 Extended Schools
What is an Extended School?
The government’s pledge is that by 2010 every school will be working in partnership to provide access to all year round extended services.
Extending the range of services offered to children and their parents helps schools to identify and overcome barriers to attainment early on. Additional activities and services enable children to pursue wider interests, develop new skills and access any specialist help that they might need to resolve difficulties and fulfil their potential. Parents and communities benefit too from advice and support and become more engaged with children’s learning and development.
Access to a good range of services should be central to every schools improvement strategy so every child achieves their full potential.
A report from OFSTED* found that:
The major benefits to children, young people and adults were enhanced self confidence, improved relationships, raised aspirations and better attitudes to learning.
The core services that schools will provide access to are:
- Varied menu of activities including study support and childcare (primary) and a safe place to be (secondary)
- Parent support including information and advice on raising children and support services, information sessions for fathers and mothers on joining reception and secondary transfer, family learning opportunities.
- Swift and easy access. This means schools working in partnership taking a multi professional approach to the early identification of and support and intervention for children with additional needs and at risk of poor outcomes.
- Community access. Where schools have facilities suitable for community access particularly for youth activities and adult learning they open them up.
How does the Extended School programme work in Hertfordshire?
Led by the Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership the County has taken a consortia approach to extended schools. The consortia have been identified based on communities that make sense to children and families and are co-terminus with communities served by children’s centres. Within District and Borough Council boundaries the consortia will work closely with their District Children’s Trust Partnership.
In each consortium one school has been selected by the schools to become the “hub” taking on the role of extended schools champion. Revenue funding to support consortium developments is routed through the hub school. Every consortium is doing an annual self evaluation to track their progress.
A list of the schools in each consortium and the key contacts is available, please follow this link:
In Hertfordshire we are joining up Extended Schools and Children’s Centre developments so there is continuity for children across the whole 0-19 age range.
This is the key way is which services will be delivered in local communities throughout Hertfordshire.
More information can be found on the Hertfordshire Extended Schools Website:
More information on Hertfordshire Children's Centres can be found at:
*Ofsted (2006) Extended Services in Schools and Children's Centres, Report 2006.
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