Careers: Extended schools co-ordinator

What do extended schools co-ordinators do?

Also known in some areas as extended schools cluster managers, they manage the delivery of extended services across schools in an area.

A study commissioned by the previous government but published by the Department for Education in March found that a key task for co-ordinators was to "broker partnerships between schools and other services and organisations". It quotes a co-ordinator interviewed for the study: "I don't deliver services at all, I work with partners. You're the link person, and the partners want to work with schools."

Annie New, extended schools co-ordinator for Alban Way Consortium in Hertfordshire, says: "In St Albans, I work closely with six extended schools co-ordinators to deliver a range of activities in the holidays." Activities include gym, craft, drama, trampolining and wild animal experiences. New works with the providers and ensures criminal records checks are in place. The extended schools co-ordinators run a booking line that allows parents to book holiday activities across the schools. They also arrange other activities such as cooking classes in secondary schools for primary school pupils who are due to move into secondary education. The classes are intended to boost their confidence and give them a knowledge of the school before they go. Co-ordinators often work with parents identified by the school as needing support, offering advice and signposting to other agencies.