DfES Extended Schools Prospectus: provides for wide community ICT access
14.06.2005
www.lapsafe.com has sourced this article from Publictechnology.net
DfES Extended Schools Prospectus: provides for wide community ICT access
Department for Education and Skills Education Secretary Ruth Kelly yesterday announced the publication of the Extended Schools Prospectus which sets out the Government's vision on what schools could offer their communities.
It's an interesting plan, which will (if implemented) extend the use of educational ICT and e-learning.
The Government wants all schools to offer extended services by 2010, with half of primary schools and a third of secondary schools doing so by 2008. Building on the experiences of those schools already delivering extended services, the core offer for mainstream and special schools is:
> Providing wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities including adult learning.
> High quality wraparound childcare provided on the school site or through other local providers, with supervised transfer arrangements where appropriate, available 8am - 6pm all year round;
> A varied menu of activities to be on offer, such as homework clubs and study support, sport (at least 2 hours a week beyond the school day for those who want it), music tuition, dance and drama, arts and crafts, special interest clubs such as chess and first aid courses, visits to museums and galleries, learning a foreign language, volunteering, business and enterprise activities;
> Parenting support including information sessions for parents at key transition points, parenting programmes run with the support of other children's services and family learning sessions to allow children to learn with their parents;
> Swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services such as speech therapy, child and adolescent mental health services, family support services, intensive behaviour support, and (for young people) sexual health services. Some may be delivered on school sites; and
Kelly identified local authority funding allocations for the development of Extended Schools.
The plan is that schools will be able to offer childcare from 8am-6pm all year round with a varied menu of activities such as homework clubs; sport (at least 2 hours a week beyond the school day for those who want it); music tuition; clubs such as chess and first aide courses; opportunities to visit museums and galleries; learning a foreign language; volunteering and business and enterprise activities.
Ruth Kelly said:
"This prospectus sets out how schools can develop additional services for families. Schools are at the heart of our communities and it makes sense to extend the services they offer beyond the traditional school day. By 2010 all children under 14 who want to, could have access to breakfast and after-school clubs offering exciting activities from 8am to 6pm.
These would give them the opportunity to keep fit and healthy, to acquire new skills, to build on what they learn during the school day as well as have fun.
"I want parents to shape how extended services develop in their child's school and I want schools to ask for their ideas. We're not expecting teachers to deliver these services but for schools to work with providers in the voluntary and private sectors, support staff and other children's services to develop their local provision."
"Extended schools will not only help children in their education, but also support hard working families to manage their home and work life."
The Prospectus sets out a menu of extended services which for primary schools will include: > childcare from 8am - 6pm;
> a range of before and after school activities;
> parenting support and family learning opportunities;
> referral to a wide range of specialist support services such as speech and language therapists.
Secondary schools will include: > opening 8am - 6pm all the year round;
> a range of interesting activities for young people; > access to other services for young people and their parents; - providing wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities.
In relation to funding, local authority allocations until 2008 will mean a total of £680 million over 2 years. This is in addition to the £160m already spent on developing additional services in schools. Of the £680m, £430m will be distributed to schools via local authorities who are best placed to prioritise need and plan the development of services across their area. All LAs received letters detailing their funding yesterday. £250m will go direct to schools so that all schools can start to develop extended services.
www.lapsafe.com has sourced this article from Publictechnology.net
