Ok in 18 years I have once started work at 6.30am for a before and after schooler and that was about 12 years ago and the earliest I have ever started since then is 7am and in this area that is about the norm though at the moment I have 7.30-8am starts. The latest I have worked is 8.30pm and that is only once since we moved here 8 years ago and it was for a nurse.
In the last six months I have had an inquiry from a Bus driver who needed a couple of times a week to 10pm and some weekends. First time I have ever been asked to work weekends on a childminding basis. I do currently work Sat and Sun but that was a babysitting job that I have done on a childminding level, the mum has loved it and last weekend asked if I could do one full day in the week from Sept.
So you can see in SW Herts which is well in the London Commuter belt and some of my parents do go into London for work, I currently work 7.30 to 6pm and there is no demand for longer hours. All the local Day Nurseries are open from 7am to 6.30pm.
I fail to see any need here to even think about extending the school day to 8pm. I think this concept is wrong for lots of reasons the main one being, why would any self respecting parent ever want their children in the same four walls for 12 hours a day. Second with Primary Levels these children should be at home, fed and in bed by 8pm if they are ever going to have a chance to succeed at school. It is another Government fanciful idea, just like the give all 3-4 year old funding providing 'free' childcare which of course it won't but they think the gesture looks good and makes it look as if they are doing something.
Bookmarks