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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:
MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:04

Monday yes if they give the full contact time, it’s different.

Op have they said other hours will change to make up?

Original poster
Ilovecranberries · 14/07/2020 22:06

Op have they said other hours will change to make up?
No, the other hours stay as they were before (with the exception of staggered starts and finishes).

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:11

I’m not sure how they’re doing this. It must be less than required. No idea what happens if it is however.

RedToothBrush · 14/07/2020 22:11

To all the single mums out there, struggling and juggling and driving themselves crazy with stress and pushing themselves to the brink of sanity, where are the fathers??

There are sadly far too many cases where the father not being actively involved in the care of their children is for the physical and mental well being of the child or children concerned.

What do you suggest single mothers in this situation actually do?

Your shouting is rooted firmly in the idea that it's possible for both parents to be involved.

Where there is a problem is in terms of child maintenance not being paid and failure to enforce this lies strictly with government rather than single mothers.

I don't know how you expect women to force their former partners to cough up without assistance and support from society and the state.

Why is it always the fault of mothers and not the failure of the state or fathers?

Original poster
Ilovecranberries · 14/07/2020 22:11

@mondaywine
I can't see how 35 hours of contact time are possible on this schedule. It looks like 5.5 hours a day for 4 days and 3 on the fifth day - so 25 in total?

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 22:13

Can someone please explain to me how needing schools to deliver on hours promised so that she can go to work represents the OP ‘failing to take responsibility’ for her children?

What do people actually want from her? To quit her job and claim benefit? Leave the children alone?

Because until very recently these would have been seen as less responsible, not more. I am honestly baffled by this line of argument.

LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 22:15

I don't know how you expect women to force their former partners to cough up without assistance and support from society and the state.

And apparently CM payments are even less enforceable than usual (lol) because of CV pressure on the system. Hmm

LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 22:17

There should be others: health care visitors, social workers, mental healthcare workers etc.

The OP doesn’t need any of these to educate her children on a Friday afternoon though.

RedToothBrush · 14/07/2020 22:17

@LaurieMarlow

Can someone please explain to me how needing schools to deliver on hours promised so that she can go to work represents the OP ‘failing to take responsibility’ for her children?

What do people actually want from her? To quit her job and claim benefit? Leave the children alone?

Because until very recently these would have been seen as less responsible, not more. I am honestly baffled by this line of argument.

I kind of see keeping a roof over your kids heads and food on the table as taking responsibility.

Making changing to school hours to the point where you can no longer work doing that job thus endangering food and shelter and risking homelessness as the state not prioritising the well being of children rather than it being the failure of mothers.

RedToothBrush · 14/07/2020 22:18

@LaurieMarlow

I don't know how you expect women to force their former partners to cough up without assistance and support from society and the state.

And apparently CM payments are even less enforceable than usual (lol) because of CV pressure on the system. Hmm

Quite...
LaurieMarlow · 14/07/2020 22:21

I kind of see keeping a roof over your kids heads and food on the table as taking responsibility.

Well that’s always what I thought too.

But this isn’t the first thread on here where ‘taking responsibility’ seems to be interpreted as being at home 24/7 and providing for them with magic fairy dust or something.

Nat6999 · 14/07/2020 22:32

If the government don't want parents to see schools as childcare, then they should make it economically viable for one parent to not work, either through bringing back tax credits for all or increasing child benefit to more than the paltry amount it is now. Too many parents end up spending all of one wage on childcare, more often than not this is the woman. Women are let down in so many ways when they become parents, even more so if they are single parents by this government.

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 22:43

f the government don't want parents to see schools as childcare, then they should make it economically viable for one parent to not work

of course not, it doesn't have to be one or the other.

Keep the school for education, organised in the best interest of the children as they are, or should be, designed for. Enough with the overcrowded classes, lack of funding, of resources, of teachers and so on. Enough as well with the "summer holidays are too long, kids should be at school 50 weeks a year" Hmm

ALSO focus on wrap-around care and childcare provisions. Working parents still work during the Christmas holiday, Easter, summer holidays, often weekends. You don't expect school to stay open then. Other countries manage to have so many more offers available and not only during summer.

Confusing school with childcare is a recipe for disaster, we can see it right now!

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:46

Keep the school for education

Yes keep it for full time education as stated and all is fine. Don’t randomly decrease hours below what is to be provided. That’s all

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 22:52

Don’t randomly decrease hours below what is to be provided.

it's not really random though, is it. We are in the middle of a pandemic and exceptional circumstances. We have also allowed things to be at breaking point so now.. they are breaking.

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:53

Janice the government clearly states full time education must be provided past September.

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:55

It is the school failing to meet what is expected not the op.

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 22:56

define full-time education.

how does an average of more than 12 hours per week work out...

lozster · 14/07/2020 22:57

@Ilovecranberries geez, I only read to page 5 and I’m Confused at some of the responses. I’m sorry you are having to deal with this. No wonder your energy is low. And yes, the school is unreasonable IMHO. Like a PP there is a pregnant pause from my child’s school in announcing arrangements for next term and I’m just waiting for this to be shoe horned in to cope with ‘unprecedented times’ (god how I loathe that phrase) and then never removed...

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 22:58

It was defined below twice in terms of hours (35) and sessions (you can scroll)

JaniceWebster · 14/07/2020 23:02

as cutting out days or half days is hardly a new concept, pretty sure it was never against the rules, even if they had to be changed at some point. 🤷

I also remember the very strong suggestions of only accepting children part-time, and basically dividing the scholsl in 2 so everybody had fair and same access. That was pre-pandemic! I genuinely don't know if that has ever been put in place anywhere, but I would be surprised if that threat has completely disappear.

There wasn't much complaints then unfortunately.

FortniteBoysMum · 14/07/2020 23:04

I'm currently trying to work out how to get my son to school for 8.55 - 9.05 when I start work at 8.45. No breakfast club when school starts. Only took my job in December because he had a place from 8.15. Can't leave him outside school as will end up mixing with others as has ASD so will not keep his distance. Working parents are being screwed over. Can't have wrap around care in school because it means mixing bubbles.

ineedaholidaynow · 14/07/2020 23:04

As a school governor we have a meeting late in August to review and agree the risk assessments and plans put in place for schools to open in September. This is hopefully late enough to take into account any further guidance from Government eg possibility of masks, changes in level of virus in local area.

Obviously schools are writing the plans etc now, but they will be subject to change.

MarshaBradyo · 14/07/2020 23:04

When Johnson announces school is to be full time I’d say it’s clear every school should do standard school hours.

If it was so easy to get out of it you’d see bad schools leaping on cutting hours.

RedToothBrush · 14/07/2020 23:07

@JaniceWebster

as cutting out days or half days is hardly a new concept, pretty sure it was never against the rules, even if they had to be changed at some point. 🤷

I also remember the very strong suggestions of only accepting children part-time, and basically dividing the scholsl in 2 so everybody had fair and same access. That was pre-pandemic! I genuinely don't know if that has ever been put in place anywhere, but I would be surprised if that threat has completely disappear.

There wasn't much complaints then unfortunately.

Maybe not, but its generally not done without some considerable consultation with parents, lead time so parents can make other arrangements and time to set up viable alternative arrangements so that parents can manage the change more smoothly.

In this situation, the problem is not just the change in hours, but also the lack of ability to make alternative plans combined with a massive economic crunch.

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