers might finish before midnight (everyone knows someone who loves a big speech! Grin)
  • staff can get their rooms sorted
iamUberA · 13/07/2017 22:49

Our primary finishes early at the end of every full term, it's a nice treat for the kids and means the teachers have time to get things sorted without heading home too late.
We love the early finish and make the most of it!

cardibach · 13/07/2017 22:58

You still haven't explained why you want to know, OP?

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