Information
The perfect learning environment
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