Why do infants finish at 2 o clock

But all that is required is some integrated and joined up thinking!

Why is 4 hours 20 minutes considered maximum for SI and then two months later when starting 1st class they have to do 5 hours and 20 mins?

Why do we have a situation where a group of children starting school in Sept could have an age gap of 18 months?

Why do so many primary schools close their doors mid-afternoon and have no further use of the buildings for the rest of the day?

Why can't we have a proper school transport system?

The primary educational system as it stands doesn't meet anyone's needs, teachers, children or parents...
 
Slave1 has a really good point- why not split the difference to 2.30?

I know our local community runs an after school club for national school children from age 5 to 12 which has different activities each day and includes a hot meal/ snack with qualified childcare providers- there is homework help and various sports and the children are picked up from school. I think it costs €3 per day.

Although I don't have first hand experience of it because mine are too young, it seems like a great idea. Perhaps other communities should do the same?
 
but this is IRELAND!
joined up thinking and that sort of thing don't happen here, now we would need to have a committee set up to look into this develop a report costing the bones of a national breakfast club for a week and revisit it bang on election year only to bury it when the votes are in.
 
My youngest son started school at five and my eldest at four and it did my eldest no harm. I think it all depends on when their birthday falls but I do think six is way to old. Why would anyone want to deprive a child of an education until age 6? Just because I suggest changing school times to be more equal does not mean that I want the school to babysit my child all day, however I would prefer my six year old to stay in school until 3.00 as opposed to being babysat by a another child's mother every day for an hour and I do believe a six year old is well able for the extra hour.
After School Care would be brilliant but I don't think it is a common practice. I have to go to work not because I want to but because I want to keep food on the table and the wolf from the door but I don't believe we have a great childcare system in place in this country especially for older children.
 
for the sake of the children comments make me laugh. I know of one child who finishes at 2.30, is collected, brought home, given a quick snack and loaded into the car again to go collect her brother. That's hardly a relaxing afternoon. I would rather after school care for one hour where they're given a snack and allowed to play with their friends..... (for the sake of the children.... and the parents)
 
Extopia, why does it sound like babysitting to you because we are talking about 2 to 3 o clock and not babysitting when we are talking about 9 to 2. Does the teacher have to take on the role of a babysitter after 2 o clock?
It is only a change of school finishing. If you regard this as babysitting, do you also regard school as a babysitting service?
 
I do sympathise with the op. It's tough spending so much "Wasted" time in the car. As there's nothing you can do about times can you find a way to make it a bit easier on yourself? could older children get a bus?
Alternatively get yourself a big commuter cup,fill it with coffee, buy the paper and listen to Joe while you wait at the school till 3. Or use the hour as activity time with senior infant: read a story or go for a stroll. It will only be for this year.

ps things could be worse. in germany a relative's kids age 7 and 9 in the same school start AND finish at different times doing about 4.5 hours each!
 
irishlinks said:
If enough people make a fuss maybe something will change. If you accept it - nothing will change. Write to your TD and/or councillor , write to the Dept of Education. I agree - it is silly to have different times for Infants. Do other countries do this?
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Would you not think if you were going to the bother of contacting the above people to complain about infants finishing times that you would be better off trying to get something more useful achieved, such as reducing class sizes (as opposed to pupil teacher ratios which takes all teachers into account, not just mainstream classteachers), more funding for speech and language therapy (currently well over a yrs waiting for a lot ofHealth Boards), more educational psychologists etc.
Also your child is only in infants for 2 years so it is only a short term thing. Instead of moaning about school times, think of it as an extra precious hour to spend with your child before they grow up fast!
 
denise1234 said:
Instead of moaning about school times, think of it as an extra precious hour to spend with your child before they grow up fast!
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All very well if you are able to stay home and take care of your children yourself, not so easy if you have to find someone else and pay them to do it. In which case would the children not be better off in the first place in after school activities in the school?
 
denise1234 said:
Would you not think if you were going to the bother of contacting the above people to complain about infants finishing times that you would be better off trying to get something more useful achieved, such as reducing class sizes (as opposed to pupil teacher ratios which takes all teachers into account, not just mainstream classteachers), more funding for speech and language therapy (currently well over a yrs waiting for a lot ofHealth Boards), more educational psychologists etc.
Also your child is only in infants for 2 years so it is only a short term thing. Instead of moaning about school times, think of it as an extra precious hour to spend with your child before they grow up fast!
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I agree - recent public statements of the Minister have really annoyed me.

1. Parents being more concerned about the colour of the walls on their bathrooms than their children's education.
2. Schools finishing up early on the Friday of a public holiday weekend.

My son is in senior infants. There are 4 classes in his year, each with >30 pupils.

THAT is what she should be putting her energies into, and not criticising parents who have bought homes in areas where there is no social infrastructure.
 
I have 3 children in 3 different schools with three different finishing times, luckily we live in walking distance and the older 2 can make their own way home, I can walk the third. A good school bus system would go a long way to dealing with logistic problems for parents who are not walking distance from school.

My biggest gripe about primary school hours is the short lunch. The kids get 15 miuntes to eat lunch and 15 minutes outside. 15 minutes is not long enough to eat a proper lunch, especially when you are 5 and like to chat to your friends. Parents can be tempted to respond to uneaten sandwiches by giving less nutritious snacks and convenience foods which can be eaten faster. A longer break would allow the teachers to get a break to eat their lunch as well as giving the children time to eat and relax a bit.

I think the length of time a child can tolerate in formal education varies with the child, I would tend to err on the shorter side, but with a longer lunch break!
 
5hrs is more than sufficient time for 4 to 6 year old's to be in school. I'm in agreement with ramble on the short lunch I've had to stop putting an apple in my daughters lunch box as she never gets enough time to eat it. everything comes back in the lunch box half eaten or nibbled, because she doesn't have enough time to eat it all. The rest of her lunch gets eaten in the car on the way home. I've spoken to the teacher on 2 occasions about this and basically she said to go with more convenient foods that can be eaten quicker. like frubes, cheese strings ... the school are advocating rubbish processed junk as its more convenient and quicker to eat. :confused:
 
Do they not have two breaks? I think it is usual now. my senior infant does and has time to finish lunch.
 
Sad about the cheese strings recommendation. There used to be a policy of inspecting lunch and advising in favour of nutritious foods. Perhaps this teacher was just ignorant in this area. Hopefully.
 
i think it would be unwise for the teacher to comment on a child's lunch as it was probably not the child who packed it.
 
The comments are given to the parent, not the child. At the parent-teacher meeting. Sorry, should have clarified this.
 
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