Gove's at it again

[fedup21]

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Education/article1355695.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2013_12_21

Things like this always get announced on day 2 of the holidays when people think teachers are doing pish all!

Shocking journalism though; does Sian Griffiths really think teachers 'enjoy short working days'? I am in my classroom from 7.45 until 6pm. That's longer 'working' hours than my 'city boy' husband does (though not the 1.5 hour commute) and I work in the evenings and he doesn't!?

If the longer hours are compulsory he will put some business out of business. What about the after school clubs, the swimming lessons, the dancing schools, the sports clubs, the karate clubs that all run classes for school aged children between 4 - 6pm? None of the younger ones will want 7pm or later sessions as it is too late and they'll be too tired, and the dancing school my DD goes to was so full on Saturdays that we had to do the equivalent class midweek so just assuming they can do all these things on a Saturday won't wash.

It's a suggestion not compulsory gulag.of course he'll not make Lottie miss violin,mandarin and kumon class
This came up last time,housewife handwringing in case their wean was compelled it be at school
Great idea,if you need it,use it,if you don't have the requirement don't use it.simple

I on that thread ScottishMummy and you will rarely if ever find me moaning about my job. I agree that there are perks to the job - do you not want there to be. Do you want a thoroughly demoralised teaching profession .

I work long hours and rarely finish work before midnight during term time , in return I get the holidays off . I suspect that I work similar hours to many other professions. Why do I have to work longer hours just because I am a teacher.

I agree that after school provision would be a good thing. I run a club after school myself . However it need not be teachers doing it. Teachers have other things to do.

Of course it's about the kids and the parents,that's his point
My kids have been at nursery ft since 6 mth,we use Afterschool now
So no difference to their day or routine.

So, if it's optional, Scottishmummy, it is childcare and not school. In that case, it doesn't need to be organised or run by teachers.

I don't expect teacher to run after school,Afterschool isn't curriculum
It's downtime with pals til parents finish work

It has to be everyone or it is not school it is childcare. If half the class don't attend a lesson it is will need repeating in the compulsory 9 -3 slots.

I suspect most teachers would agree with you ScottishMummy , so I am not sure why you are taking the abrasive tone about moaning teachers.

I agree scottishmummy good after school care should be available, but that is not what Gove is suggesting; it is more lessons by teachers. That is what I am concerned about. Instead of bashing teachers for saying Gove's plans are lunacy you should be fighting for high-quality wraparound childcare, but he doesn't want that he wants teachers to provide it for free - that's my gripe.

Well here the thing the rest if us in demanding jobs don't get 7wk holiday
Teaching has amazing t&c no wonder they don't want to give that up
But realistically of course he's going to try alter the times,terms they suit no one. Suppose I'd better qualify that,they suit no ine who works. If you can turn up at gates you're not inconvenienced

If Gove is wanting to model our education system more along the lines of the far east do you think he has budgeted for the higher pay (and status) that teachers there are rumoured to enjoy?

I'm in a demanding job and I get 6 weeks holiday.

If I had to work in those holidays I'd be on my knees. As it is I do long hours and am stressed most of the time.

There's no way I want my children in school for even longer. That's ridiculous.
Gove makes sweeping statements but I have no respect for him because his policies are not evidence based. It's just his rose tinted vision.

He'd have to recruit additional staffed make it work
Is this because academies are out with la control,so could set own hours and term
I read somewhere in Essex? had altered its term calendar,equally spread so no long summer hol

"It's just his rose tinted vision" - That's very generous of you, ThGreatHunt! I think it is far from a naïve rose-tinted vision that is driving him!

I agree we have great terms and conditions , you will find me on thread after thread saying exactly that. I gave up a previous higher paid career for those holidays.

However in return for that I work from 7am until 6pm in school and then at least another three hours in the evening . During peak times it increases. I am not moaning about that, in return - as you say I get great holidays.

I think you can have the wrap around care you want and it can be provided in schools. If teachers are the providers it will cost more , you will lose great teachers , teaching standards will decline and the after school provision will be of a poorer quality . The only reason to get teachers to provide the care is to launch another attack on the profession, not because you want to help vulnerable children or hard working families.

Well of course he'd have to pay,additional hours,additional remuneration
I imagine he'd need to additionally recruit too

I've had a look at the Mail article - most of the comments are dead against this.

I was being generous, yes! He gives me rage attacks.

There's no way on earth Gove would recruit more. Who would become a teacher now? I've thought about it but looked up and seen him shitting on the profession from a great height and ruled it out.

But why refer to it as school if it is optional? Surely it is just wraparound childcare. So why does he have to insist on calling it education/schooling if that's the case?

I don't want nor need DD to be in school for extended periods of time. I want her to be able to come home and relax and anjoyg havign a life away from school. I want her to do homework at home - to learn to study independently, and to use a range of resources outside the school buildig I want her to socialise and have fun and build relationshoips outside of school. And I like her to do extra curricuar activities away from school - to meet a wide breadth of people of different ages and from different backgrounds.

Fair enough, some people want or need wraparound childcare. That is fine. But call it that and plan it as that. It doesn't need to involve the current teaching staff. Employ other people to plan and deliver child care activities and holiday care. Use school buildings if you wish - and there is the facility to do so.