Eight NSW primary schools are participating in this trial extending school hours beyond the typical 9 am – 3 pm day. Participating schools will partner with community organisations, local businesses, and sporting clubs to offer activities for children at school outside 9 am and 3 pm, without any changes to school teaching hours.
Premier Dominic Perrottet informed that the trial would run for terms 3 and 4 and could involve before and after school homework clubs or sporting practice.
“We know it can be a challenge for families juggling the competing demands of work and family life around standard school hours and this pilot is about exploring options to help with that. We want to offer greater support and comfort to parents, knowing that their kids are safe and happy taking part in a homework club in the school library, a dance class in the school hall or soccer practice on the school oval.”
Perrottet has previously argued that the 9 am to 3 pm timetable was set up at a very different time and that changing it would help boost women’s participation in the workforce.
Some public schools have adopted changed school hours, including Merrylands East Public, which operates from 8 am to 1.15 pm, with playground supervision from 7.30 am. It has a recess break and no lunch break but offers the same amount of teaching time as all public schools.
The eight participating schools in the trial are Cawdor Public School, Hanwood Public School, Hastings Secondary College, Kentlyn Public School, Matraville Soldier’s Settlement Public School, Orange High School, Spring Hill Public School, and Tacking Point Public School.
Reference:
Eight NSW Schools To Trial Extended Operating Hours, The Sydney Morning Herald
NSW Primary Schools To Trial Extended School Hours For Busy Families, Nine News Australia