To think schools should get with the times re working parents.

[working8til4]

Why can't they be open 8-6 for everyone? It would help reduce gender inequality in the work place

AIBU - DON'T BE SILLY
YANBU - actually you have a point

Maybe parents should organise their own wrap around care. It is not a function of education to provide wrap around care.

Schools could allow an external provider to run it on a school for a few. But all the organisation, payments etc need to be sorted by the provider not the school.

We've gone full circle, there is a new initiative for September 2024. Not sure what effect the election gas but my LA gave already started to review current provision and to plan more in line with government demands. Government haven't, of course, done anything to solve the many issues already mentioned, they just expect LA’s and schools to solve them.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d859af6efa83001ddcc55b/National_Wraparound_Childcare_Programme_Handbook.pdf

Yes quality affordable wrap around childcare care should be available to everyone. Not sure it should be at school though. Children need time and space to play.

I think you are missing the point…the child finished the day at 330 remaining in school grounds. Playing in the playground, doing activities, watching movies.

My dc were both in asc from 3-6 every day. If definitely wasn't 'school'. They got to play, inside and outside, do craft or just sit and chill on the chrome books.

They def preferred it when they were old enough to come home by themselves and chill at home though.

What absolute nonsense!! Sort your own childcare out.

Yabvu but they should shorten summer holidays, but stagger them across the UK

Absolutely YABU, OP. School is not a child minding service. Teachers teach (and plan for that teaching)- who provides the wrap around care? - Teachers shouldn’t, and indeed, couldn’t, if they are going to plan well thought out, prepared lessons; so who would ultimately be responsible for the care and well being of children on school premises before and after the hours of teaching, and ensuring children are collected on time once 6 pm is reached?
Parents have a duty of care too, and responsibility for their own children and that includes sorting out child care if needed, not expecting school to provide it for free before and after lessons.

Teachers are parents, too!
Do what we did - when our two were tiny, DH worked from home to be there for them before and after school and for school events. I was teacher training. We had next to no money. When they were older, we paid for breakfast club and after-school club.
How much childcare do you expect teachers to pay for their own children if they're at work before 8 and after 6? Teachers are leaving in droves already; you seem determined to drive the last of us out of the profession.

I have no problem with school buildings being open 8 - 6pm to help support working parents, BUT gov need to fund separate staff to run the wraparound portions of the day.

They've been supporting families like this in other countries for years.

I am a school teacher. It means my children HAVE to be in their school from 7:30-5 on my work days.
This stops me from working full time.
Approximately 80% (the last time I researched) of teachers are female.
This would NOT help gender equality in the workplace. It would create an even greater deficit in teachers

This would NOT help gender equality in the workplace. It would create an even greater deficit in teachers

And it would be very interesting to see what percentage of those workers staffing the breakfast/afterschool clubs (for minimum wage) were women…

Who do you think might be staffing the schools? Oh look-working parents!

But at the same time school can dictate to parents about holidays, pack lunches, our children identity - earrings/hairstyles/make up choices (for older children), the uniform, homework, revision, request for various fundraising support…yet parents asking for abit of understanding when it come to needing more flexibility so they can work is seen as a outrageous request

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d859af6efa83001ddcc55b/National_Wraparound_Childcare_Programme_Handbook.pdf

have you read this? Sorry if someone has already posted

This Absolutely. Shit work. Shit hours. Shit pay.

Hey, I haven’t read all the comments on here.

I lived in Spain for a while and schools actually do open a lot longer in the day here and holiday clubs and breakfast clubs are a lot more affordable.

The below hours are from infantil 1 (the September of the calendar year your child turns 3)

An example school day; breakfast club (including breakfast) is 10€ a week and opens at 7am.

School start at 9am

Patio at 11am (snack and a play)

Lunch 2-3:30

Sports/art/languages/homework until 5:00 (free of charge)

The example above is a normal state school timetable.

Other schools have a different variation but the school day does somewhat match a working day.

They don’t have half terms. They have bank holidays through the year.

Summer is mid June - September and holiday clubs run in the schools (not the teachers) are less than 100€ for the whole month.

Teacher training days happen in July when the kids are off school and sometime during term time but they have cover.

Kids here were healthy, well rounded and social.

Lunch is around 60€ a month but it is a 3 course meal and all schools have their own kitchen generally so is exceptional quality - kids don’t get a choice of meal - everyone eats the same (except obvious restrictions).

I think there is a case for a longer day at school but not for school work - to offer sports, art and other activities for children whilst parents are working. Lunch and after school activities are actually also optional here - you can collect them for lunch and take them back for a club or just keep them at home.

Said every parent/carer of children since the 1940s

Making it clear that breakfast club/lunch/activities are not run by the teachers - they are separate staff.

i just noticed a comment about schools policing lunch boxes etc This is something I wish we were better at! Spanish schools (and spanish society in general) don’t do this! Cake and milk was a favourite treat at breakfast club. The kids do all drink water though as squash doesn’t really exist in Spain.

Ever stopped to think that school staff have children and families and we don’t actually live in school, have you thought about boarding school?!

Become a teacher yourself, OP, I'm sure you'd have the whole system under control in weeks.

OP is clearly one of those entitled people though that wants everything done for free though.

Personally I’d much rather have hours of 8:00 - 4:00 four days a week and a day off but you will never find a system that suits everyone and the teachers need work life balance. Its a tough enough job as it is.

You’ll find that many primary schools are staffed by teaching staff and support staff who have families of their own right? Do you realise that it is mostly support staff (HLTA/TA/Admin) that prop up breakfast and after school clubs and they are on an absolute pittance doing the lions share of the work? I work in a school and have my own family, why would I want to be sat at work babysitting someone else’s child when I have my own family at home that need me?
Find a job that is more flexible around school hours or go part time because kids shouldn’t be in school for that length of time anyway.

When do the children get to relax or nap ? No wonder our children are full of anxiety, they never get any peace, no time to sit in a room on their own ( if they want to) or slouch on their own sofa, they are forced to be with others constantly. We can't keep doing this to our children. There MH is so important but we don't allow them to just be, we constantly over stimulate them.