Introduce a 9-5 school day, Camilla Tominey argues
27 March 2022, 18:52
Camilla Tominey calls for a longer school day
Camilla Tominey has argued that schools should "operate on more of a 9-5 basis, because that's how parents operate", as the government plans to introduce a minimum length to the school week.
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It comes as the government will unveil plans this week for all schools in England to have to open for at least 32.5 hours a week.
"As a parent, I've never quite been able to understand why the school day still finishes at 3.15, 3.30," Camilla said.
"We've got more parents both working. I don't know about you, but every parent I know seems to be scrabbling around most of the time at half past three trying to find after school care.
"I can't understand why schools don't operate on more of a 9-5 basis, because that's how parents operate."
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Camilla continued: "Think about the benefits. You could have a situation where maybe 3.15 to 4.15 they do some extracurricular activities, be it sport for the sporty kids, music for the musical kids... and then - how about this for an idea - from 4.15 to 5.15, they have prep and do their homework!
"Wouldn't it be lovely if children came home having done their homework, and all you had to do was feed them and ask them about their day?"
On the issue of teachers having to work more to facilitate this, Camilla said there are plenty of organisations in the community that would "happily compete to be providers of after school education".
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