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.

Pre-Covid there were lots of schools who were planning or had already set a policy of closing early on a Friday. This was all to do with a lack of funding and the school budget being that severely squeezed they had no option but to do so.

Our school is a reasonably well off school - but only due to the generousity of the parents. In terms of what it recieved based on pupils and local authorities, its gets one of the lowest amounts per pupil in the country.

Covid has brought some real funding issues as a direct result. To begin with, one of the issues at our school that the TAs had a set contracted hours. They already worked extra during the holidays when they were supposed to be off at Easter and Whit. The school then was left with a problem that they didn't have the money to pay staff for over time and had to give them back some of the extra hours they had built up because thats what they are contracted to. The teachers were on a different contract so not as problematic, but the school is so dependent on the TAs - especially due to the pandemic - that they had no choice but to close early on Fridays.

The school has been unable to hold its normal fundraising efforts to plug the gap in the budget, so the next financial year is going to be really tough for the school ESPECIALLY since covid has put such pressures on working parents who have struggled to find alternative childcare arrangements to the wrap around childcare they rely on. Many have also lost jobs or may be about to or may be forced to quit because they can no longer cope with all the jungling.

That means fundraising is going to be much much tougher going forward as theres less money in people's pockets and parents can't afford to be as generous.

The school is highly likely to get very little in the way of 'catch up' funding too.

So its overall going to feel the pinch a lot harder than others. There was already talk of them losing a TA before covid due to the budget.

So right at the time when the school faces more of a need for extra staff and extra resources its simply not going to have it.

I can see other schools in other areas, having similar problems to varying degrees. And we have no idea what the autumn and winter will bring us in terms of the outbreak and the demands put on schools / what pressures local closures might bring.

I suspect that 'temporary' school closures on a Friday afternoon, will become the permanent norm, as the schools have very little choice and no meaningful additional funding to mitigate the effects of 6 months at home.

No one has yet worked this out and the long term impact that will mean in terms of social change. Its not something that will be positive for child, schools or parents alike.

Is your kids father around to help?
No.

@Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches

I wonder why they can’t put it at the beginning or end of the day?

What do you mean by this?

Are you suggesting teachers have their 10% ‘non-contact‘ PPA time before or after the children are actually in school?

I feel for you OP. I think that situation is bullshit, to do with finding and a pp was right: it will impact women disproportionately.

Great post from @RedToothBrush above.

@Atadaddicted

** Why not question what the actual fuck the government are doing to support schools than point out the differences in a privately funded school and one funded by a Tory austerity policies?**

I don’t believe it’s just money though
Money will play a part
But I think it’s more about drive. The staff at my son’s private are paid only marginally better than state. And they were furloughed.
Not so for the state.

Yet their drive to educate the children and get them back was forceful and contrasted with the state school very obviously.

There's a whole lot of bollocks in this response.

So, if I delayed my child from starting school until the term they turned 5 then I could continue to claim the 30 hours 3/4 year old funding to send my child to a childminder whilst I work, however, if my child starts school in September I give up my entitlement to the 3/4 year old funding but will end up having to pay out for additional childcare to accommodate the fact the school will be closing early every week! Doesn't seem right.

We should follow the French system: longer days during the week, and Wednesdays off (at least in Primary)

that worked so much better, and it makes wraparound childcare a lot easier.

I'm a teacher and disagree with the school is not childcare debate. It's primary function isn't childcare but schools serve the communities they are in and a secondary function is to allow families to be healthy work and flourish.
We are all interconnected and if my school doesn't have wraparound care or closes early then I can't get in to teach your kids in my school so I see where you are coming from.
However as a teacher we need to have our protected non teaching time to function. If my school had to close because of it I would offer my time for free...but actually I would be working unpaid which would be much more then you would pay for childcare.
I get you're pissed off and think it healthy to get it off your chest and have a moan but I think maybe keep it in perspective. If your only fall out from this is that you have to find an afternoon of childcare for 2 kids I think you have done pretty well. My other half has lost his job which puts us down about £50,000 per annum. Hopefully he won't be out of work long but it's a massive worry. We won't be just not going on holiday for a year but may lose out house if he doesn't pick something up within 6 months. It's not a race of whose been most badly affected but I think if you can afford the childcare and would just have to sacrifice a holiday it's not that bad is it? I feel worried for the impact on this on those who may have to give up work and face real financial hardship as a result. Think that you are entitled to a moan, that it's inconvenient to you but could potentially have more serious consequences for others.

