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

[Ilovecranberries]

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.

[Africa2go]

Its also not the same as lacking wraparound - that is still hard, but not on par with school closing at 1, when many working parents would only have got into the office at or after 9am following dropoff

I get that, I know its not the same, but if you've previously used breakfast club (dropping at say 8am to get to work in the city for 9pm) and then picked up from after school club at say 5pm (leaving at 4), you've been able to do, say, 9-4pm 5 days a week. If there's no wraparound care and you're having to drop/collect at 9am and 3pm, your working hours are suddenly 10-2pm. That's actually going to have a bigger impact on your role than doing "normal" hours Mon-Thurs, but having to leave at say 12 one day a week, rather than 4pm.

[Ilovecranberries]

If you think you will get childcare I’d ask quickly as if you really do need it it will fill fast.
I know, I already booked places and paid the deposit. Now I can't even bitch about it because I am not starving as a result

[TinyTear]

@TeenPlusTwenties

demented In Edinburgh a lot of bigger businesses (at least used to) close at 1pm Friday too.

If everyone closes at 1pm how does it help getting from office to school?

[MarshaBradyo]

Cranberries you do not have a bad attitude, you clearly have a good one and provide for your family. This change is hard on you.

[LaurieMarlow]

Now I can't even bitch about it because I am not starving as a result

It’s so depressing to see the amount of people who expect women to put up and shut up in the face of all this.

The Tories are pushing at an open door.

[steppemum]

lots of local primary school do this, they shut at 1:30 on Friday, and have a longer working day Mon-Thursday.
Lots of local childminders take extra kids on Friday, and there is an after school club, but it is a pain if you work full time.

[LaurieMarlow]

Second what marsha said.

Wantinv to provide for your children is now apparently a bad thing. Ffs.

[EvilPea]

So what do you want the schools to do?
How do you want this solved within the guidelines?

[Ilovecranberries]

How come they do so long outside each day? Is this the same at every school? Genuine question, I'm a grandma trying to understand issues faced by parents of younger children so I can help my neighbours (grandchildren are too far away for me to help frequently, or regularly).
Not usually, now I think it is just a result of the children being off from the playgrounds for a couple of months (they have just opened) + many parents on furlough with free time. Very admirable intentions, I am sure you will be in high demand and your neighbours will be eternally grateful. My parents are in a different country, the children are really missing "granny time".

[Cheeseislife2020]

A school near us is doing this, to make it worse it’s not going to be the same day every week. Completely un-plannable. Tbh I think registering as a child minder would be a good idea these days - parents are desperate!

[Jellycatspyjamas]

You can complain as much as you like, in your OP though you says you were becoming anxious - I’m not clear what the anxiety is about. You need additional childcare, you’ve sourced and can afford additional childcare, you’ve said it’ll impact your holiday plans which is shit, but life is a bit shit sometimes. What’s your anxiety about?

[Gogogadgetarms]

YANBU OP. I’m a SAHM and it would annoy me!
I would ask on the WhatsApp group if anyone wanted company for their child on that afternoon, if your child would be happy with that because I wouldn’t mind having one of my DD’s friends over to help kill the afternoon.

[tiredanddangerous]

Dds primary are doing this on Fridays so that they can "deep clean". I've emailed to ask why they can't just start their deep clean at 3.15 when the kids have left, but no response as yet

[Ilovecranberries]

What’s your anxiety about?
Mainly about not having any financial security, and it had really hit me in the face this morning. I had just finished paying off childcare debts incurred during the preschool years, and was hoping now for some sort of financial recovery. That's all.

[MarshaBradyo]

A school near us is doing this, to make it worse it’s not going to be the same day every week.

This is crazy. Finding changing ad hoc cc is such a pain (I switched to ft as it was far easier). This would be maddening.

[notthemum]

Cheeseislife.
Unfortunately it's not that easy to register as a childminder. It takes a lot of form filling, legal checks, courses and briefings to attend either at the weekends or in the evenings, Ofsted want to come out and visit your home. There is also the cost to your home life and family and of course the costs involved to set up are not cheap.

[Frazzled2207]

some schools round here are definitely doing it but there is some kind of (fairly cheap in most cases) arrangement going on with the after school club. Where the children will no doubt mix which therefore kind of defeats the point but at least the parents don't have to rush back.

[LaurieMarlow]

God forbid that a single mother with two children depending on her would want to build a small cushion rather than live hand to mouth. The cheek of her.

[Loveinatimeofcovid]

Schools aren’t childcare.

[Frazzled2207]

what annoys me most about this - and also the staggered start/finish times and the difficulties facing wraparound care for the next academic yea - is that is disproportionately affects women. Especially single mothers who I really feel for (luckily DH will be able to do some of the pick ups and drop offs, leaving me to deal with the majority).

[NotGenerationAlpha]

I thought that's becoming quite common. I know my children's teacher aren't in their class one day a week and is covered by another teacher. To save that money, or like now, to not break the bubbles, all the teachers will be doing this PPA at the same time. You'll have to pay for childcare. It's at the same time so your childminder can cover it. If it's staggered with different classes at different time, it'll be a bigger nightmare for everyone.

[EachDubh]

It's hard to compare Scotland and England. In England it is more complex to change the school week whereas the school week is not prescribed in Scotland in the same way.
If cuts to education continue though 4 5 day weeks may become more common as schools can't afford non class contact cover.
As parents we need to stand up and demand better for our children. To only moan when it hits our pockets or puts us out won't tackle thebdeeper issues which will impact us all far more in the future.
If we value education we need to pay for it and change the system that relies on freebies from people.
Op, hopefully it will only be short term and i understand the stress and worry that it causes. Hopefully you will manage.
I hope that this will give us all a warning of what may happen in education if funding isn't improved. Less time in school, less wrap around care and less offered across the school year. 😕

[Chardonnay73]

I hear you op. Our school had the most shambolic ‘consultation’ ( pre covid )to finish 20 minutes earlier at 2.40. The parents were up in arms about it, yet it still got pushed through.
I’m having to change my contract to start earlier to make up my hours thereby needing childcare in the morning where I previously had no need. I think it’s been really badly handled but they don’t seem to care so we just have to suck it up it seems 🤷‍♀️

[TimeWastingButFun]

My son's school closes from 1pm on a Friday every week and have done for ages. I think it's becoming the norm around here. Not quite so bad at the end of the week, but it must be a nightmare for parents having to collect at lunch time midweek then return. Unless as others have said yo7 get a little babysitting group together, the kids would enjoy that too, so you'd only have to take off half a day once a month.