Labour to extend school day to 8 till 6

[Mud]

What do you think of these new plans to be unveiled

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I'm wearing my hoodie as much as possible and I think all the middleaged women in the country should.

I'm with you 100% Orinoco .

A worrying thought: according to the article "Under the plans, every primary and secondary school will be required to provide extended services within the next five years"

And also "The £680 million sounds like new money but across 23,000 schools, it will be spread very thinly," a spokeswoman for the National Union of Teachers said"

Now, what will happen to schools that haven't got the physical room for extended hours school clubs? Take our primary. It has a tiny school assembly hall. Because of its location, building a new, bigger hall would cost mega amounts of money.

Come to that, how many schools have enough free space to accommodated all their children for extended hours? Will these clubs be held in the actual classrooms if no other space is available? I'm not a teacher, but I can't imagine that many teachers being happy for private clubs to make use of their classrooms up to 9.00 am and after 3.00 pm. From what I see, teachers have work to do in their classromss before and after the school day.

If children are collected from school and taken to other public buildings, what buildings are going to be used? We're talking of a lot of children here, as the scheme says all children will have the extended hours entitlement, even if some don't take it up.

Coincidently, I have heard there's talk of our small church primary being moved to a new location, away from the church. This could be good or bad news, as the school buildings are not adequate at present and there is little room for expansion.

However I wonder if this extended hours scheme is a way for the government to force the closure or amalgamation of certain schools under the guise of helping working parents?

This morning they said that there were 'no plans' to make parents pay for this extra child care. good news for childminders then, not! So childminders will get priced out , unless they offer out of hours service. And what will happen to child care in the holidays?

My children's school already offers the after-school (and holiday) club which runs in the school until 5.30pm. As we live in a rural area I have to say this is an absolute godsend and one of the reasons we chose that particular school as there are very very few childminders around here.

I work part-time and try to pick my children up every day, but occasionally I run late or have to go further afield for meetings, so once a week they go to this after school club.

I have to say, in this instance, it works extremely well and my children love it. In fact, they often ask me to go even when I'm not working so they can play with their friends. It's held in the school and run as a charity by an Ofsted'ed childminder plus a helper. They have a stash of their own indoor and outdoor play kit, plus use of the school playground, which is funded by the PTA.

They take secondary school children too who get off the bus at the school if their parents wish it, and they can do their homework there or watch TV etc.

I think it's brilliant, and enables parents to work, not encourages!!

No plans to make parents pay for this? that's interesting. How will the scheme be financed, then?

And as you say, what will happen to childminders and who will look after all these children in the school holidays, if more parents go to work full time?

I am am hoping these clubs will work as holiday clubs too. I think some people will still use childminders. Some of my friends have always preferred childminders because they feel it provides their children with more of a home-environment. Personally I am not keen on child minders, so I much prefer having the choice. I wouldn't mind paying for these clubs. I just want them available to me.

I personally think that is far too long for a child so I wouldn't but I can see it would be useful to those who work I would rather see my son more than that they would just come home have tea bath and bed and i think they would be knackered at the weekend

Really - no plans to make parents pay for after schoolcare!! How will it be financed?? In other european countries I believe the going rate for am & pm care is about 1 euro per hour.

Well, if this scheme goes ahead, I hope the quality of these after school clubs is significantly improved across the board.

The ones I've seen, both as a teacher and a parent are c*ap. From the food that's doled out to the "activities" laid on.

beverly hughes (children's minister) who was on the today programme this morning said parents would have to pay. i think it's a good idea, gives everyone more flexibility, but i certainly wouldn't want ds to use it every day. he currently goes to nursery 2 days a week, 8:30-5 & i don't envisage working fulltime when he's at school, so we'd probabaly use an after school club 1 or 2 days a week. most of our local schools have them anyway.

As all private schools already offer this option (for a small extra charge), it could be a way for the govt to "standardise" what state schools offer or even be the thin edge of the wedge of privatising all education?

Most private school parents I know don't use the facility on a daily basis, there is a very small regular take-up, but it is useful.

