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Original poster

school half day at end of term

109 replies

mumzy · 14/12/2012 17:42

My dcs state primary always closes at 1pm at the end of each term after they have taken the afternoon register. Its a pain as I work and either have to take a half day or arrange childcare. Having spoken to a teacher friend it seems the school is giving the impression they are providing a full days education. Does anyone elses dc do this and is it legal?

OP posts:
SunflowersSmile · 16/12/2012 07:06

We are lucky then- normal time and After School Club as usual...as it should be in my opinion.

exoticfruits · 16/12/2012 07:11

At primary they finished an hour early and at secondary they finished at lunchtime. Schools are not childcare.

BooksandaCuppa · 16/12/2012 08:53

I recall we had early finishes when I was at school but none of the local schools do that now.

I agree it's not a problem as long as you know in advance, but surely, as mentioned upthread, schools shouldn't be taking a register then immediately discharging the pupils as that's claiming they're educating them when they're not?!? (2.30pm finish would be one thing - 1pm is most definitely a bit of a cheat!)

SunflowersSmile · 16/12/2012 08:58

Hate the child care argument that comes out on these threads.
Fair enough if child is sick/ school flooded/ no heating etc - but Christmas is no excuse to send children home early. A school day that a working parent should expect to stay as one.

EuphemiaInExcelsis · 16/12/2012 09:05

I'm a teacher, I need to organise child care on that last day too!

SunflowersSmile · 16/12/2012 09:10

So I guess you understand frustration of half days Euphemia!
A pain for all....

ByTheWay1 · 16/12/2012 09:16

our primary closes end of day as normal before every holiday, our secondary (along with most in our area) closes at 2 - straight after afternoon registration - a bit of a cheek really.... but they arrange for the school buses to come early too.. and at 12 dd can be left home alone for 40 min til I've picked up her sister.

If you want to pick up your child before lunch however, it counts as an unauthorised absence!! They have to stay for lunch, then get their name ticked before they can go!!

ohfunnyface · 16/12/2012 09:17

Never heard of it in primary.

We use it in secondary for whole staff meetings/admin/last minute issues that need to be sorted before the holidays.

They miss one lesson, so not a half day, and the buses collect them early so no waiting around.

yousankmybattleship · 16/12/2012 09:19

All the schools in my area close at 1.45pm. I like it!

EuphemiaInExcelsis · 16/12/2012 09:20

In Edinburgh and the Lothians, school finishes at lunchtime every Friday! I suppose if it's regular, making childcare arrangements is easier.

SanityClause · 16/12/2012 09:30

The HT at my DD's school changed to this from full days when she started a few years ago. It was, and remains, deeply unpopular but she refuses to discuss it. I suppose in a few years time, everyone will have become used to it.

We were given the option in the junior school, where lunches are paid for termly, to have our DDs stay for lunch, or pick them up before lunch. Of course, everyone chose to have the lunch that had been paid for, and the extra hour before having to pick up!

The reason given was that parents like to get off early on holiday. But apparently, we don't like to get off early on holiday at half term, as there is a full day of school before the half term holidays. Xmas Confused

TheOriginalLadyFT · 16/12/2012 09:30

DS's prep school always finishes at 12.30 at the end of term - its clearly flagged in the term dates calendar. Not a prob as I work from home, but remember the days when I didn't and was more of a problem, especially when we had moved away from GPs who had previously helped in these situations

Would say it was a bit unreasonable for schools to only let parents know last minute

IwishyouaMerryChristmas · 16/12/2012 10:36

Schools are no childcare I agree, but working parents need notice of changed from the norm.

As a parent who works in the community, I would have no problem with an arrangement like this if we were told at the start of that half term.

Last minute changes will always result in difficulties for working parents and schools should be able to recognise this, planning ahead and communicating accordingly.

exoticfruits · 16/12/2012 11:12

I don't think there is lack of notice- it happens every end of term for as long as I can remember.

Ronaldo · 16/12/2012 12:39

It just seems to me much of this thread is an " I want free childcare and I work so I dont want my DC off schoiol early" Or maybe you dont want them off at all?

They are not gaining anything from a last afternoon at school. In my school we spent the last three days clearing up, tidying, final assembly, Cathedral carol service and Christmas Faye and school concert ( not in that order). No lessons. The pupils wont concentrate anyway as they are tired.

Personally I want some time with my family so I like the klunchtime finish on last day of term. In my school mostof the pupils have gone anyway by last day (usually a couple of days before).

It means I can get away too and see my family. For those pupils whose DP cannot or will not collect them, there is always the houseparent. But maybe for them Chrostmas at school beats Christmas with parents who dont want them or cannot find time to want them - at least thats what it seems like reading this.

fivecandles · 16/12/2012 15:53

'if you have a problem greeting your kids from school at the end of term, I'm afraid you need to REALLY re-evaluate your priorities.'

What an extraordinary thing to say. Perhaps your priority at that particular moment is keeping your job so that you can support your kids, or performing life saving heart surgery or even teaching other people's kids. None of which would make you any less good a parent than the ones who are able to be at the school gate at 12. Sheesh!

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 16/12/2012 16:02

Ours is 1:30, but makes it clear inthe list of term dates at the start of the year. It does seem rubbish, OP, if your school is changing it with sh

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 16/12/2012 16:02

...short notice.

Original poster
mumzy · 16/12/2012 16:28

It may be ok for those parents who have flexible working arrangements or relatives nearby who can do early pick ups or if their dc are secondary school age and self sufficient but in order to accommodate the schools half day I have to either cancel a clinic for which there is a long waiting list or arrange child care which because it's a one off will be difficult to find and ,no doubt, expensive.
My issue is the school gave me the academic term dates in September which stated they closed at 3.30 pm on the last day of each term then a few weeks ago in their newsletter they included a 'reminder' for parents to collect dcs at 1.30pm on the last day. The school has not been upfront and it smacks of them taking a sneaky half day.

OP posts:
olguis · 17/12/2012 17:46

our school finishes at 12. but if your child don't show up for those 2,5 morning hours during which they watch cartoons, you're made nearly a criminal (unauthorised absense!!!!!)

EuphemiaInExcelsis · 17/12/2012 17:50

My class won't be watching telly - I'm going to do a handwriting lesson. Xmas Smile

SunflowersSmile · 17/12/2012 18:31

Ronaldo- what a shortsighted and rather nasty post. As others have said parents do work and as far as I know the last day of term is a school day- even with play and cartoons or whatever....

mrz · 17/12/2012 19:22

I've never taught in a school that finishes at lunchtime and my class will be working on Friday

SetPhasersTaeMalkie · 17/12/2012 19:23

We are going to church on Friday.

Ronaldo · 17/12/2012 19:40

I find it nasty and dispicable that some parents ( working or not) consider school no more than a free baby sitting service at their command.

My school finished lastweek. Most of the pupils had left before the final day and it is normal practice for us to finish at 12:30 on the final day.

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