Academy conversion: 8.30am - 4pm aged 4?

Gigglepig

Here the local nurseries are 8am to 6pm... Allowing for full time work.

Dunroamin

fluffnutter wrote: »

Let's face it - this is simply a sop to employed parents. We all have to earn a crust and most parents work, but now we're all slave to The Man schools are increasingly being seen as not places of education but simply free childcare.

To look at it a different way, school hours have ben getting shorter and shorter through the cutting down and cutting out of break times, largely because so many schools feel that they cannot control the children's behaviour at these times. Because of this, children lose a large amount of social opportunities just for the sake of ending up at home only to sit in front of the TV or games machine at ever earlier hours.

mummyroysof3

liney wrote: »

But equally many have already been in nursery or childminders for full days prior to school.

It does appear that those dropped off at 8.45 and collected at 3.15 are now a minority anyway...

Maybe so but being in school learning is very different and much more tiring than a nursery or childminder setting. The teachers at our school comment that it can take a long time for a child to get used to being at full time school and can struggle towards the end of the day.

susancs

The primary school my children attended started at 8.50am and finished at 3.15 pm but chidlren were encouraged to do clubs after school and most did not leave the school building until 4.15pm. My youngest whose birthday is at the end of July so was only just four when she started in reception class in the September and although my husband and I had arranged work so that one of us could always collect, she really wanted to stay to do the clubs and had no problems with tiredness.

When I was in primary school I did a longer school day from 8.45 to 4.15pm and I never remember myself or my three siblings finding it too much.

susancs

bylromarha wrote: »

Just wanted to gauge opinion on this from people who've been through it.

The school I teach at is looking to convert to an ARK academy. All ARK academies have 8.30am - 4pm days.

The reason for the change is purely financial protection against likely changes in the budget coming from the LA - the school is Ofsted Outstanding.

I was wondering what effect this has on the Reception + Key Stage 1 children? As a parent, what changes, if any, have you seen in your child after the longer day?

Thanks

Reception aged children should have a play based curriculum and have quiet areas to rest when required as per EYFS statutory guidelines,so the extended hours should make little difference, just give these children more time to learn and develop through play with their peers. They should have obviously be encouraged to drink water regularly and have regular snack breaks to keep energy levels up.

Year 1 curriculum is more structured but IMO regardless of the time spent at school, this sometimes is a bit tiring for children to start with, but again in my experience they quickly adapt.[/

Janepig

My two go to breakfast club at 7.45am, school starts at 8.30am - DS (yr 2) finishes at 3pm and DD (yr5) finishes at 3.15pm. DS particularly has been doing that since he was 3 and a half and neither of them are tired after school - in fact I wish they'd be a bit more tired, I have a job getting them to go to sleep! On days like today with the nice weather they're usually allowed ten or fifteen minutes extra playtime which benefits kids and teachers!

Jx

samtoby

I think its a long day but the breaks on the example given were ok. I would not have been put off putting my son into one of these schools. His school day is nine until three fifteen and I feel a bit longer at school would not affect him in a negative.

I agree I would rather my son was learning than playing on electrical games/computers

mumps

It seems a long day for little ones but then I kep mine at home till year 4, they were 8 going on 9 when they started. Mine always did alot of activities after school sports, music, dance, scouts/guides etc so a longer day would have reduced that but maybe they would have covered some of that at school if it was a longer day?

Janepig

Both of mine manage plenty of after school activities despite their long days - DD does gymnastics twice a week, manages to do after school sports club, athletics and youth club on a Tuesday and come September there will be netball on Wednesdays, tournaments once a month on Saturdays, and rugby on Fridays, matches on Sunday. DS has only got swimming on Thursdays at the moment but he's hoping to start Beavers or Cubs towards the end of the year, plus he's got rugby starting back too at the end of this month. All of which are their choice, they've only got to tell me once that they don't want to do whatever they do any more and I'll be like "yippeeeee".

As it is, I really don't know where they get the energy from to fit it all in!

Jx

meritaten

my grandkids have all gone to the usual primary schools - 9.00am til 3.15pm - and at rising 3, reception and year 2 - mostly they come home absolutely cream-crackered! its a very long stimulating day for them!
its brilliant for working parents of course - but schools are there to educate our kids - not babysit them! and for teachers who have children of their own perhaps in ordinary schools - it must be a nightmare!