By Dan Collyns BBC News Online

Parents want less work and more time with their children

A new proposal for primary schools in England to stay open until 6pm to provide childcare could give parents a welcome respite.

BBC News Online asked some parents' groups what they thought about the new "wrap-around" services.

Margaret Morrissey, a spokeswoman for the Parent Teacher Association, said: "We've given it a positive welcome but we look forward to hearing more about the practicalities.

"We need to be serving both parents and teachers.

"The main sticking point is going to be the funding. How are schools going to pay for the extra staff to run the extra-curricular activities?"

As part of the government plan parents may be asked to make a financial contribution to such schemes.

Ms Morrissey pointed out that many primary schools across the country already have breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.

"What's going to be interesting is to see what's different," she said.

Most parents need more choice and extended childcare is only half of the package The National Family and Parenting Institute

Family time

Christian Jenner, a spokeswoman for the National Family and Parenting Institute, said the move needed to be in conjunction with more flexible working times for parents.

"Most parents need more choice and extended childcare is only half of the package."

She said more children are spending less time with their parents and that was the real problem the government needed to address.

She welcomed the extended schools plan, saying: "It's always good if parents are offered more choice with childcare provided the quality is good.

If it's handled well it could be a great opportunity Parent Ros Fry

"But this needs to be in tandem with flexible working hours for parents so they can spend more time with their children.

"We recognise that most parents need more choice and extended childcare is only half of the package."

But a working parent said the idea of flexible working time was a pipe dream.

Ros Fry, a mother of two boys, aged 12 and seven, said: "In an ideal world that would be great but we all know that practically it won't happen.

Mrs Fry, who lives in Bridport, West Dorset, and mostly works from home, was in favour of the extended school plan.

"It's better for a child to be in a familiar and structured environment rather than being a 'latchkey' kid left to their own devices or plonked in front of the TV at a friend's house.

"If it's handled well it could be a great opportunity."