Latest news:
13.08.2007 – New report examines delivery of extended services in nine East Midlands special schools
In 2005, one in ten schools began operating as ‘extended schools’ providing a core offer of childcare or activities for children during term time.
Government is urging existing and new voluntary and private sector childcare providers to actively seek out and get involved in their local extended schools programme.
Childcare providers get involved and ask your local schools and local authorities questions!
“What exactly are you doing about extending services?”
“What childcare needs do you have?”
“How might we work together?”
The Offer by 2010
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is working with Training Development Agency for Schools, 4Children and ContinYou to support all schools to become extended schools offering or linking in with childcare by 2010. Half of all primary schools and a third of all secondary schools are due to be open 8am – 6pm by 2008.
Extended Services
The five elements of the core extended services which will be made available by 2010 are:
1. High quality, affordable childcare 8am-6pm all year round
2. A varied menu of activities
3. Parenting support
4. Swift and easy access to specialist support services
5. Wider community access to school facilities
This is an exciting and challenging agenda. Schools will want to work in partnership with other organisations, including childcare providers, to ensure that the extended services are the best that they can be.
“As childcare providers, we need to let schools know how we can support them. We need to share our information, skills and best practice so that others can utilise these – leading by example.”
Jackie Deacon, Childminder and Manager of PJs Helping Hands
Expanding the offer in 2007
Since April 2007, local authorities are required to undertake a detailed assessment of the supply of, and demand for, childcare in their area. Local authorities will produce an analysis identifying where childcare supply does not match the needs of families and communities.
The Childcare Sufficiency Assessments guidance sets out the framework for the assessment, clarifying what is required to fulfil this duty. It details how the assessment duty fits with existing legislation; who is to be consulted; what it is to be considered within the assessment; and how the finished document is to be publicised and reviewed.
Published with the guidance is a near final draft of the related regulations, which came into force in April.
Download the guidance, draft regulations and toolkit.
Policy into Practice
The Government’s ten year strategy for childcare – Choice for Parents, The Best Start for Children – aims to increase the choice, flexibility, availability, quality and affordability of childcare, with ambitious targets to establish new children’s centres and for all schools to extend their access to childcare. The action plan and implementation strategy – Making it Happen – adds further information on how these targets will be achieved.
Policy into Practice is a briefing sheet series from 4Children, supported by Sure Start and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, to support childcare providers to get involved and develop their services as part of the extended school programme.
Download Policy into Practice series: Childcare and extended services – briefing for new and existing childcare providers
Issue 1
Issue 2
Issue 3
Issue 4
Issue 5
Issue 6
Issue 7
Working together
In order to support schools as they develop extended services, 4Children, ContinYou and Training Development Agency for Schools are working together to help support the delivery of high quality, sustainable provision which meets the needs of children, families and the community.
The skills, experience and track records of each the organisations are complementary. Schools will want to access ContinYou’s extensive technical knowledge of extended schools, 4Children’s expertise in childcare and children’s services and the Training Development Agency for Schools’ proven success in helping schools lead change and reform.
As all schools move towards the offer of the core extended services as highlighted above, it is important to remember that the five elements of the core offer will often cross over and that no one element should be considered in isolation from the others. The partnership between these three core organisations supports local authorities and schools as they look at developing sustainable services in a coherent and holistic way.
Read the Extended Schools Manifesto
Regional Development Managers
Supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, 4Children’s dedicated team of Regional Development Managers and network of specialist consultants offers strategic and operational advice on developing children’s centres, extended school services, youth services and wider support for childcare. Since 2002, 4Children has offered strategic and operational support to over 100 local authorities across the UK.
They can support you with: Free Fast Track consultancy support, ‘Aiming Higher’ quality assurance scheme, Equipe: a programme for boards of management of voluntary groups, regional providers network briefings, wide programme of regional seminars, Regional advisory support, National newsletter and helpline and National conferences.
Click here to view regions and their managers
For more information please contact:
4Children
Phone 020 7512 2112
Email info@4Children.org.uk
www.continyou.org
www.remodelling.org
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/extendedschools
