Primary school changed hours without consultation to parents

[Dorsetmummy2]

Hi,
My daughter is 7, our head the head teacher has advised that she will need to stay an extra hour from September. Ks1 is 8:45 - 3 and ks2 will be 8.45 - 4. My son will be in reception from September. A lot of parents are unhappy with this chamge and are passionately against this. it seems that we have no option but to complain to the board of governors, and after that Ofsted. Does anyone have any experience of appealing to Ofsted or any other tips,we are doubtful that the board of governors will do anything since they supported the motion in the first place.
Thanks

[Dorsetmummy2]

How do you withdraw from RE, we have an hour of 'Songs of Praise' scheduled between 3-4pm. I don't think the Head would consent to any flexible working arrangements.

[Eva50]

We used to have 45 minutes between infants and juniors coming out. It's a real pain and definitely encouraged pick up by car as at least you can get younger child's reading/homework done and have somewhere warm and dry to sit. No one wants to stand around for that length of time in all weathers with a young child before walking home.

[Naty1]

I would suggest they start an optional after school choir club

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

I would probably wait until Sept to withdraw from RE otherwise they will just move it earlier in the day. They may still want the children there. You have a statuary right to withdraw from acts of worship, although that might also include assemblies and nativities, you can't pick and choose. Did you have to demonstrate church attendance to get a place? That might make your new found atheism harder to justify. What are the secondary options? If any of them are faith based you might find that you don't meet the criteria if you don't attend church and attending church if you opt out of school worship might appear hypocritical. Other than that they can't stop you withdrawing her from RE - whether that will also produce an early end to the school day is more doubtful. If lots of children are all withdrawn then they might have a rethink and they would have to occupy them separately from the RE.

If you have a specific activity to go to then you might be able to spring her early. I have an arrangement to take one of mine out early for a lesson - just 10 mins but it means that she can do that activity.

[bojorojo]

"Songs of Praise" is not normally in the RE curriculum but children should be able to "study" religious topics through music and song. The syllabus is set locally (LA wide) and is agreed between different faiths for most schools but if you are Voluntary Aided then the syllabus is set by the Diocese. As they will have had a say in the greed syllabus, often there is no difference between the Diocese syllabus and that of other schools, but there may be. I suspect Songs of Praise to be an added extra to promote the C of E ethos of the school. I would doubt if it is an hour celebrating other faiths. It is a rather old fashioned view of religion and probably reflects the C of E view that people are not sufficiently religious these days so good old hymn practice will help. However, if you have signed up to C of E, then you may have a problem saying you do not want it now.

I would still tackle the school on the lines described above and say that parents are not happy because the time in school has compromised other clubs and activities and has built in a lot of waiting time between KS1 and KS2 which is not suitable for the younger children.