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Secondary education

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Original poster

Length of day at private schools

42 replies

Tethersend01 · 07/04/2023 21:50

My Child in year 7 is not coping with the Comprehensive and we are coming to the conclusion that switching to the local private school might be a much easier place for him to be.
Neither myself or DH attended private schools and I was surprised to learn that the school day is so long! 8.10 to 5.30 at the nearest school. I’m just not sure hiw DC will adapt and cope with such a long day. They are exhausted with the standard 9 to 3.20 at the local school. Has anyone hot any experience of this transition goid/ bad/ indifferent? Tia

OP posts:
FredandAmy · 07/04/2023 21:55

You know your DC best, but in my experience they just adapt to the longer day. Also they have longer holidays so longer to rest in between intensive terms.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 07/04/2023 21:57

The days are longer; so are the holidays.

I’m not sure they are generally an easier place to be, what are you hoping will be different?

FlightOwl · 07/04/2023 22:01

it depends on what they’re doing during that time. IME most private schools finish teaching at 4, then anything after that is either a club or prep (meaning homework is done before he comes home).

agree as above though, what do you think private school can offer that is different to comp?

larriss · 07/04/2023 22:02

Normally lessons finish around 3:30-3:45 in private schools - after that time students can attend clubs or study club which is optional

Original poster
Tethersend01 · 07/04/2023 22:03

Thank you both for your replies.
to answer the question- I’m not sure it definitely will be easier but it definitely cannot be worse and its either try it or accept we will have to homeschool which I definitely fo not want to do.
The local private school isn’t one of the hugely academically pressured schools and doesn’t hothouse the kids. Smaller classes and the ability for us to buy in some one to one support which the comp just cannot provide- not their fault.
much smaller school in large peaceful grounds. Just less distraction and chaos really.

OP posts:
Nailsandthesea · 07/04/2023 22:03

Days are longer but lunch breaks are also longer and they are expected to do clubs before and after school and Saturday games at hours. They get two weeks most half terms and 3 weeks at Easter and an extra 4 weeks in the summer.

we work hard and play for longer!

Nailsandthesea · 07/04/2023 22:04

Oops at ours! Don’t teach English - you’ll be relieved to know!

WallPlant · 07/04/2023 22:04

Ours isn't particularly longer than the local state schools.

Registration at 8:30.

Last lesson ends 4:10.

But with 2 good length breaks and a great lunch.

Maybe a bit of a longer day but less hectic for a sure.

TeenDivided · 08/04/2023 07:36

I think it depends why they are 'not coping'.

My DD just coped (until she didn't) but was exhausted after a school day. It eventually turned out she has v poor processing , working memory, dyslexia and dyspraxia (amazing she coped for so long really). Moving to a private school wouldn't really have helped.

Legoninjago1 · 08/04/2023 07:38

Hi OP. My boys are at a prep school and their day is 8 - 5:15. No issue and they're used to it. A chunk of each afternoon is taken up with either games or activities. They also have Saturday school but as a PP said, they have very long hols. We're currently in week 3 of a 4 week Easter holiday!

gogohmm · 08/04/2023 07:58

Private school isn't easier, but homework is done at school, theres usually more sports and parents choose it to solve childcare issues. Is it also a boarding school, they tend to try to integrate the day students into pastoral activities. One of my DD's went to a private school on scholarship and they had lessons to 4 then prep, Wednesday afternoons lessons stopped at midday and lots of sports fixtures and she had Saturday morning classes, then sport in the pm (sport is her thing though)

MintJulia · 08/04/2023 08:18

My DS' small rural independent school runs from 8.45 - 4pm, plus prep until 5pm.

The main differences are smaller class sizes, no disruptive pupils, better facilities, a wide choice of extra-curriculas, absolutely no tolerance of bullying or drug taking/vaping/smoking, and better pastoral care.

Expectations of effort are high, both academically and ECAs though. It isn't selective and has pupils of all abilities but they do expect pupils to give lots of things a try, and to get involved.

It depends why your dd was struggling. Generally I think the teachers have more time to sort out any issues and encourage individual pupils. If you can afford it, certainly worth a try

ZirihePevzig · 08/04/2023 08:23

Presumably the last hour or so is supervised prep rather than taught lessons?

My DC has autism and we chose private because we hoped for a quieter and more studious environment than a typical comprehensive. It's not quite as good a solution as we hoped but not too bad. The official school day ends at 4 but DC prefers to then go to the library till 5:30 to get prep done there, rather than coming home and doing prep here.

I don't think it's an issue - and the long holidays mean a more relaxing break.

