Should School Holidays be Cut and School Day Made Longer?

[Moonlight]

I heard on the radio today that Michael Gove is considering a school day starting from 7.30am and finishing at 5.30pm. I personally think that this is too long a day and does not leave a lot of time for anything else. I wonder if these extended hours would incorporate homework, sports activities etc.

If students live fairly local to their school then extending the school day may not be such an issue for them but for those who travel, maybe an hour each way, this will make for an incredibly early start/late finish.

I agree that six weeks' holiday is too long in August but maybe add two of these weeks to the February and October half-term instead.

Either way, I have no faith in Mr Gove whatsoever. He is trying to implement too many changes within the education system generally. If it's not GCSE exams, it's A levels. Now the length of school day. I wonder what he will want to change next week!

[Tinkers]

I heard on the radio today that Michael Gove is considering a school day starting from 7.30am and finishing at 5.30pm. I personally think that this is too long a day and does not leave a lot of time for anything else. I wonder if these extended hours would incorporate homework, sports activities etc.

That would be an hour earlier and an hour later than most schools start now. Most adults don't work 7:30 to 5:30 as standard hours. I'd be happy for maybe an extra hour after school to do homework and/or something like sport or music. If it was homework then at least when they got home they could relax.
Travelling for those who for whatever reason have a long way to get to school would be a nightmare.

Either way, I have no faith in Mr Gove whatsoever. He is trying to implement too many changes within the education system generally. If it's not GCSE exams, it's A levels. Now the length of school day. I wonder what he will want to change next week!

There's another thread on this forum about 'what is so wrong with state schools'
Answer, Two words, Michael Gove. (Btw, I don't think there's too much wrong with state schools in general, though obviously some leave little to be desired)

The sooner he stops meddling the better.

[Minesatea]

Whilst I can think of a couple of secondary schools that I think have a very short day, the proposed hours are ridiculous for a 4 years old.
Owners of after schools businesses (swimming pools, dance schools, music teachers etc.) will be up in arms I'm sure as no child that has been at school for 10 hours is going to be in a fit state to learn to swim afterwards, so all out of school activities would basically have to be squeezed into the weekends.

I was also baffled by this bit of the story:

Examples of longer hours and terms from the Department for Education include the David Young Community Academy in Leeds which operates a seven-term year starting in June. The basic pattern is a maximum of six weeks at school followed by a maximum of four weeks holiday.

With GCSE's spanning May and June - how can you start a school year in June? And how does this fit with the local primary schools?

[Okanagan]

I heard on the radio today that Michael Gove is considering a school day starting from 7.30am and finishing at 5.30pm. I personally think that this is too long a day and does not leave a lot of time for anything else. I wonder if these extended hours would incorporate homework, sports activities etc.

The UTC which is opening soon near us says on their website:

The timetable at the Academy very much follows a typical working day. It is open for on-site learning activities between the hours of 7.30am and 6.30pm. Students will be expected to do at least 1,450 guided learning hours in each year of study. They will participate in a core learning period each day, with guided support time and extra-curricular activities at the beginning and the end of the extended day.

The academic year runs for 40 weeks, divided into 5 x 8 week blocks. The fifth block, which incorporates a 2 week summer school, will be used to offer enrichment activities, extended project work, work related to learning, extended study visits and a residential school.

Because of the increased working day, students will not be expected to undertake additional homework outside of their ‘working hours’.

Presumably it's a model something like this which he's proposing, but the soundbite headlines aren't picking up the detail. Schools "open for on-site learning activities" from 7.30 until 5.30 or 6.30 doesn't have to mean that everyone will be doing schoolwork for all of that period.

[Tinkers]

My catchment comp finishes at 2:30 everyday. (Outstanding according to OFSTED). They seem to cope fine with a shorter day.

The UTC opening near us in September has the same sort of proposed hours, not sure the starting time but finishing at 5:30 ish. Saying that we are talking about 14-19 year olds, not 5 year olds. Again the plan is all work to be done there and no homework.

[yoyo123]

does he intend to apply across the school age range? ( has even thought about this ) How can small children concentrate for this long?

[doodles]

I don't suppose independent schools will be forced to cut their (long) holidays!

What would be the impact on the price of holidays taken during shortened school holiday time?

Aah, but their days are already considerably longer that's why the holidays are slightly longer. My DS (yr6) is in school for 8.00 a.m. and 4.10 pm is the earliest that he ever leaves. Years 7 & 8 do Saturday school too.

[West Kent Mum]

If Mr Gove is reviewing terms and school hours, may I suggest that KS4 / 6th Formers would have school hours between 10 am-5 pm or even 11 am-6 pm. We all know the teenagers are impossibly tired in the morning and their learning would probably improve drastically if they could start later than the usual 8.30-9.00!

[doodles]

If Mr Gove is reviewing terms and school hours, may I suggest that KS4 / 6th Formers would have school hours between 10 am-5 pm or even 11 am-6 pm. We all know the teenagers are impossibly tired in the morning and their learning would probably improve drastically if they could start later than the usual 8.30-9.00!

I think that this was trialled somewhere in the North East with good results. I seem to remember watching something on tv about it.

[Sallyltb]

If Mr Gove is reviewing terms and school hours, may I suggest that KS4 / 6th Formers would have school hours between 10 am-5 pm or even 11 am-6 pm. We all know the teenagers are impossibly tired in the morning and their learning would probably improve drastically if they could start later than the usual 8.30-9.00!

It doesn't suit everyone though. My daughter would hate it, as she's ok in the mornings and lies to ave spare time in the evenings. Can't believe the teachers would be keen either!