Why Extend The School Day?

[Gromit]

Is this for the convenience of parents?

Is there any evidence it will benefit the students?

[ummmm]

I can't see it doing any harm. My son often stays after at school to complete homework.

Maybe they should use the time to get the kids to become more active.

[cassa333]

I don't know if it will benefit the parents but I imagine some would welcome,it.

My two finish school at 3.10pm three days a week and 2.10pm two,days a week. My thought is that the days should be the same to 3.10pm daily and they have to stay and do homework in the extra two hours.

Perhaps if the school day were a bit longer the teachers would be able to teach the full curriculum properly and not set so much homework.

[Old_Geezer]

What time do they start ? I find many seem to be walking home after a half day too. Surely it isn't a 4 to 5 hour day ?

My opinion at school (and not really changed since) was that if the teacher failed to teach subject in the normal hours they ought not lumber pupils with homework to try to make up the difference. College/university is different, although even then the, self teaching using the lecturers as an information point, ought to be phased in over a couple of years.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Surely its not extending it but taking it back to what it used to be.

[Islay]

I heard that they would be doing sports and arts in the extra time - if they do sports that can only benefit society in the future surely?

Also it will benefit business as parents that work will have staff that can stay longer.

[woofgang]

yup. It was 9.30 to 3.30 in primary and 9 to 4 in secondary.

[gingejbee]

Yes, nothing wrong with 9 to 4 Mondays to Fridays....then, up the chimneys on Saturday.

[MallyJ]

School days are often already extended... there are breakfast clubs and after school clubs .. extension classes often run for those pupils facing public exams. Saturday schools and Easter revision classes exist too. Quite a few of these are run by teachers who do not get paid for the time that they give up. School budgets are being restricted so where does all this money come from.... When I taught I was usually in school by 7 am and frequently did not leave until 5.30.... and then there was the paper work and all the other tasks that have to be carried out... How much more time are people expected to work. It is interesting that they want children to be more active... but lots of playing fields etc were sold off. Oh I will stop now.... it juat makes me sad.

[derekpara]

Like you, MallyJ, I was always in my secondary school by 7am to receive calls from staff phoning in sick so that I could organise their lessons and arrange for supply teachers to arrive before start of lessons at 8.45. Then I would have a full teaching day followed by after school clubs. If it was my 'duty' day I would be supervising in the playground during my fifteen minute morning and afternoon breaks and for half of my lunch hour.

As a PE teacher I would be umpiring cricket matches until 8pm for three evenings a week after school during the summer term and refereeing football matches every Saturday morning until 12 as well as Badminton clubs etc mid week.

The schools that finish lessons at, say, 3.15pm have reduced the lunch break to 30 minutes and cut out the morning or afternoon break. Anyone who thinks that teaching is 9 to 3.30 has no idea of the reality. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves as they are put under more and pressure . I'm glad I retired fifteen years ago.

[mikey4444]

When I first went to school, in 1958, we started at 09:00 and finished at 16:30 ( or perhaps 16:00....I forget ) We had a 1.5 hours break at lunchtime, and 2 playtimes of about 15 mins each.

I have always thought that those lunch times and playtimes were for the teachers benefit, not us......the windows in the teachers common room were always yellow with nicotine !

A few years ago, collecting a niece from school, I noticed a sign up on the board in the teachers common room ::
"
There are only 2 good things about teaching....July and August"

[ToraToraTora]

more brainwashing time Gromit, thought you'd be pleased!

[Gromit]

ToraToraTora,
You may not have noticed, but the Chancellor has taken all achools out of Local Authority control, which means your local school will be run out of the Department of Education in Whitehall, rather than your elected councillors.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

[mikey4444]

Gromit....not in Wales he hasn't !

We still have proper schools here, with a national curriculum and properly trained and qualified Teachers.

Cymru am Byth !

[atalanta]

I can recall finishing school at 4, getting home at 5, and having 2hrs homework to do every evening.

[agchristie]

Mikey,

Addysg! Addysg! Addysg!

[jourdain2]

Not read other answers. We couldn't hold clubs, etc. after school because the school buses wouldn't run after 4.00..

Simple as that. I, personally, ran myself ragged doing athletic club in the 45mins. allowed for lunch. No count of the times I had no nourishment or drink before afternoon lessons. Not good:(

Yes, extra-curricular activities benefit students, but the timing is crucial - and nowadays teachers have more form-filling to do. I often worked until 10p.m., no way would I extend that. So, it comes down to who is going to stay on?

Homework is a different question. Students need to learn to retain knowledge, process it and apply it independently. Homework does this and reinforces information taught.

[cassa333]

8.50am to 310pm primary and 8.25am to either 2.10pm or 3.10 pm secondary. With 25 minute lunch break and 10 minutes in the morning break. Round this way anyway.

They seem to teach less and expect homework to replace it. They skirt over important historical events in favour of populist irrelevances. What is more important? The English civil war or the American civil war? Not the British one that's for sure.

[MallyJ]

cassa333 ... the curriculum is laid down by government in the form of the National Curriculum. Teachers no longer have the ability to follow paths of interest or appropriate to the area or the backgrounds of children. If the English civil war is not taught this is because those in very high authority have not put it on the curriculum.