To think extending the school day is a terrible idea

[footballdisharmony]

Apparently Boris thinks that extending the school day is the 'right thing to do' (as reported in the Guardian today) I think this is an awful idea. I'm interested what others think?

I think keeping them at school longer is a mistake and is unlikely to be properly resourced to really make positive impact. Why not just invest in more more teachers/TAs/targeted help. A longer day just eats further into time with friends and family, and time to do other extra curricula activities that children actually really want to do and get a lot from. My primary DC already have homework, spellings, times tables and reading to do after school - surely they need a bit of time to just relax and play!

Can I just point out to everyone who’s saying that private schools have a longer day - yes they do, but they also have much longer holidays.

I work in a private British school overseas. I’m contractually obliged to work from 7am - 4pm. However, we have three weeks at Christmas and Easter and a much longer summer, as well as half terms and various public holidays.

My 4yo attends my husband’s (similar) school and he is exhausted by the long days. He’s really hard work in the evenings as a result and we have to put him to bed around 6:30pm. His class teacher actually advised keeping his week to 4 days only and said she’d say the same to all parents but the rest of them are paying!

It's already too long in the UK. Infants where I am finish school at 1.40pm, they're 7 before they stay until 2.40pm

Not in our circles they don't.
Dinner is at 6.30PM latest.
Anyway, as I said, I can't see them keeping the kids in school till 6pm every night so not even worth thinking about it.

Dinner is at 6.30PM latest.

Oh, I see why the idea of diner at 7pm is so shocking now 😂

I would have thought 7pm was quite a normal time for dinner during the week when you have children.

@Maggiesfarm

I would have thought 7pm was quite a normal time for dinner during the week when you have children.

We certainly didn’t eat that late when mine were at primary. We eat at 6pm generally-even now they’re teens.

I don’t think anything will come of this plan because it won’t be funded properly. Even the possibility of eg extending the (unpaid for teachers so no ‘cost’) lunch hour from half an hour to an hour, to push back the finishing time from eg 3.30 to 4, won’t help as the support/catering staff will have to be paid for more hours. If this comes with no funding, it won’t happen.

Funding for providers for specialist sports/music/art etc will NEVER happen!

A longer day is already standard practice in most schools for examination groups. This is by no means a new idea or even workable for these groups as they already do it! Extend them any more and they will need to sleep at school!

@Littlepaws18

A longer day is already standard practice in most schools for examination groups. This is by no means a new idea or even workable for these groups as they already do it! Extend them any more and they will need to sleep at school!

Don’t give Gavin Williamson ideas