Extended schools
From Norfolk RCC
Extended Schools is a Government initiative to make sure that every child has access to extended services in every community by 2010.
Schools should work in partnership so that by 2010 every school can provide access to year round extended services. Extended schools should offer opportunities for learning, sports and the arts, as well as supporting parents and carers. By 2010 every community will also have access to a Sure Start Children’s Centre providing multi-agency support for children up to age of 5 and their families.
Extended services can be developed only by schools working in partnership with parents, children & young people, local authorities, other children’s services and the private and voluntary sectors. This is basically about developing a shared understanding of what a school can be:
- A place providing high quality teaching and learning focused on high standards of attainment.
- Also a place acting as a community ”hub” offering access to the support often delivered by partners, that children and their families need in order to thrive and achieve.
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Extended Services – The Five Core Services
- Wraparound childcare/activities for young people to do
- A varied range of activities including study support, sport and music clubs
- Parenting and family support
- Swift and easy referral to specialised services such as health and social care
- Community use of facilities including adult and family learning and ICT
Examples of the activities that these extended services provide are:
- Learning doesn’t stop at 16 - provide qualifications for adult learners in the community such as First Aid. Opening up the school ICT, sports and arts facilities beyond the school day, where appropriate and providing adult learning.
- Partnerships are vital so that link with other agencies is streamlined so that pupils can access specialised services easily such as speech therapy and language therapy and other health support and social care
- Parent sessions build confidence for parents. For example letting parents know what is happening in school with regards to healthy eating. Schools emphasise the work that the parent is doing in helping their child develop. Access to local and national information on parenting support services, transition programmes, family learning opportunities and manual-based programmes of parenting support
- High quality affordable year round childcare from 8am to 6pm - Breakfast Clubs, After School Clubs. Provide this either on school site or nearby with suitable transfer arrangements.
- Study Support – Homework Clubs, After School clubs, Drama and Sports Clubs. Provide a variety that enriches the curriculum. A good programme of study support activities including access to arts and cultural activities as well as targeted opportunities such as “Catch Up” and Gifted and Talented programmes, to support the personalisation agenda. This includes school sport: a menu of sports activities – including competition – in partnership with local school sport partnerships, to enable children and young people to spend at least 2 hours each week beyond the school day on high quality PE and school sport
Benefits of Extended Services
As well as raising standards of attendance and exam success they contribute to the every child matters outcomes:
- Being Healthy – projects or activities that promote a healthy lifestyle eg sports activities, play facilities, healthy eating projects, peer support programmes on drug misuse
- Staying Safe – projects or activities that contribute to children and young people being protected from harm or neglect and growing up able to look after themselves eg anti-bullying projects, safe cycling groups, after-school clubs, youth clubs, self-help groups
- Enjoying and achieving – projects or activities that help children and young people maximise their potential and develop skills for adulthood eg theatre groups, dance, music, and arts projects
- Making a positive contribution – projects or activities which enable children and young people to use their skills and abilities in ways to enhance their own lives and the lives of their community eg conservation schemes, recycling programmes, mentoring projects
- Achieving economic well-being – projects or activities which help children and young people overcome income barriers and achieve their full potential in life eg preparation for work and training, helping young people learn new skills and build their confidence, homework clubs
How Services are delivered and offered
It is important to look at staffing issues. Do you involve existing staff, specialist staff or work together in clusters. Designated staff with specific responsibilities allows teacher to focus on their main role – teaching.
It is important to look at how you are going to deliver the extended services and how it fits in with the vision of the school as a whole.
More Information
Norfolk County Council's Children's Services Department has responsibility for supporting schools to develop extended services within Norfolk.
National guidance for extended schools is available at: Teachernet Guidance on Extended Schools.
