Is this School day too short?

[Ahmawa]

I am not sure whether I should take this up with the the head as to me it seems the school day is too short.

9-11.30 - teaching

11.30-12.15 lunch

12.15-1.00 playtime

1.00-3pm - teaching (of which 30 mins is carpet session)

3pm - 4.30pm - after school clubs

so 4.5hrs of teaching

Now I compared it to other schools -

Morning Session: 8.55am to 12.15pm (3h 20)
Afternoon Session: 1.15pm to 3.10pm (1hr 55)

Total 5hr 15m

8.55-11.45 Learning time (2hr 50m)
11.45-1.00 Lunchtime
1.00-2.45 Learning time (1hr 45m)
2.45-3.00 Playtime
3.00-3.25 Learning time (25m)
3.25 Home

5hr total learning

Morning Session 8.40am-12.00pm (3h 20)
Afternoon Session 1.00pm-3.20pm (2h 20)

Is there a legal limit to how short the school day can be?

Err, 8.20-3.25 with 1h25mins if breaks...KS1.

The DfE recommended minimum number of hours for KS1 is 21, rising to 23.5 hours for KS2. Clearly it is best if the school can align the hours such the school starts and finishes at the same time for all primary age children, so that parents are not having to cope with different starting and finishing times.
As such the suggested timetable does meet those minimum. Depending on what is happening in the after school clubs and if they are compulsory then they could also be considered to be part of the school day

That is a really long lunch! I’d rather an hour for lunch and a 20 minute morning play.

8.45-3.15 is standard round here with 1 hour for lunch then morning and afternoon plays.

If it's reception the children will be learning through play and the 30 mins carpet time is likely to be the direct teaching time.

In Ireland, its 9 to 1.30 where I am for the first two school years, then 9 to 2.30 until the end of primary school. Two breaks in that.
I'd love a longer day. Cost of childcare for the rest of my working day makes working nearly a luxury.
We also get two full month for summer holidays.
The mad thing is, children in ireland on par or slightly ahead (in literacy anyway) than UK children. Most be more to it than time spent learning.

Are you in the education or child-related field op? Don't you think the head teacher, who has years of training and experience, has a reason behind her decisions?
I think if you approach the head in a true spirit of curiosity you might get somewhere. I'm sure she will be happy to explain her approach to you. But if you go to her with the attitude of 'I know more about how long children should be learning than you' then you really won't get far. Question it by all means, but respect that she's a professional who surely hasn't taken the structure of the day lightly.

Reception is learning through play.

Yes you could completely cone across as an idiot parent, don't say anything.

Our school extended the amount of learning through play in year 1 as they felt the jump to year 1 was too dramatic for many.

Don't forget the countries with the most successful educational systems start school at aged 7. There is a reason for this. 4/5 year olds don't learn staring at a board.

Your thinking is very strange. I would prefer my foundation age children to go 0 hours a day. Not emailing the head for more hours. Let your kids be kids.

We have
9-9.15 Circle time
9.15-9.30 breakfast
9.30-10.30 session 1
10.30-11.10 break
10.10-12.20 session 2
12.20-1.20 lunch
1.20-1.40 mindfulness/calming down time
1.40-2.40 session 3
2.40-2.55 circle time/reflection
3pm home time

I'm pushing for a little more learning time or at least a bit less "empty" time, although I don't mind the amount of playtime. Children need free play, especially in EYFS.

Pretty much all OECD countries have the same number of teaching hours per years across the age groups

School years and days vary in structure
but the actual hours teaching are pretty standard

If you think you know better than the DfE, go ahead and tell them.

Thank you all for your feedback and you are right I was being a bit of an idiot for questioning it.