Half Days at Primary School Every Friday

[suzannee]

All of the Edinburgh schools have a half day every Friday. This has been going on for years now and is a total nightmare for me as I'm really needed at work on a Friday afternoon.

The school day is short enough but the additional half day every Friday really takes the biscuit! Edinburgh Council don't care as they all get a half day on Friday too (yes, the entire council closes at 12:30pm on a Friday) but for the rest of us this means switching shifts or organising childcare.

I would be interested to know if any other schools have a half day and if you do if this bothers you at all or if it's just me having trouble with it?

Lots of other employers in Edinburgh have a half day too don't they? I remember when a friend got married they had the wedding on a Friday afternoon so work friends could attend easily and it was standing room only in the back of the church.(Working for what was then BAe)

North and South Lanarkshire don't have a half day on a Friday

Do you not have an after school club?
I quite like it, I mostly don't work Fridays but have friends who have to and they all use after school club (as I do when I do need to work fridays).

but for the rest of us this means switching shifts or organising childcare.

Yes. It's school, not childcare.

Surely you knew about it though. School is a shorter day than a working day anyway, and they have twelve weeks of holiday a year. So we all have to organise childcare around it.

I first heard of this when I made a Scottish friend. I think it's a lovely idea and wish schools where I live did it!!

Do most schools in Edinburgh have some form of afterschool club for Friday old? or childminder have space? must be a lot of people that need it and a good chance for the kids to have some down time or sport?

I wish worked in Edinburgh! PKC do not take a Friday afternoon.

Thanks for all your comments. I did know about it and everything was running smoothly with me back at work part time (with Friday afternoons off) but now there are 5 women in my team who all need Friday afternoon of to look after their kids which is causing me problems.

I don't know anyone in Edinburgh who gets a half day on Friday and I've lived here for over 10 years now. I think many years ago that factories and offices did work half days but this isn't the case anymore!

The school day is short enough without cutting it even shorter on a Friday. Schools don't get half days in the rest of the UK so why here? I suppose I'll put my DS in the after school club but he's never been keen when I've brought it up before and I think he should be learning rather than playing on a Friday. And people wonder why Scottish education results are falling?

susannee
I remember when they brought this in in my area (within last 5 yrs).
It went to 'parental consultation' and well over 50% of parents did NOT want it.
It is not just about shifts etc it is also about children losing effectively a whole days education per week as Friday mornings were always filled with assembly or other non academic stuff so the whole day is a write off.

And, yes, Scottish education is a travesty of what it once was.

Sb: suzannee

How odd.

Do the children study the same number of hours in total (i.e., do they get shorter holidays at other times to make up for all the half-days being taken off)?

If the children are studying the same number of hours and everything is just being shuffled around--well, I guess you can make a case for doing this, but it seems a bit crap to me. It would mean shorter holidays, which will result in everyone trying to cram their holiday trips into an even shorter space of time (resulting in worse price hikes, presumably). All this in order to have children spending more time hanging around in childcare programs?

Alternatively, if the holidays etc. are the same length and the children are actually just studying fewer hours--how can they justify this? Is it a desperate measure caused by cost-cutting? The children will be losing out on their education, and quite honestly Scottish state schools don't seem to be doing very well even as it is.

I know that French schools traditionally took half a day off on Wednesday, but I think it was made up for with a morning Saturday school (bloody stupid idea--I am glad that that appears to be a thing of the past), not to mention a lot more homework.

Schools in Perth and Kinross do it too, they lengthened the remaining school days at each end and shortened lunch and break-time. They have to provide lunch on a Friday and the buses don't leave until after lunch so my kids don't get out until about 2 O'clock unless i collect them, we like it but then I work from home so no logistical problems.

Gosh, I thought it was only fancy prep schools that did this, so the children can go to the country at the weekend.

The first 2 years of primary school where we live in Germany are just 8a.m until midday *everyday. From year 3 it extends an hour til 1p.m. There is after school club Mon - Thurs until 4, but you have to make your own arrangements on Friday. Most parents seem to be able to reduce their hours to accommodate this, or are lucky enough to have family to help them out.

there are 5 women in my team who all need Friday afternoon of to look after their kids

Do none of the children have fathers?

Wiggly, where in PKC?!!! I need a transfer...

Edinburgh schools go in earlier and finish later to complete the 25 hour pupil week, I believe.

It is not that uncommon, I think the borders brought this in recently too and the kids make up the hours with a longer school day Mon- Thurs. I'm pretty sure all the council staff keep normal office hours though (albeit maybe finish an hour earlier on a Friday) and don't get a half day- otherwise Edinburgh wouldn't function very well as city. I would imagine most mums don't work a Friday- though I know this isn't helpful. Would a childminder be better for childcare - more like home. I think the half day in Edinburgh at state school ( private are all day) has been in place a long time so most working parents negotiate something with work-related is it not a case of first come gets so as you already have it the newer people don't?

The entire council does not leave at 12.30pm. It's a 3.40pm finish.

It's been a half day one day a week since 1988. Friday pm has a lot of trainings for staff in schools which they have to do.

Those of us in nursery are still in on a Friday.

I know its not much help but it used to be that some schools had the Wednesday afternoon off while the others were Friday.

Most schools seem to have after school clubs

I work at Edinburgh council. I do not finish at 12.30 on a Friday. You are incorrect about that.

And as a side not Midlothian also does this

Half day Fridays for my dc. I love it. Makes for a longer weekend.

But I'm a sahm which makes all the difference.

I remember being at school and Friday afternoons were just a waste. No one properly paying attention, pupils and teachers alike just ready for the weekend.

At my DS's schools it's proper classes in the morning so it's not lost time.

West Lothian have been doing this since I was in primary school - and I'm 42 now!