To think a 3:20 finish is absurd?

[Itsr]

It’s mostly mums at the school gates. Because the 3:20 finish worked well at a time when most women stayed at home.

now most women work, which means two parents working, why does school finish ar 3:20?! Yes I know there are after school classes etc but some don’t go on for too long and they also cost.

what actually is the reason why the school day isn’t aligned with a work day (like it is with most private schools!)

When I was at primary school in the 1960s we started at 8.45 am - infants finished at 4 pm and juniors at 4.30 pm. Lunch was 12-2 pm. New headteacher arrived and reduced lunch to 12-1.30 pm so finished at 3.30 and 4 pm respectively. That seemed early!

I work in a school of over 600 children. We have a breakfast club starting at 7.30 and an after school club finishing at 6.00. Admittedly it's a multicultural area and not all mothers work, plus many have extended family members living locally who do drop offs and pickups, but even so, we only get 20 or fewer children attending these clubs. So clearly not everyone would agree with you OP.

Because people who attend school are children and don't have anything like the mental or emotional capacity to be working with a large group of people for 8-10 hours a day. From what I know of private schools, most are not dealing with a ratio of 30 kids to one adult so they can stop formal style school and play or do other activities with the children 'after school'. Most state schools just don't have the capacity to do that, so when the children are ready to switch off, responsibility needs to be passed to other carers who can facilitate more appropriate activities.