Longer school day could cut care costs Mr Cameron said: "We want to do all we can to reduce the cost of child care for parents, and make sure they can find and afford high quality nurseries, after-school clubs and holiday schemes for their children." The Free School Norwich incorporates on-site affordable child care, six days per week, 51 weeks of the year, while Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, London, operates a longer school day, with some children staying on site until 8pm. The idea of extending the school day to help parents with child care was pioneered under the Labour government but the proposals were never compulsory. Childminders may be allowed to look after more children so that the costs associated with care are spread between a greater number of parents. Other rules may also be relaxed to make it easier for parents and grandparents to look after other people's children. Downing Street focus groups are understood to have identified issues around child care as one of the top concerns among families. Much of the help now on offer is aimed at lower-income households. There have been accusations that middle-class families have to pay more for their child care to effectively subsidise care for poorer children.