@Walkaround maybe you missed it earlier, but I was a secondary teacher until recently and certainly haven't been saying or doing nothing about it in the past years. I know first hand how unsustainable the system is and how students and staff are constantly poorly treated, to some extent why I left being part of it. I've been out on strike, I've marched, I sign petitions, I email my MP and attend his surgery when I've needed to, and don't feel angry at the school or staff. Of course I'm angry with the people above them who are not funding the schools appropriately and who take away provision. But I'm understandably worried about our own situation now it's been dropped on us, immediately after reception application deadline. I suppose I feel like I have not been able to make an informed decision, I can understand why they've waited, but it doesn't make their timing right.
To the PP who asked I unfortunately don't have any magic solutions, I wish I did, I of course want teachers to have a better work life balance and them to feel happy so they can do what they love without fear of redundancy over them, with properly equipped classrooms, no bullying, no academies making up their own policy resulting in long term sickness, no SEN support, endless cover and unqualified staff leading lessons. I hope the change does avoid staff cuts. But I worry that if our school makes it work, more schools will do it too, blood out of a stone style, and nobody ever properly funding schools.
I can understand all this, all the logical reasons why they've made this decision, but at the same time worry when I find myself in the same position as OP. Which is if school can't offer guaranteed club places for all children needing it, I am going to struggle with paying for extra childcare to continue to work on Friday afternoons. It's been presented as fait accompli with no clear info about the club and of course nobody around this weekend to discuss with.