Labour to extend school day to 8 till 6

[Mud]

What do you think of these new plans to be unveiled

[MamaMaiasaura]

What was that about hoodies dabet.. this ds is in trouble there then. He has the whole skater boy image thing going on.. just waiting for the lingo to kick in. He is only 5 btw but looks so darn cute in his baggies and skull motiffs. Tried to put him in a nice stripy t-shirt but wasnt having it.. far too babyish apparantly. . Having said that when he goes to school he is looking very cute like just william, shorts, cap etc.. one of his girlfriends was very excited when she saw him and his best friend in shorts!

[MamaMaiasaura]

debate even

[charleepeters]

sorry ladies, i didnt mean to sound bitchy or start an argument as i know parents who work full time will find this really helpfull, i kinda didnt think about how to word my post sorry

it would of been better for me to say, that i dont think its a good idea as some parents dont get to spend alot of time with there children as it is, and it would be alot worse if they had to be at school all day.

sorry again

[Prufrock]

Edam, great post. I do worry that the whole emphasis of government policy is to make it easier for parents to fit into the long hours working culture in this country, rather than changing that culture so that those parents (or even non parents) who wish to have a better balance to their lives are able to do so.

[motherinferior]

Hmmm. I agree, completely, about the need to change work culture. However, I also admit that I am one of those parents who will use after-school care although in theory I could stop work at 3pm every day because I'm freelance. I honestly don't think - at least while I'm only four days a week, because I want to spend Fridays with my younger daughter - that I can face doing that, because I simply wouldn't get enough done. So yes, if you want to call me a parent who's sacrificing her children to her career, you'd have every right.

[happymerryberries]

I can do the job that I have because my kids school offers pre and post school child care. It is so easy for me as I only have to organise one pick up and one drop off. the school also runs after school clubs, so my dd does Brownies and Karate without me having to make ,lots of extra trips in the car. they don't have to use the clubs every day, but they are there if I have to use them when I have an after school meeting. dds and ds school is private and we have to pay extra for the pre and post school care but it is first rate.

I can see the advantages that it would give parents, as long as the care is of a high quality and that the systems are properly funded.

[TwoIfBySea]

I would hope the emphasis on after-school clubs would be more for the children wanting to join rather than having to join in. When dst are in school I'd like them to do music or sport after school not because I won't be there for them but because it would be something they enjoy.

I'm afraid I am still of the opinion that school is for education, not babysitting services. Having said that ideas like the breakfast clubs and after-school could be held on school grounds but it shouldn't be considered part of the school day. I just hope the teachers are not lumped with yet another responsibility.

At dst nursery there is wrap-around care where the children are there from 8.30 am until 5.30 - 6 pm. It is far too long, the poor kids are utterly knackered at the days end despite an afternoon nap.

[happymerryberries]

Twobythesea

I was relieved to read that extra staff will be taken on and that the teaching staff will not be expected to run the system. A lot would vote with their feet if they were (me included!)

[JoolsToo]

shouldn't they get the actual educating sorted first - is this a diversion?

[tigermoth]

Speaking personally and as a full time working parent by necessity, I welcome the news with open arms.

But speaking generally, I agree with edam. Neither parents or teachers should feel pushed into a uniform scheme dictating that all partents of school age children should work outside the home for a full day.

Also wonder how much these private playworkers will be paid and where they will be recuited, since there seems to be a shortage of playworkers out there, judging by the job ads I see.

[Tortington]

2 more hours without my children? bloody brilliant. and to think i didn't even vote for this man.

shame they're not getting educated though

[happymerryberries]

Joolstoo, fully agree that the edcation needs to be sorted.

More specificaly behaviour in schools need to be sorted so that education can happen.

Abd the curriculum has to be sorted so that children get the level of information in the subjects that are relevant to them, rather than the one size fits all farce that we have at present

[geekgrrl]

I don't know how anybody can possibly say anything bad about this proposal - it's just what childminders provide but in the same place as the child's school. Nobody's said that because childminders and nurseries exist we must all use them to their full capacity.

It will make such a difference to me personally when this is implemented - I can't see how I can work atm - we live in the sticks, there is no childminder in the village and we have no family for babysitting services. If our school starts doing this I will actually be able to work during school hours once all my kids are at school, all I want is for them to be cared for for 45 min before school so that I could actually get to an office for 9am-ish.
I don't think that would make me a horrible parent who gets other people to look after her brood.

[JoolsToo]

hear, hear!

[bubblerock]

DS (6) just saw this on the news and said YES!! I get to play with my friends - can I stay until 6 Mum?! - Nice to be wanted isn't it?

[JoolsToo]

hmb!

[tigermoth]

yes, true, and what about the current obsession with raising behaviour standards in schools. How will an extended day slot in with this? will a playclubs carry over detentions if children have been bad at school during the day, for instance?

[coppertop]

Ds1's school already has something similar, with a breakfast club and an after-school club. I wonder though what provision will be made for children with SN. Is a child who has 1:1 from 9am-3pm going to be expected to cope in these clubs without extra help?

[happymerryberries]

Coppertop, you have raised a very valid point. Under the DDA children with SEN will have a right to the same access as their peers. Though how this will be funded when there is insufficient provision in school hours is anyone's guess.

Actually no, it will be forgotten and a cock up, and the children will be the ones to suffer!

[LunarSea]

As someone who's currently quietly panicing about how we're going to cope with combining full time jobs with school hours when ds starts next year I'm all for it. It isn't being suggested as cumpulsory, or even as an extension of the school day, as far as I can see, just the provision, on school premisies, of the sort of childminding services we'd be looking for (and which seem to be notably absent here at the moment) for those who need them.

A lot of us need to work for financial reasons, and fitting work around school hours is a nightmare. I'm relatively lucky in that I can work from home part of the time, but on the odd days I do because ds has a doctors appointment or the like it usually means I'm up and working from about 7, then getting him off to nursery, picking him up and dealing with his appointment, taking him back, picking him up again, getting his tea/dealing with bed-time and then working until at least 9/10 in the evening. Ok on a one off basis, but pretty soul-destroying to do every day. And that's before you start thinking about school holidays which account for far more days that the average employer allows you in a year.....

[Copper]

Two other concerns here

1. Will it reduce the number of childminders
   
   
2. What about the holidays?

[FairyMum]

I miss the scool pickup by only 30 minutes and I think the initiative is long overdue. I agree 8-6 is a very long day, but most parents will probably only use some of this time. Some only mornings and others a few hours after school.

[Jimjams]

Will they fund suitable 1:1s for the kids with SN. Doubt it.

[Jimjams]

ahh great minds coppertop!

[vickiyumyum]

after reading the issues that some of you have raised, i feel that it is an important concept, to offer consistant before and afterschool care in the school that your chikd attends, therefore with their friends and play facilities as well as an opputunity to do their homework.
i struggle with the decision to work everyday (i am a student midwife, but this means full time hours and none of the usual student holidays)i would feel much happier knowing that my child was being looked after at school until either myself, or my dh could pick them up.
i have problems with my ds1 behaviour almost everyday whilst in childcare, because he wants to play with his friends (it also doesn't help that we live so far away from his school)and i'm sure that if i could get him into the schools already oversubscribed breakfast and after school club then the situation would resolve itself.