Change of school day (no afternoon play anymore) Should parents have been informed?

[fatzak]

I've just found out that other than Reception and Yr 1, the children at DS's school no longer have an afternoon playtime. Am I right in thinking that schools have to inform/consult with parents about any changes to the school day?

Would not have bothered me

Not as far as I know.

In our school there is no afternoon play from YR3 up, apart from Frriday golden time.

As far as I know parents were not consulted about the change - it's down to the school to organise classes / play times as they want within the constraints on the NC.

No idea if they have to let you know if it doesn't affect the start and end times of the day.

Many schools do it.

Personaly I prefer an afternoon break for all year groups. I think a break mid way through the afternoon is very beneficial.

What difference would it have made if you had been told beforehand?

no afternoon play from Y3 is norm here too - although occasionally the teacher will let them have 5 minutes run about. Presumably the school has good reason to want to make use of the extra teaching time?

No It'd drive me crazy if the schools informed me on every litle detail they changed. I'd never remember it anyway.

I would prefer to be told simply becuase my ds needs to be out, i know that if he doesnt get to run round regularly it is likely to affect his behaviour in class.

I know that there will be trouble ahead if they make such changes, i would like to be able to at least discuss this with them and at least make a plan for the kids like ds who are kept cooped up all afternoon.
Even just 5 minutes makes a huge difference.

My primary school has never had an afternoon play .
However, I do think school should inform you about this sorgt of change, so you are aware if your children mention it, but the school are the educators and experts, they don't need to ask your opinion .

Generally, lots of communication - chatty newlettery type stuff - tends to help prevent lack of communication becoming big issues, so, I'd say a good school would have mentioned it at some point, but they don't need to consult with parents about how the time during the day is organised. If they 'consulted' parents about every managament decision, there would never be full agreement on any topic, EVER. It would be a ludicrous way to try to get anything done.

why do you care? Is it a behaviour management/needing to eat or drink issue?

There are some things they have a statutory duty to tell you about, and some things they don't, but I can't remember which they are (aside from a change to the start or end of the school day). This would annoy me - one of the things I like about the DDs school is that they have afternoon playtime for all year groups.

My DCs school have never had afternoon play. They have 9 -10:30 then 1/2 hour break, then 11- 12, then an hour for lunch then 1 to 3:15. The afternoon might seem long but they tend to do: PE, Art, Music, going to the "Wild Place" (an outdoor special classroom) etc. The mornings are for real work, and the afternoons mainly for fun. But the school does use the outdoors a lot, including outdoor class rooms for years R-2.

We were consulted when the secondary changed its school day, and they even tweaked things in response to parent comments. They have 2 lessons, long break, 2 lessons long break, assembly/form time, last lesson. Which works much better than one school I worked in which had: Form/assembly, 2 lessons, break, 1 lesson, lunch, 2 lessons. The last lesson of the day was always awful, as everyone was too tired.

Thanks for your replies. I am concerned that they aren't getting an afternoon play as I think that the younger ones need to let off some steam. Also think that a letter/mention in the newsletter to explain why the change would have been useful.

I don't think our school has ever had an afternoon breaktime.

The Reception children and the Yr1's do a lot more outdoor-based activities though, so it's not a case of them being cooped up in a classroom all afternoon.

They only have to consult with you if they change the school hours - not if they change the internal make up of the school day.

Our school has afternoon playtime in reception only. It is gradually phased out up to Christmas in Yr1. The school is generally good at communication and does tell parents about this as the child enters yr 1, however I don't think there is any great need to inform parents but it is nice that they do.

We've never had an official afternoon playtime. Reception and Yr1 have lots of access to outdoors. Other classes seem quite often go outside to do something curriculum-related, or for a spontaneous run around if they need it. And there's PE, of course.

Trust the teachers. They don't want the children to be kicking off any more than you do!

Is it perhaps just during the winter term? By the time they get their coats on it's time to come back in. Will it switch back in the Spring term?

I don't think parents should have been consulted - it's the school's decision to make.

I do think you should have been informed.

Oh something else the primary does; after assemblies, they take all the kids out for some exercise. Year 3 one or more lap of the tennis courts, year 4 a lap of tennis courts and some jumping jacks etc. Year 5 one or more lap of the Green (big astroturf area), year 6 laps of the Green and warm up exercise. Because after sitting for 1/2 hour they need physical exercise.