Longer school days

[Bubbles]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35815023

I suppose it might make it easier for parents.

What do you think? Good or bad?

[Hope]

It wouldn't be tht much of a change anyway.  Many schools provide pre- and post-school activities such as homework clubs, extra-curricula activities such as sports and other interest clubs, not to mention breakfast and tea clubs.

Ironically, it is these very activities that are currently most at risk from all the cuts that are already in the pipeline.

[Hope]

BAD, BAD, BAD! Kids are so pressurised these days, it is CRAZY.  Two of my grandchildren, who are still at primary school, are getting as much homework as I had in my first few years at secondary school, which is ridiculous! They are fortunate that they have intelligent parents who are able to assist them. Kids at their school who have parents who can't or won't help them have to attend a homework club, which is basically like having a detention, and marks them out as the losers, which is so WRONG!

The problem with this analysis, Floo, is often as many bright kids stay to the homework clubs and other extra-curricula activities as those who you suggest are losers.  In fact, in some schools I've worked in, the 'losers' are the kids who don't attend such activities because their parents aren't interested in their education and want them home to be earning money - even at primary age, or looking after siblings.

[Brownie]

Schools will be able to bid for funding for extra activities like sport and art, with at least 25% of secondary schools covered, he has said.

Since when have sport and art been ''extra activities''?  All the schools around where I live incorporate them as part of the school curriculum.  I'm all for an extra 25% to go to education, to improve the schools overall (though don't understand how that works with a 4bn cut), but am concerned that subjects such as the above appear to be of lesser status when many children derive a great deal from them.

A mandatory longer school day sounds awful but homework clubs are already in existence and are voluntary, so if a child wants to take advantage of school facilities after hours and enjoys working with friends, all well and good.  As long as it doesn't become compulsory, that would make it a chore.   I can't remember if the article said anything about starting school earlier and without going back to look at it again, will say I am not in favour of that.  Kids dragging themselves off to school half asleep is not a good idea imo (some are bright eyed and bushy tailed at an unearthly hour but not all, especially not teenagers.  An extra hour of sleep is sheer bliss).

[Hope]

Schools will be able to bid for funding for extra activities like sport and art, with at least 25% of secondary schools covered, he has said.

Since when have sport and art been ''extra activities''?  All the schools around where I live incorporate them as part of the school curriculum.

There is a difference, in educational terms, between PE lessons and school/local sports teams, Brownie.  The latter generally occur either after school, or - in the case of a school match - by pupils being withdrawn from classes.

The same gos for art, to an extent.  Yes, there is usually a weekly 'art' lesson, but these are used to teach general principles of art over time.  After-school arts clubs are generally more specific - pottery, fine art, sculpture, etc.

A mandatory longer school day sounds awful but homework clubs are already in existence and are voluntary, so if a child wants to take advantage of school facilities after hours and enjoys working with friends, all well and good.  As long as it doesn't become compulsory, that would make it a chore.

With more and more parents working - because the Government wants them to - remarkably few children simply go home to a home that has a parent present or interested.  Often, providing the homework club allows them to do their homework , which they might not otherwise manage to do at home.

I can't remember if the article said anything about starting school earlier and without going back to look at it again, will say I am not in favour of that.  Kids dragging themselves off to school half asleep is not a good idea imo (some are bright eyed and bushy tailed at an unearthly hour but not all, especially not teenagers.  An extra hour of sleep is sheer bliss).

This seems to be an area of uncertainty.  Several schools in area local to me have pulled their starting time earlier by anything up to 90 minutes over the last 10 years, with 'formal' school finishing anywhere between 2 and 3.30.  On the other hand, some schools in England are pushing the starting time back - I believe that some 6th form colleges now start at midday and finish at 5 or 6.  There seems to be conflicting research outcomes in this area.

[Brownie]

I take your points about art and sports, Hope.  The extra activities would presumably be voluntary and I'd certainly be happy about them being funded by the government, if only in part.

I went to work from when my son was a baby, part time for a few years, then full time, and am a great believer in both parents working as long as their children are well catered for.  Many firms accommodate parents with flexible hours.  I had flexi time but I was only part-time so that wasn't unusual - though everyone where I worked did flexi.  My husband worked what was called 'a nine day fortnight' as well as a degree of flexi-time, for a while.  I do remember a couple of women who came back from maternity leave and were able to do some of their work at home, thus giving them a day off.  Still I expect they had to get their kids up early to take them to nursery or whatever, unless they had someone who came to their home.  Probably easier during term time.

The success of the proposed longer school hours really depends on how the children feel about them, their health and happiness are the most important issues.  It will either work or it won't.  (Sorry if I've waffled a bit, I'm good at that.)
+ Attachments and

[jeremyp]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35815023

I suppose it might make it easier for parents.

What do you think? Good or bad?

They're screwing the junior doctors, why not screw the teachers too?

[Brownie]

That singles out those who don't come from families who muck in with homework, may stigmatise less advantaged kids.   However they may find they enjoy it!  From what I've heard, homework clubs are pretty good (not heard of any compulsory homework clubs), a bit different to general classwork. Presumably they have a snack beforehand.  It must be difficult for teachers with pupils who don't do the required work, even the minimum, so they have to try something.  I hope the kids at your grandchildren's school, who have to go to homework club, get something worthwhile out of it.  I feel sorry for youngsters, even in this day and age when things are far better.  Still I suppose every age brings its own pressures.

I will tell you something that may make you laugh floo, from Nigella Lawson.  She went to several schools, her parents took her away from a school if she wasn't happy (quite right if you are able to do it).   She didn't like/couldn't cope with a compulsory subject, Geography.  Her mother wrote to the teacher, ''Nigella is far too sensitive to study geography'', so she got out of it.  Would that we had had parents like that!  I thought it was marvellous.