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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think extending the school day is a terrible idea

233 replies

footballdisharmony · 08/07/2021 10:15

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!

OP posts:
Doyoulookback · 08/07/2021 14:10

Couldn’t secondaries implement this if they feel it’s right for their own particular school?

KeflavikAirport · 08/07/2021 14:11

I've said it a million times but where I live (not UK) my son is in a state school with class sizes capped at 12. It's in an area of high deprivation but the teachers all report the students have all caught up. Vote for a government that will do that next time.

GrassPollenIsTheDeathStar · 08/07/2021 14:12

From the outside it looks like my son's school day is short but that's because he has a short break and lunch. He also has far more homework and revision than I did at that age

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 08/07/2021 14:14

DD is an introvert in the true sense of the word and is exhausted by the time she finishes at 3.10, 4.10 twice a week, DS2's ADHD meds wear off at around 3, so I'd pity his teachers if he had to stay longer.

onlyhereforthecake · 08/07/2021 14:15

@KeflavikAirport

I've said it a million times but where I live (not UK) my son is in a state school with class sizes capped at 12. It's in an area of high deprivation but the teachers all report the students have all caught up. Vote for a government that will do that next time.
When you think that it was discussed to split schools in half, or close on Fridays, as there was not enough facilities available for the new intake of children.

It will take a lot more than a few empty promises to change our school system unfortunately.

Sirzy · 08/07/2021 14:15

Ds is autistic and has health issues which tire him, he can just about cope with the school day as it is now. Any longer and I would end up having no choice but to homeschool him.

Jet888 · 08/07/2021 14:20

Agree most people seem to be focusing on the extra 'free childcare' aspect of it which isn't what it's been billed as. It's being sold as catch up or enrichment, not sure which song sheet Boris is singing from today...
Catch up wont work at the end of a day. It's like when we have to do year 6 sats booster. Pointless, kids hate it, teachers hate it. Too tired.
Enrichment by all means for those who want it. Fully funded by the government for all kids adequately and run by professional coaches, not exhausted teachers. And we all know that proper funding won't happen...we can't even get enough glue sticks in class...

Xmasbaby11 · 08/07/2021 14:20

It could work if it gave teachers more time to teach without racing through everything, and kids had more time to do non curriculum activities. The day is short but it's crammed and no room for flexibility. The breaks are short with little time to play.

Not all primary kids are knackered by 3.20. Many children are in wraparound childcare so out of the house 8-5.30 (mine were pre pandemic). If the day involves a balance of activities it can be good.

But I agree with pp - I have no faith in the gov to do this well, and they would probably expect more of teachers and kids for no extra pay. I would not be in favour of that.

Consistentlytired · 08/07/2021 14:22

Sounds to me like the government are setting kids up to be ready to work those hours for when they finish school, I think it is appauling.

Seren20 · 08/07/2021 14:23

I’ve never understood school hours. They should clearly be in line with the standard working day. Children regularly do longer than school hours at nursery.

The children don’t have to be in class for all of that time. There’s lots of potential for more playtime. Most kids seem to already be doing some sort of after school activities during their week whether sports, arts, music etc anyway, no reason most of these can’t be school based and not rely on parents ferrying kids around.

Obviously a longer day would mean no homework, there could always be some TA supported ‘homework’ time to cover finishing off class work or learning spellings which would take the pressure off parents too.

The problem, of course, is that Boris’ proposals aren’t funded properly!

HarebrightCedarmoon · 08/07/2021 14:24

It's like a punishment. You have missed school due to Covid, now have longer school days.

Also how long do they expect the days to be for teaching staff? They already work well beyond actual lesson times to mark work and prepare for the next day. Are they saying they will teach until 5pm and work well into the evening?

And how do they expect the kids to concentrate for longer in the day, and when are they to do homework or after school activities? Five hours of lessons is more than enough.

onlyhereforthecake · 08/07/2021 14:25

Longer days but longer holidays would be ideal for the kids.

Sadly it's never going to happen is it.

NameChange2PostThis · 08/07/2021 14:26

I think this is a terrible idea and if it was mandatory would probably tip the balance into homeschooling. That’s how bad an idea I think it is!

I think an optional extended day with enrichment activities run by other staff - not teachers - would be brilliant. But I’m not sure that’s on offer here…

As per PPs, there are a lot of reasons why an extended school day would be the wrong choice for many kids.

There are lots of kids who do extracurricular activities that take place soon after the end of the school day. And lots of kids who barely tolerate the constraints of the school system. I really feel for all the introverts who just need some time on their own - let’s not make them stay in school longer.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 08/07/2021 14:26

If politicians really wanted to invest in the education system, they could just do what Finland did and replicate it here.

A clue: it's not longer school days. In fact, they are shorter than here already.

ancientgran · 08/07/2021 14:26

I know a local senior school where clubs run every day after school, teachers and TAs run them They do sports/drama/art that sort of thing.

echt · 08/07/2021 14:27

The thing I'd like to know is the claim of smaller classes in private schools. My admittedly personal count on three private London schools of high repute in the early 2000s was 24 desks in every room.

Smaller but not small.

Anything more up to date?

SeeYouInFive · 08/07/2021 14:29

Instead of extending the school day, the government should just properly subsidise wrap around childcare so that more parents can work and actually keep the money they earn rather than hand it straight over to a childcare provider.

echt · 08/07/2021 14:29

That is secondary.

Bryonyshcmyony · 08/07/2021 14:43

16 max at dds private secondary. 12 at 6th form.

Peaplant20 · 08/07/2021 14:44

@Bryonyshcmyony yes but it’s balanced out with longer school holiday. The last 2 weeks of an 8 week term the kids and teachers are so overtired, I can’t imagine what it would be like if they did 8 weeks of an even longer day.

echt · 08/07/2021 14:44

@ancientgran

I know a local senior school where clubs run every day after school, teachers and TAs run them They do sports/drama/art that sort of thing.
If it's a state school, those staff are working unpaid.
LyndaLaHughes · 08/07/2021 14:49

He’s completely baffled by state school times and says it makes no sense to start and finish when they do because it doesn’t fit around the normal working day at all

Perhaps because the purpose of Education is just that- not childcare.

Teachers have no more to give- workload and hours are ridiculous as it is and the children are flagging badly by the end of the day. What would actually work would be to use the supply teachers who have no work due to the woeful lack of budgets to pay for cover to do targeted tuition and interventions. Or to use the after school and club providers to provide subsidised extended services. But this costs money and this government has proven time and time again that they are unwilling to invest in state Education - instead stripping budgets to the bone and blaming the unions and teachers for all their failings. I wish people would wake up and realise how much the Tories have destroyed state Education and stop believing and lie that they care about disadvantaged children. They've literally just decimated the pupil premium budgets. They could not care less and anyone who thinks they do has not seen what has been happening in schools for the last ten years.

Xxxxeverywherexxxx · 08/07/2021 14:49

Our daughters school made the day shorter because of covid by 25 minutes. She goes 8.55- 3.10. I think 3.45 finish would be the max I'd class as ok.

ancientgran · 08/07/2021 16:08

@echtec If it's a state school, those staff are working unpaid. I know, one of them is mine.

superduster · 08/07/2021 16:14

My son's school day has been 25 mins per day shorter since COVID because of the staggered entry and exit. I really need it to go back to normal from September to allow me to do a full work day.

A longer school day won't happen, its too expensive. Kids are way down the govt's list of priorities.