Extended schools for all in England
Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has called on parents across the country to demand more out of hours activities at their local schools.
She announced that although 65 percent of schools are already offering a full programme of out of hours activities, such as sport and drama, parents could help encourage the rest to follow suit.
At a Department of Children, Schools and Families conference the Minister launched a new online directory of extended schools, a leaflet to help parents work with their schools, an extended schools publicity toolkit for schools and local authorities so they can promote their services and an updated extended schools prospectus.
Beverley Hughes said:
“Extended schools play an essential role in the community and are part of the Government’s much wider plans for the development of the 21st Century school. I believe parent power is key to helping this Government reach its target of the full core offer of extended services in every primary, secondary and special school by 2010.
“It’s crucial that parents get the opportunity to shape services in their area. By speaking to their school staff and discussing the needs of their family and the wider community, parents can drive the provisions in their area and encourage schools to provide the full range of extended services.”
The government is continuing to promote its own “schools finder” web site, but it is a site that is bedevilled by irregularities and oddities. If you are keen to ensure that your school is properly listed you might like to check both that site http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/ and also our own alternative site on the Schools Directory – www.schools.co.uk (This is the one most people find by typing the word “Schools” into Google.)
I can’t speak about getting changes made to the School Finder list, but if you find that we’ve got anything wrong, (particularly if the link to the school web site is broken or missing) please do let me know.
The Government has also produced a leaflet highlighting the extended schools services available to pupils across the country and advice for parents on how to help shape and continue to develop the services provided in their area to meet the needs of local families.
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is working in partnership with the Government to provide universal extended schools services. In partnership with NCSL, it has published today a revised School Improvement Planning Framework
The extended schools core offer is:
• a varied menu of activities, (including study support, play/recreation, sport, music, arts and crafts and other special interest clubs, volunteering and business and enterprise activities) in response to demand in primary and secondary schools;
• childcare 8am-6pm, 48 weeks a year for primary schools;
• parenting support including family learning;
• swift and easy access to targeted and specialist services such as speech and language therapy;
• community access to facilities including adult learning, ICT and sports facilities.
Government has made £1.3bn of funding available over 2008 - 2011 to support the development and sustainability of extended schools.
Background
1. The Government has committed to having 100 percent of schools extended by 2010, and has reached 65 percent.
2. Funding is being channelled through the Area Based Grant to support extended schools start-up, i.e. to help ‘kick-start’ and develop sustainable extended services, and to overcome barriers.
3. Funding is also being provided through the Standards Fund to embed the sustainability of extended schools. This additional sustainability will, together with existing levels of resource across the system, be sufficient to support extended service co-ordinators in secondary schools and clusters of primary schools.
4. The TDA, in partnership with the National College for School Leadership, has produced a new edition of the School Improvement Planning Framework, a suite of tools and techniques that support school leaders as they design, develop and deliver extended services that meet pupil, parent and community needs. More information at www.tda.gov.uk/schoolimprovement