@Gwynfluff

School is for education, not childcare - lots of people seem to forget that

Schools were set up to serve societal needs (timing of summer holidays in UK reflecting need for pupils to help with harvests when the population was still more mixed rural and industrial urban, and then stopped the education at 14 to feed them into factories etc.

It's why Ofsted have looked for wraparound care as good practise for the last 10 years.

They are not standalone institutions and tax payers fund them.

If you don't have a well structured school system, you will disproportionately impact women.

@Gwynfluff perfectly put - I'm going to use this response in RL!

and also the staggered start/finish times and the difficulties facing wraparound care for the next academic year

This is such a joke for our secondary. The kids all come on school trsnsport from villages etc. So they will arrive at the same time, and hang around outside school!

Think that you are entitled to a moan, that it's inconvenient to you but could potentially have more serious consequences for others.
If this would make you feel better, I am on a performance review already for the excessive leave-taking during the lockdown. And, unfortunately, cannot afford 6 months to pick up another job. Yes, this is an additional "inconvenience" I could really do without.

Good post @wanderlove

It’s a massive pain in the arse they are doing this and have closed down wrap around care.

For years the line has been - ‘get back in to work, contribute to society, if your on benefits your a leech blah blah’

So women ( because men we already free to skip off to work uninterrupted) juggled life, found jobs and structured their life around schools hours as because children had to be in school. House hold financial situations were built on the structure that children would be in school.

Now when school closed, wrap around care is closed, schools are shutting early when they go back the line is - ‘school is not child care, swop working hours so you can have five kids around for a weekly play and eat pizza’

It’s not good enough. This will and is already ready causing women to leave work and put their family’s in financial stress.

My friend started work one week before lock down, she was furloughed then when they were allowed back she couldn’t get in to work because the schools were shut to her child’s age. She had to have an honest chat with her boss about when she would be able to come back which will be September as there are no holiday clubs her child can attend and change her hours as wrap around care has gone and does not have family that can commit. Surprise surprise she has now been made redundant.

It’s not fucking on. And it’s does not help when other women who are clearly stay at home mothers who are financially ok making you feel like it’s an problem to look after your own kids, it’s way more bigger than that.

oh poor you, you might not be able to go on holiday. cry me a river. teachers havent even had a week off during this whole thing. and you're begrudging them time to plan lessons? get a grip op. most parents will be in the same boat.

the harvest holiday is a myth, school holidays were mainly started in city centres to allow the middle-class to have a summer holiday... and rightly so!

This is ridiculous. How are people meant to keep their jobs. Bubbles aren’t going to work. When my DT’s were at school they got the tube each day as did many of their friends. Little chance to socially distancing there.

teachers havent even had a week off during this whole thing

Neither has anyone else. But teachers are about to launch into their six weeks. I think the OP has more cause to complain than you. Plus she has the worry of potentially losing her job, which isn’t a big concern for teachers.

Can’t believe idiots still post - “school is for education and not childcare’

How are people meant to keep their jobs.
the same way that many people already work: they rely heavily on free family childcare. Maybe some people will stop being so smug and vile towards SAHM who have been abused on this forum when they stated they physically could not get a job.

I fully admit that I use my sisters and friends heavily for childcare and would be a hell of an hypocrite if I was dismissing SAHM that I rely on!

Child-minders are going to be highly in demand, clubs might open and offer different hours.

People will just cope the same way they always have. Some people just don't like change, and it's all temporary anyway.

either has anyone else. But teachers are about to launch into their six weeks.

you do know that teachers are NOT PAID for these 6 weeks don't you?
Maybe the OP can take unpaid leave too?

Can’t believe idiots still post - “school is for education and not childcare’

can't believe idiots still confuse school with childcare providers and don't understand that, of course, we all use the school hours when planning our lives, 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!

Some people just don't like change, and it's all temporary anyway.

Ridiculous and dismissive.

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

Maybe the OP can take unpaid leave too?

If you read all her posts, you’ll see why she can’t.

Loads of people would love to have some unpaid leave right now without impacting job security. Unfortunately not an option.

Maybe the OP can take unpaid leave too?
Actually, I cannot. I took four weeks already during the lockdown, this is the allowed maximum.

I think OP is getting some unfair responses here. Just because it won't make her homeless, she should just be grateful? Our school has stopped wrap around care for KS1. No, it isn't the end of the world for us as luckily we are still able to WFH but it still isn't fair either. Enployers good will is running out (some didn't have much in the first place, sounds like OP might have had one of those) and I think we are all entitled to be pissed off that we're having to juggle now more than ever. I'm not saying it is the schools fault but I think it is fine to be pissed off as a result.