Xiaoxiong · 08/04/2023 08:41

Ours is 8.25 to 6.15 and starting from Year 5 the final hour is a mandatory hour of prep. On the flip side there is nothing needing doing at home once they get home!

FacebookFun · 08/04/2023 08:48

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

RettyPriddle · 08/04/2023 08:54

We did the transistion from state primary to local prep. The school day is 8am to 6ish, depending on sport/activities. Plus Saturday school, They are so busy, during the school day. Totally worth it. Small class sizes; specialist subject teachers; amazing facilities and zero tolerance towards bullying, poor behaviour etc. They do expect children to be resilient and get on with it all, though. And children are assessed constantly, so be prepared for reports and grades every half term.

Notellinganyone · 08/04/2023 09:11

Depends on the school. Ours finishes at 3.50 and students can go home then if they want although there are plenty of activities and they can stay in the library to work,

CurlewKate · 08/04/2023 09:16

It does depend why they aren't coping. For some children being at school is just difficult-they are just not "school-shaped." For them a longer day would just prolong the agony. Remember as well, that he's only in Year 7-it's very early days. Have you explored all the possible ways of making things better for him where he is?

NotDonna · 08/04/2023 21:05

Private schools are ‘independent’ so they don’t have to follow the national curriculum. Be aware of this as some private schools offer things very similar to state others vary hugely. Also, if your child requires specific and extra support, a private school may not be willing to provide it. Please don’t assume that just because it’s private it’s ‘better’ for your child. Really dig deep as some private schools aren’t very good at all!
Not all private schools do homework at school. They don’t all have to go in on Saturdays. If there’s boarders both of these are more likely.
A lot start around 8.15am ish and finish at 4ish. Most will offer sports & clubs after school but unlikely to be mandatory.
As others have said the holidays are longer, around 18-19 weeks in total, which has an impact on childcare.
Id visit the school and ask an awful lot of questions and be as specific as you can about what your child needs and what you’re looking for. Ensure they can meet your expectations.

minipie · 09/04/2023 00:14

None of the day private schools round me have such long days, lessons finish at 3.45 or 4. Of course there are after school clubs, or staying to do homework at school, but neither is compulsory.

The schools where the longer day is compulsory are usually partly boarding IME, or prep schools aiming to send kids to boarding.

Ilovechoc12 · 09/04/2023 07:51

There is a LOT of demands in private schools and tests weekly …..(The 3 independent schools we have times 8-5, and senior school 8:30-3:45 sports takes half a day to play matches)

has your child any Sen? been assessed by a EP? You need to work out why your kid is struggling as you could be jumping ship with the same issues but £20k plus a yr more. If you want extras at the private school you pay for it and many are tutored weekly outside school. Not all children are happy in private school too …. You still get the mean kids on the playground and shouty teachers.

id be surprised if there is space in yr 7 - where we are everyone has to sit the 11 plus and huge waiting lists …..

1forward2back · 09/04/2023 09:13

Ours is 8.15-3.35 but then clubs until 5 which aren’t every day. dd also gets an hour for lunch. Is it a boarding school? Most day schools would have shorter days than that.

Nismet · 09/04/2023 16:46

As PPs said, it depends why he is not coping. We ruled out private school for our autistic child quite easily, there was a high level of compliance expected including stuff like having homework set for the next day. I don't think you can assume the child can "just step up".

At my (very academic boarding) school, we worked until 5.30 3 days a week but on two of them we had 2 hours out for inter-house matches after lunch. So it was more that pm lessons started late, than that we had hours more of study. This was in addition to PE lessons. If you weren't in a house team then those pm games sessions were pretty chilled. However it's still an extra demand in the week. School just loomed an awful lot bigger in my life than it has in my own children's lives at state school. But that was inevitable with the boarding anyway.

I can completely relate to that feeling that something's got to give though. Nothing is likely to be perfect, sometimes you need to take a gamble. We moved our autistic child in Y9. It was terrifying but you get to the point where you just have to try something.

Moredarkchocolateplease · 09/04/2023 16:54

They adapt v quickly because everyone else does the same day.

So ours start at 8.20 and run to 5.30. Most have an hour on the bus each way too.

And Saturday school.

But...

They have lunch. Then lessons. Then a long break for clubs or prep etc then lessons. Then tea. Then prep or clubs.

DC don't do homework at home and all socialising is done at school.

We get hols from 1st July to 3rd ish of Sept.

It's amazing and well worth it. One DC has extra support and it's been superb.

Abraxan · 09/04/2023 17:00

What are they doing til that time? Is it prep - so no homework once home? Or perhaps clubs included?

DD's private school didn't have longer days - finished at half past three.

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