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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School will be closed at lunchtime one day a week from Sept

708 replies

Ilovecranberries · 14/07/2020 09:25

The school (primary) had just informed the parents that they will be closing at lunchtime on one day a week from September to facilitate "planning".
I don't even know what to say. AIBU to think it is ridiculous? I am a single working parent, not sure how I am supposed to work around this. Extra childcare for these 3.5 hours at the local childminders rates will be £56 a week (two children here). Or two grand a year post tax. I probably will be told I am BU (I probably am), just very anxious right now.

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 14:02

but schools are not designed to facilitate working parents...they are there for the kids education and wellfare - however shocking a concept this might be!

They’ve done both things.

Or do you think parents should be hiring nannies on standby in the event of schools shutting for global pandemics?

BluebellForest836 · 14/07/2020 14:02

You can afford it. It’s shit but tough.
Schools have to be cleaned at some point in the week.

Parker231 · 14/07/2020 14:02

Not everyone has family in the U.K. or available to help out and additional childcare isn’t always easy to find.

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 14:02

Finding ad hoc childcare is harder and disproportionately affects women. Why support that?

no one is supporting anything

BUT
school partial closure has been on the cards FOR YEARS due to budget restriction and no one really cared then... because it didn't affect them.
It's amusing SOME parents just woke up when some of us have been fighting the poor school funding for year (unsuccessful fight clearly....)

AND
the current decisions are made around the pandemic, not to spite parents. Some of us would prefer the school to be closed for an afternoon a week, or even 2 days a week than being closed to their children full stop like it is right now! Still expected to work so any day would be better than no day!

DomDoesWotHeWants · 14/07/2020 14:04

School funding has been cut to the bone. At one time schools would pay supply teachers or would have a floating teacher to cover planning time.

Such has been the severity of the cuts they can't afford it any more.

If you voted Tory blame yourself.

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 14:04

Or do you think parents should be hiring nannies on standby in the event of schools shutting for global pandemics?

do I think parents should be ready to pay for alternative options when needed, because things happen (and not only global pandemics?) well, yes, how do you think people manage?

Kids are expensive, shocking. Did you just realise this?

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 14:06

You were still dismissive with ‘some people don’t like change’. It’s a stupid thing to say and incorrect. This is making life much harder for some working women it’s not about not liking change.

It’s up there with mother’s can’t stand their children and school is not childcare.

The op and anyone who is finding it anxiety inducing is reacting as you’d expect.

Original poster
Ilovecranberries · 14/07/2020 14:06

If you voted Tory blame yourself.
I do not have rights to vote in the UK, I am one of those pesky foreigners stealing native jobs. Quite a weird response.

OP posts:
FedUpAtHomeTroels · 14/07/2020 14:08

Our old school in California did this due to funding cuts and the last recession. Turned out they had been teaching plenty of extra hours so to cut every friday to school ending at noon saved a lot of money and also didn't put them below the minimum number of teaching hours required. Everyone I spoke to about it loved it (not just the kids) those who had both working parents just went onto daycare, or the granparents a couple of hours early that day.

hammeringinmyhead · 14/07/2020 14:08

The thing is, I think a lot of employers accept that schools being fully closed is/was temporary. If one specific school that one employee uses implements this permanently with 6 weeks notice, and the employer isn't willing to be flexible, there are going to be consequences.

OohKittens · 14/07/2020 14:09

Our primary in Wales has been doing this since last September. The secondary is starting it next term.

Original poster
Ilovecranberries · 14/07/2020 14:09

Kids are expensive, shocking. Did you just realise this?
No, I am an imbecile who was paying around £2.5K / month in childcare for a few years and finally hoped that those times are over.

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 14:09

Kids are expensive, shocking. Did you just realise this?

Yes kids are expensive. Which is why single parents keeping their jobs is pretty important.

Single parents being able to build a small financial cushion for financial security rather than paying every penny they earn on expensive childcare also strikes me as important. Particularly in a recessionary environment when jobs will be lost in their droves.

Those of us who actually provide for our kids ourselves are shit scared of what all this means.

Doesn’t sound like that’s a worry for you.

