Later start to the day?

[disneyfan83]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/229178

My ds (nearly 15) has just shown me this petition which is due to be debated at some point. I know that any debate would amount to nothing and I've explained as best I can the complexities of things like this changing and why. However I'm interested to know anyone else's opinion?

As a secondary school teacher and mother to a teenager I know that their body clocks do seem to work differently, I think I actually seen some science behind it on child of our time once, and I think a 10-4 day would help them better.

Anyone else think the same, or total opposite?

[Kerning]

There is evidence that a 10 am start improves performance and even reduces illness:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5727052/

What's your opinion as a secondary teacher OP, how would this impact you?

[LilyMumsnet]

We're just moving this over to our petitions topic.

[TeenTimesTwo]

I can see transport issues

• kids not being able to be dropped off en route to parent's work.
  
• parents definitely having gone in the morning so pupils not having an adult at home to chivvy them along
  
• walking home in the dark
  
• not being able to pick up siblings from primary school / be at home for them in the afternoons
  
• teachers with children not being able to pick them up so early (and then going home to do more work)
  
• more lessons after lunch (linked to worse behaviours?)
  

But these reasons aren't necessarily reasons not to shift the school day.

Most teenagers seem to think the world revolves around them, so why not school too?

[noenergy]

Bad idea, I know teens would like to sleep later and probably function better later in the day but can't see how it would work out in reality as mentioned by previous poster especially transport and it getting dark by 4 in winter.

I think starting school at current time helps prepare them worklife and routine.

[disneyfan83]

As a teacher, it wouldn't bother me, and it would probably help a lot to have a later start. I always arrive such a rush after dropping DD(8) off at primary then heading to work (same school my son attends) that to have that extra time would be welcome and given I work more efficiently in the morning it would probably mean less late unproductive evenings!

As a mum, I can see the drawbacks also, like walking home in the dark etc, but there are ways and means around that and plenty of teens stay on for sports abs extracurricular activities that in some months this happens anyway. If you have one primary age, one secondary age, both starting and finishing at the same time, that presumably this might make life a bit easier?

And I know teens think that life revolves around them, but in fact secondary school does actually revolve around them and their needs so this is why things like this should be discussed. But not just with MPs, teachers and parents should be included in this. Which won't happen 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Kerning]

I drop DD off in the city centre on the way to work to get the bus to her school so it would create logistical issues for me. And I can appreciate some of the other arguments against from a parents perspective. But if something is shown to have/could potentially have significant benefits in terms of health and academic achievement then it should be considered at least. There was a Cochrane Review (blog post here) which was inconclusive so more research is needed.

How does one influence these kinds of debates?? Perhaps write to our MP ahead of the debate, or members of the Education Select Committee?

[MartaHallard]

I can see transport issues

Round here it would have an impact on bus services. School buses are operated by Arriva, who run the regular buses too. A lot of regular routes have a gap in the timetable in the afternoon to allow for the fact that drivers and buses are off doing the school run. Those timetables would have to be revamped, with consequent impact on people's journeys.

And what about after school activities? Would they all have to move to an hour later too, and how would that impact the availability of the venue and the people, often volunteers, who run the activity?

[disneyfan83]

I'm not saying I have all the answers there are implications with any change, but I think a discussion is there to be had, and that should include students, former students, parents, teachers, heads etc.

There is a lot that needs changing in our education system. The focus on exams and the pressure put on lots of students to achieve past their potential so that the school can hit those targets of how many of a certain grade they have to achieve to keep estyn/ofsted off their back.

I think just opening discussions to topics like this will be beneficial for the future of our children and their education

[bookmum08]

I would of hated this as a teen. I read a lot of American teen books when I was a teen and I was very jealous of the descriptions of starting school at 7.30 am and finishing about 2 pm. I would of loved that. Much more free time after school to actually do things - activities, part time jobs, having a more interesting and fulfilling life.

[MartaHallard]

part time jobs

Yes, that's another issue. Older pupils may have evening jobs, or be volunteers at activities themselves, which would be impacted by a change in school hours.

starting school at 7.30 am and finishing about 2 pm. I would of loved that. Much more free time after school to actually do things

But you wouldn't actually have more free time, because you'd still need the same amount of sleep, and there are still only 24 hours in a day. Your free time would just move to earlier in the day.

[Kerning]

@disneyfan83 The petition will be debated. I received an email with a link to a survey to give my views on why school start times should be changed - did you get this?