If your workplace let you change/adapt hours to suit school what hours do you do??

[sillysausages123]

Posting for traffic really. Just that... if your workplace let you change/adapt your hours to suit school pick up etc then what hours do you do? I need to do 39hours to make it full time. My dh can do drop offs but not pick up as his hours aren't flexible.

I often had one later finish (5:30-6) but those days were gruelling (7:30-6).

7:00 - 2:30? Assuming you have a half hour lunch.

If you could afford a few nights a week for a childminder then you could also do a few long days early in the week. and then taper down at the end of the week?

Monday 7-7
Tuesday 7-7
Wed, Thursday, Friday, 8:30-2:30

I always used an after school club, but did compressed hours for 3.5 days.

You legally have to have a 20 minute break once you've worked 6 hours so skipping your lunch break won't work. Presumably you have someone who can do the morning run? 7 - 2.50 with a 20 min break just about gets you to 7 hours a day. I assume your commute's short so sounds workable if your workplace is amenable and you don't mind getting up very early!

Don't forget school holidays. Will you be able to do the same pattern?

Oh you're expected to do a 39 hour week? Well it's not possible. Unless you start at 6.15am?

Can't you reduce your hours slightly?

My break time is included in my workday. I normally have a breakfast break (paid) and a lunch break (unpaid) Ah, sorry I know I'm drip feeding, I'm just thinking out loud to be honest. I love my job so I don't want to reduce hours. My hours used to be 8.00-4.30 mon-thurs and finish at 3.30 on a fri with 2 breaks. I can do one break and essentially it would be 7- 3 each day and 7-2 on a Friday but the dc finish at 3 so then I would late every day except Friday. I'm thinking if I finish at 2.50 every day then that makes 39ish...😫

Can you not continue working when you're back from the school run?

That's what every working parent I know has done. After a full days learning my kids are ready to rest and unwind.

sillysausages123 Why do you get a breakfast break? You don’t start that early?

You can’t plan to be late 4 days a week, it’s not fair to the teacher or your DC, you’ll need to use some childcare. In which case you might as well use a full session a couple of time a week and work longer days those days to allow shorter days on other days.

It’s not really possible to do a 39 hour working week and do all pick ups without either using some childcare or making up the working time in the evening or weekends.

You also need to plan for holidays unless you have a term time only contract.

You might have to drop it to 38 or 37 if they'll let you? Would they even let you start at 7?

@titchy 7-2.50 in my workplace is considered 7 hours and 50mins they don't deduct for break for my morning break. So it would be 39 hours and 16 mins if I'm right?

@MadeOfStarStuff yes I'm aware of that, that's why I said I can't do that

@MuddleMoo yes I can start at 7

@Dustyhedge everyone in my workplace gets a breakfast break...it's just the way they do it.

Do you know any other parents at the school you can do a childcare swap with if you can't afford after school care? Quite a few parents I know do this to allow for more flexible working. One parent does pick up and has the kids one day, the other the next. That way you can do some longer days and make up your hours that way.

Or a childminder, or are there after school clubs not based in the school you can use for a day or two? Bonus of a childminder is you then have childcare for the holidays.

I work 9.15am to 2.45pm so do all drop offs and pick ups and don't need any childcare. I am very lucky

@MadeOfStarStuff school holidays I will use a mix of my leave and dh's leave and sports clubs etc. (Talking non covid here)
This is all to start in September.

Right now my dMum Takes them after school but although she hasn't mentioned anything I can tell she is tired and I want to take the load off of her.

Would you have any flex to use your breakfast break in a different way? It does seem a bit unusual . Compression could work well for you if your mum would perhaps do 2 days after school.

I do 8 to 3:00 (6.5 with half hour lunch) 3 times a week. And 8:30 - 4:30 using afterschool and breakfast clubs.
A few parents at the school use childminders just for afterschool- would that work?
She starting secondary school this September and I’m increasing it to 8-4:30 every day.

As others it’s sharing the school drop of/pick ups with their Dad. We both need to be flexible.
He will do pick ups if I have a meeting and we share drop offs.

[quote sillysausages123]@titchy 7-2.50 in my workplace is considered 7 hours and 50mins they don't deduct for break for my morning break. So it would be 39 hours and 16 mins if I'm right? [/quote]
They legally have to have 20 mins break factored in. The same as you don't currently get paid for your lunch break. You wouldn't get paid for the shorter 20min lunch break.

When you say you work a 39 hour week, are you including the hour long unpaid lunch breaks in that? In which case your working week (ie what you are paid for) is 34 hours. So 7-2.50 works.

Can you work evenings? I'm filling a 32 hour contract at the moment so usually work 40 to 42 hours. I try and compress into 3.5 days so I start early, have a couple of hours off around pick up/dinner then do 7.30 to around 9, sometimes later if busy and some days I do end up needing DH to do school run if there is a meeting clash.

@titchy I currently do 8-4.30 mon to thurs and 8-3.30 on a Friday. Each day I take a 15-20 min morning break paid and a 30 min lunch break unpaid.

I have been told that I can just take the 20min (as it's paid) morning break if I start at 7 and finish at 3 or thereabouts.

@EatingAllThePies no I can't do evenings we are operational 24/7 but my department is not needed in the evenings really.

I do 9:15 - 3:00 on three days and 8 - 6 on two days which is about 37 hours.

It means I can do drop of and pick up on three times a week and the DH does 2 days. When DH goes back to the office we'll have to find a childminder.

[quote sillysausages123]@titchy I currently do 8-4.30 mon to thurs and 8-3.30 on a Friday. Each day I take a 15-20 min morning break paid and a 30 min lunch break unpaid.

I have been told that I can just take the 20min (as it's paid) morning break if I start at 7 and finish at 3 or thereabouts.[/quote]
Well you've sorted it then! Start at 7.

I used to do 7-3 (DH did drop offs and I did pick ups), which with a 30 min break which we needed to take in accordance with law worked out well. I think you'd have to start as early as possible, and maybe do some hours in the evening if able? I guess it depends on your job, if there are core hours, and how flexible they are?

I work 28 hours a week. I do 8.30-2.30 Monday-Thursday so DS only has to go to breakfast club and I can do all pick ups, then 9-1 on Fridays.

I think I'd struggle to do full time, I'd have to use after school club too.

Yeah I'll just do 7- 2.50 and see how it goes. Thanks all.