A full-time funded student submitting AFTER the 3 years have expired, but within the 4 year limit, thereby denying the RO an optimal rating by the funders?

Or a full-time funded student switching to part-time status, and submitting "early", ie. within 5 years?

Bit shocked today: I met my Supervisor to discuss the irreconcilable nature of my full-time status and part-time availability (kids etc, two thirds of my year is school holidays/weekends). The response was loud and clear: their expectation is that I should submit within 3 years, ie. by July 2013, and "get an au pair."