O/T Schools Till 6PM and Only 6-7 Weeks Holiday a Year.

[Amanda_Hugg_n_Kiss]

To me it doesn't matter what they do with the school hours and holidays as they're getting it wrong ATM. Doing the wrong thing for longer is not going to improve anything.

Speaking as someone the education system failed IMHO. I am dyslexic and it took them until I was in the comprehensive to notice this, which turned out not to benefit me in anyway as they offered me no extra help at all. My dad always thought I was dyslexic from an early age and all they did was argue I wasn't.
I've actually learned a lot more since leaving school as I found out that if I read off a computer screen for some reason I take everything in straight away near enough.

I feel what's needed in the education system is to add work experience and they need to make things interesting. Add options to start learning trades etc... and then the English and maths that are used in them trades can be added in. - [url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2548468/Controversial-new-plans-open-schools-6pm-45-weeks-year

[Amanda_Hugg_n_Kiss]

Also major improvements to sports at schools.

[millertop]

First they say children need to go outside more then next its they need to be in school longer :/
My son goes out at 7.30 am to get the bus to school and is home about 4.15pm, which you do worry in the winter months, if he has to stay until 6pm then won't be home until 6.30ish, homework, tea, shower, bed. So were will his social life be?

I don't agree with this at all and like you say I can't see it improving the learning at all.
They say it will save on Childcare (so that's what it's all about) we don't need Childcare so why should our son have to do them extra hours?

[rich76]

Two words why this won't happen, "teachers' unions".

That it is being discuss suggests to me of someone, probably the head of some quango, "announcing" this to get themselves heard. The BBC probably has a slow news day, so I would worry about something else.

On the off chance it does happen it would be watered down beyond recognition.

[ExeterMiller]

On average teachers spend 20hrs a week on classroom time & 40hrs doing prep, marking, BS paperwork. So what now they have to do an 80hr week?

I think 9-6 is too long for younger kids. However from 14 onwards they should be doing 9-5, 1 - 1.30hr lessons, not these stupid 45mins they get now.

But with that they need to stop the BS, Offsted should be scrapped and we should trust our teachers to - well teach.

Holidays is another thing altogether. 6-7 weeks will not work, pigeon holing millions of parents into that time frame will not work in business, unless the govt is going to fund Romanian / Polish workers to fill in during those weeks when the majority of the country will be off work! - And don't get me started on the holiday companies!

[stevemiller]

On average teachers spend 20hrs a week on classroom time & 40hrs doing prep, marking, BS paperwork. So what now they have to do an 80hr week?

I think 9-6 is too long for younger kids. However from 14 onwards they should be doing 9-5, 1 - 1.30hr lessons, not these stupid 45mins they get now.

But with that they need to stop the BS, Offsted should be scrapped and we should trust our teachers to - well teach.

Holidays is another thing altogether. 6-7 weeks will not work, pigeon holing millions of parents into that time frame will not work in business, unless the govt is going to fund Romanian / Polish workers to fill in during those weeks when the majority of the country will be off work! - And don't get me started on the holiday companies!

Pretty much my thoughts there Exeter.
Kids need to learn but they also need free time to be kids and develop.
Parents should also limit xbox time and buy some lego instead. Then stick some

[jolly_roger]

Ny niece teaches in a Primary school and you wont believe how many "initiatives" there are.

She always reckons that "normal" kids get a raw deal because they spend a disproportionate amount of time on the so called minorities. I dont mean ethnic minorities here (though not having English as a first language doesn't help) but those labelled as bipolar, ADHD, autistic or having some other syndrome.

Sometimes I wonder if they are expected to be psychologists first and teachers second. Just sorting out food allegies for school dinners takes one hour of a trained staff members time each day. Basically they are scared of being sued.

School today isn't the place for a "normal" kid from a "normal" family ie 70% of them because they get about 30% of the time and resources.

If you have kids of your own at primary school age then teach them as much as you can at home because the school certainly wont do it.

ps my niece's school was classed as outstanding at the last OFSTED report, God help t

[stevemiller]

ps my niece's school was classed as outstanding at the last OFSTED report, God help the rest.

God's got his hands too full trying to sort the school budget to be arsed with the educational side of things.

[Galant]

Teachers have had a 10% pay cut in real terms - young teachers' retirement age is now 70, pension contributions have increased 50% and now less holidays and longer days - WHO THE FECK is going to do it????
Come into teaching - spend 4 years qualifying whilst running up debts you will spend the rest of your life paying off, you will also be over a quarter of a million worse off over your career than your predecessors, spend 9 hours a day babysitting ungrateful rude oiks and be so knackered that you die on the job , whilst in the meantime paying over the odds to go on your shortened holidays. Think not!

[mikemiller]

Teachers and kids are going to love this proposal...er...NOT.

What a wonderful plan to deal with the shortages of teachers in many subject areas...had to look at my calender to check if it was April 1st!

[millmoorlane]

If they're on about changing the times then they ought to do it properly.

Start and finish times aren't really the issue. It's what they're doing during those times. If the day was split up and had some fun involved (the kind of after school stuff kids would be interested in whether that's football or music or car mechanics or computer games) then it'd be perfectly doable to have longer school days.

I don't think anyone's really thought this through properly though. You'd need an army of additional teachers for this.

You'd also need to start allowing parents to take time out of school for holidays (maybe booking specific weeks where you HAD to be in school but have flexibility for most of the year)...

You'd also need to start allowing teachers time off during the school year.

[timebomb]

Your a long time an adult kids need to be allowed to be kids more hours of school isn't thee answer . When I was at school we had work experience and looked at different job options that suited us do they still do this I'm not sure they do .

[MarkThomas]

The suggestion of a school day until 6pm (or indeed anything beyond 4pm) is so absolutely ridiculous it will never happen.

I think timebomb puts it well - you are a long time an adult, kids need to be allowed to be kids.

Politicians could do with observing what happens in the real world of work where concentration is concerned. In the office world, by 4pm most adults are flagging. Productivity declines after about 5 to 6 hours of any shift.

Politicians have little understanding of the requirements of the current school day, let alone making proposals to extend it. They understand even less of what is involved for either the teacher or the pupil. 'Targets' get in the way of teaching every day of the week.