I haven't yet used it but my dd does ask me occasionally if she can "stay to tea at school" (I think she wants to see what its like).

Our school has both a before & after school club. DDs go to after-school 2 nights a week and love it there but it is now full on every day but Friday, and new parents starting Sept can't get a place. Can't imagine how they could extend it to allow all children in the school access, and wouldn't like them too as it would be much too big, really just an extension of school. In order to keep control of that many kids (300+) most of the activities would have to be stopped. Also agree that it would allow employers to pressurise employees more than currently. I start at 9:30 now as there was no before school care when dd1 started school so I could use that as a method of renogotiating hours.

I think it's a great idea. If you don't plan to use it, fine, but please support giving this option to parents like me who need it!

Fantastic idea!!! How many people work 9-3?? Not many. It's definitely a positive change. Luckily our local school runs a breakfast/after school club. But spaces are VERY limited.

Wouldn't want it to be compulsary though.

If they fund it properly, I'll eat my hat.

It's not something I would ever want for my children but I can see it would be useful for those who do. The large primary school in town here already offers this sort of facility and I guess it's just an extension of something that's been around for a while. The school where we used to live also ran a holiday club.

I am astonished that the govt expects voluntary groups to take up some of the slack - where are all these magnanimous volunteers going to come from?? Everyone nowadays is too busy at work to do something like that!! Actually, I do think it's a pity that the govt hasn't chosen to do something that offers people more choice over their work/life balance, making it possible for them to work fewer hours, if they so wish.

They're expecting volunteers to run it? When? During their working day?

Ho hum.

Bloody typical. It's something to do with kids, so let's not bother to pay the workers - let's just assume they'll all want to do it for nothing, like mothers do.

Surely that's not a serious proposal? There aren't enough volunteers to do the genuine volunteering activities that need to be done, let alone to do work which needs to be paid for. Who in their right mind is going to want to supervise a bunch of tired kids for no money? Or a bunch of obby teenagers?

8-6 what about the poor teachers, they seem to do enough in the hours they currently work.

I am all for education and HOPE my boys go on to great careers but a wee bit worried as if they do extend the hours some teachers may leave their proffession.

UNLESS they do get a nice salary of course

"poor teachers", they get 13 weeks holiday!! I know, I know, it's very stressful, lots of marking books, lesson prep in evening but my DH gets 4 weeks holiday a year and still works 8-6 and some evenings. Rant over.
I think the pre school and after school clubs are a good idea for older children and will help those who really struggle with work and child care like for e.g. single parents who have to work but I think it's a long day for smaller ones.

I think parents will have to pay - but they do already if they are lucky enough to be able to access a before and after school club.

I think the proposal is great as far as it goes and will be a godsend to people who work full time. I work freelance but, as I think Motherinferior said, it's difficult sometimes to stop at 3pm - you effectively only have about a 5.5 hour day taking the school run into account. Which is why most of us work after they've gone to bed too...

Our before and afterschool club is very oversubscribed. But I think it's quite reasonably priced.

Of course it's not going to be compulsory! Those parents who think any form of non-parental childcare is the work of the devil need not worry for their children. But I would be interested to see how they are going to fund a nationwide scheme.

And I agree with those who are saying that more emphasis should be put on reducing working hours and increasing workplace flexibility. Given the choice I think that's what most parents would prefer. Until then we have to be thankful for small mercies!

Gosh, people agreeing with me!
Just to clarify, I'm not anti parents working full-time, have been doing that myself until recently. But I'm anti anyone forcing parents to work full-time, IYSWIM, and deeply suspicious of Government attitude towards families.
And the point about will this reduce the number of childminders is important, I think.

I think this will be a godsend for working parents IF it is properly implemented and funded. I seriously doubt most parents will use all the extra hours, especially those whose children are in primary (I do know lots of junior school age children who would love to have longer to hang out with their school friends!)

The key is flexibility, so that parents are able to access the extra care that they need to be able to balance their family life and the needs of work. And to have quality care in one place rather than juggling childminders and after school clubs would be so much easier.

Note the use of the word IF in the first sentence. The idea that this scheme wll be propped up by volunteers frankly beggars belief.