8:30-5:30 - too long a day?

[OptimusRhyme]

DS was very keen to join lots of clubs at his prep but the result is that 3 days a week he won't even leave school until 5:30. Is this too long? Anyone else's kids been fine with that span of day?

My 6YO and 4YO have to do a 8-6 day with the childminder or 9-6 day between school and the childminder because of DH and I's work. It's just how it is unfortunately.

I understand it's different though. I guess they get fed at the childminder and if they wanted to slob out on the sofa at her house they can. So we can get home work (not that they have much) and reading done when we get home. Although it's usually I'm too knackered and want my tea at that point.

I'd say see how it goes. I know by Friday we're usually all knackered in our house.

What kind of school sets 30 mins homework a night for a 7 year old?!
It's a Prep school - that's what they do. Actually even my DC's state Primary often set this amount - 10 minutes reading, 10 minute spelling, 10 minutes tables... I don't like homework at this age, and with SEN it often took much longer, but it is normal.

OP - does the school have a homework/Prep club? And what does his form tutor say?

And Choristors I knew had much tougher schedules, and learnt a lot about time management and fitting prep into odd minutes. (Ex-Choristers often do very well in later life.)

30 minutes of homework every night in year 3? That is insane.

I would run a mile. I want my kids to have a childhood not do pointless homework (been proved it’s counterproductive for younger children anyway).

30 minutes a week fine but a night! Anyway hopefully a typo as can’t believe that would be the case in any school

I think it's quite a lot for a seven year old and when my dd was that age she was pretty grumpy and tired by Thursday evening and that was with 2 clubs per week. She is now at school several days per week from 6 am to 6 pm (swim squad) and even at age 13 she is sometimes in bed at 8.30 as she is very tired,

I think the key thing is to see how your son is at the end of the day, and end of the week. If he is grumpy and miserable - then it is too much for him. If he is energised and bubbly then he is coping fine.
Different children have different energy levels. different children are energised by different things. For example some children a dance class would just be something else to concentrate on and tire them out - whereas for others it is actually energising and invigorating.

Totally depends on the child.

My DD did 8.30 till 6pm everyday from Reception. Last year she was in Y5 and for 6 months also working professionally in a theatre until late evening and then an hour trip home. She trains at weekends and does 3 or 4 evening classes a week as well. Keeps up with school work and still had loads of energy.

But she's always been the kind of child who never got over-tired and has more energy than we know what to do with. I'm the exhausted one!

I was at a prep school as a child which had a lot of boarders so we did 8.15am to 6pm plus Saturdays (school in am, matches in the pm) and had up to an hours homework every night. I remember being busy, but it didn't feel overwhelming.

I find it odd that DC are so tired now. I have seen a few children who seemed to get tired in YR, but not in Y3. Many preps would set 30 mins a night in Y3 and DC would be doing activities as well. You just fit it in! The terms are relatively short.

@MsTSwift I am curious to know what your children do after school - watch TV, play games? What is having a childhood?
OP - I don't see anything wrong with it to be honest. At my DS's school, they are only allowed to do 2 afterschool activities in Year 3 and their activities finish at 5. By the time we get home it is 6pm. My DD on the other hand is a musician and has one lesson and two days playing with an ensemble. She also tends to start the day early (before 8am) with a sport as she plays a couple of sports for her school. She's done that since she was 8. Most days we get home at 6 or 6.30pm. They eat, they read and if there's homework they'll do it. Then it's time for a bath and bed. By the time they get home they have had a good running around coupled with screaming and shouting in their school playgrounds before the start of school, at playtime and afterschool. So I don't think they are missing out on anything. At weekends they'll do whatever they wish to do but they mostly spend it on their tablets. They've never complained about their week because they chose to live that way.