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 14:10

Kids are expensive, shocking. Did you just realise this?

What is with the idiotic replies on this thread.

LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 14:12

The thing is, I think a lot of employers accept that schools being fully closed is/was temporary.

Yes I agree. Employers are at the end of their limit of being flexible.

LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 14:13

What is with the idiotic replies on this thread.

It’s the point you made earlier I think. People just not bothering to engage brains.

FedUpAtHomeTroels · 14/07/2020 14:13

Surely this is a gap in the market, before and after school care?
I'm sure there will be a few enterprising parents out there who will open before and after school care. I used to do it, I picked up my two and four others after school, we did snack homework and all kids gone by 6pm.
I didn't do holidays.

RedToothBrush · 14/07/2020 14:14

@BluebellForest836

You can afford it. It’s shit but tough. Schools have to be cleaned at some point in the week.
Except its not about cleaning.

Its about funding.

Bobbybobbins · 14/07/2020 14:14

This is really difficult but it is not the school's fault. It is not the parents' fault either.

Government guidelines are clear about bubbles in schools, staff not crossing them and cleaning guidelines. Regardless of what is going on in the playground after school or on buses, schools have no choice in this.

My school (large secondary) has just released its guidelines for staff which involve massive upheaval for children, parents and staff. And we are a can-do school where the leadership are trying their utmost to get all the children in as much as possible and even then it means staggered starts and finishes, losing lesson time etc.

I have two children at two different special schools who are also going to have staggered starts etc and we cannot use childcare as no one would have them.

Personally I am angry at the government response. Earlier shut down would have meant fewer issues to deal with now.

hammeringinmyhead · 14/07/2020 14:16

@LaurieMarlow

The thing is, I think a lot of employers accept that schools being fully closed is/was temporary.

Yes I agree. Employers are at the end of their limit of being flexible.

Indeed. My last boss was lovely, but he didn't have children, so would have no reason to think about childcare other than seeing that the news says "Nurseries are open" or "Schools go back on X June". Each and every employee saying that ok, nursery was open but could only offer 3 days a week, or that after-school club was now only doing Tuesday to Thursday, and so on... it just makes you look like a "complicated" employee.
JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 14:16

You were still dismissive with ‘some people don’t like change’. It’s a stupid thing to say and incorrect. This is making life much harder for some working women it’s not about not liking change.

this is making life much harder for working PARENTS - I don't know any working parent who find anything remotely easier, but let's stop pretending it's a mother issue either.

I am not dismissive, but my original reply was to the poster sniggering at teachers "on holiday AGAIN" and I pointed out that they are not paid for said holiday for a start

But yes it's hard, but it's hard all the time. Welcome to the real world of parenting.

LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 14:17

I'm sure there will be a few enterprising parents out there who will open before and after school care.

Problem is that this stuff is heavily regulated at the minute, for good reason.

I agree that more ad hoc solutions need to be found, but guidance on practicalities like insurance, payment, child protection will be needed before entrepreneurial parents can take up the slack without exposing themselves to significant risks.

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 14:18

LaurieMarlow

Those of us who actually provide for our kids ourselves are shit scared of what all this means.

Doesn’t sound like that’s a worry for you.

I am not on relying on benefit but on my full-time salary if that was your question, so yes, I do provide for my kids myself Hmm

Wheresthebiffer2 · 14/07/2020 14:18

We're in the Highlands (Scotland) and it's normal here, schools close before lunch on Fridays. People manage. It's only a shock and horror if your school/region has never done this, but once you're used to it, everyone just gets on with it.

ParisianLady · 14/07/2020 14:18

I'd be pissed off too, and I can't see why the OP is getting such a hard time.

Clearly it's really frustrating that the timetable is being changed to such an extent. And yes she can try to find solutions, but she's allowed to be irritated.

This will impact her children's education and have a big dent in her financial situation.

OP I wouldn't discount a play date type arrangement, worth a quick message on the class WhatsApp before you rule it out. Otherwise do you have a babysitter that could do it for less than the childminder?

Or even could you move schools? Extreme but if this is a problem that's ongoing for years maybe worth looking at as a long term option?