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AIBU?

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:

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Cookiecrisps · 19/07/2020 15:07

The issues faced in education will affect many people in other sectors directly and indirectly as parents but also as employers. This is why I agree with the Op that early closing is going to be hard for parents and children (e.g. by children having reduced break and lunch times on all the other days to cram lessons in and parents trying to source and pay for childcare.) I honestly think schools don’t want to do it but the budget is so tight and even tighter now with the ongoing costs of enhanced cleaning and materials as well as other costs incurred during lockdown such as paying for remote learning IT programmes which can run into the thousands, cutting the school day shorter every Friday is the best option they have. The only positive I see about this situation is that it has shone a spotlight on the disparity between what schools are required to provide and the government funding given to them.

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Parker231 · 19/07/2020 15:19

It’s another issue which has been highlighted during Covid as to how much more money needs to be pumped into education and healthcare. Not necessarily to improve both services but to just get them back to a good starting point.

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gooseberrycake · 19/07/2020 16:41

I'm not a teacher, by the way, and I've been working my arse off all through lockdown (lucky to have a job, I know). But I do know lots of teachers. Some have been working massively hard, others less than usual. But my point is that a) there is a big disparity in hours worked during this time, b) some teachers have spent lots of time doing CPD and other work-related stuff - maybe non-essential, but still work, and c) even those who have spent a bit of time sitting on their arses probably won't have been asked to keep a record of hours worked. So it's totally impractical now to say that teachers should work additional hours in September for no extra pay, to make up for reduced hours in lockdown. That's what I mean by water under the bridge.

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GeorgianaD · 21/07/2020 22:24

My goodness, some people are quite literally never off Mumsnet. One poster in particular posted all day on this thread, from early morning to late at night. Cannot think where she finds the time to do so.