Changing to a 4.5 week

[Whodunnit83]

Hi
I received a letter from my child’s school informing us of the schools decision to change the school week to a 4.5 week. I fully understand the reasons behind this but feel very upset and angry due to the school not even consulting parents about this issue before making the decision.
So I am looking for information from other parents that have already gone through this process. Can you tell me how the school went through the decision and whether parents were included in the process
Thanks

Consultation is only of value if there is a choice, eg shall we shut early on Weds or Fri? No point consulting on shall we shut or not, as that decision has been forced by finances.

Focus your energy on lobbying Govt to increase school funding to make up the shortfall, repair the buildings & pay the TAs.

There has been a big protest in London today.
Write to your MP.
Write to the Education secretary.
Join campaign groups - for example (but not exclusively) Stop School Cuts
Get the media involved.

Make it about your child's access to education rather than a childcare issue.

As a school, we are considering this.

It's money.

• Every week, teachers have a PPA period. We have to cover this which costs money - about £90-100 per half day.

In addition:

• Teachers pay goes up (rightly) but the budget doesn't.
• We are going to have to do a skills audit of staff and made about 60% of our support staff redundant as the government won't fully fund the pay rise past March 2020 so we no longer have the money to pay them. This WILL affect all kids.
• Our head is trying to consider if by cutting her hours, she can help the budget. She already does a 60 hour week. She'll still probably do the same hours, but not get paid for 40% of this.
• We haven't be able to repair our roof properly as there is no money. The caterers are threatening to withdraw their service due to the risk of infection from the leaks in the roof; but the DfE say it's not important enough for them to fund it.
• Inclusion (while a fabulous idea) is not supported by funding. We calculated that for one child alone, it cost the school £35000 to support him as he required 1-1 constantly to stop him hurting other pupils, but the local authority didn't deem his need great enough to provide an EHCP. Or, specifically, he wasn't as bad as some other children so they were funded and he wasn't.

Education is going to crumple soon.

It’s not the decision that I have an issue with. I am well aware that schools are in financial crisis, through no fault of their own. I just can’t believe that schools will make this decision without talking to parents. I wanted to know if not informing parents until after the decision has been made is usual for this situation.

What did you wsnt them to ask you? What difference could asking parents have made? Which day they shut on?!!

I think it’s something that will become a lot more common , especially with the creation of academies.
I’d imagine it’s a Friday PM as that seems to be the trend for schools to finish at lunchtime? then all staff get PPA time Friday afternoon.
The education system is in dire straights, along with the health services and well the public sector in general!

Our school did this a year ago, but you have the option of your child staying til 3:30 and doing arts/play under TA supervision. Or you can collect at 1, which is the end of formal schooling.

School starts a bit earlier to make up the time and they make have lost a break time as well in the junior school.

The school did consult us, and now it’s implemented we can choose what time we pick up, which seems fair to me. I like the flexibility.