Extended schools information
An extended school provides a range of services and activities, often beyond the school day, to help meet the
needs of children, their families and the wider community.
The core offer may be delivered in partnership with other schools or agencies. Many schools already provide extended services and have been doing so for some time.
The core offer of extended services for schools, mainstream and special, includes:
- high quality childcare available 8am – 6pm all year round
- a varied menu of activities such as homework clubs, study support, sport, music tuition, dance and drama, arts and crafts, special interest clubs
- parenting support including family learning sessions
- swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services
- wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities, including adult learning
Not all schools will be expected to offer extended services from their own sites, and primary schools particularly
may have to work in partnership with other schools and on different community sites. However, expectations for secondary
schools will be for them to be open from 8am to 6pm all year round offering a range of activities for young people and
adults from the local area.
Schools, located as they are right at the heart of the community, are ideally placed to provide integrated services for
children and young people in line with the government's Every child matters objectives of ensuring that children stay
safe, are healthy, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing.
Timeline
It is the government's expectation that the core extended services will be available to all children through schools by 2010.
For further information regarding the national extended schools agenda please see
www.tda.gov.uk or www.everychildmatters.gov.uk