Almost half of primary schools say that they expect to be delivering an extended programme within the next two years, yet what they mean by this is still unclear. For some schools this will mean establishing breakfast and after-school clubs, for others extending their extra-curricular activities and for others still offering more extensive childcare, extended nursery and childminding networks.
On purely pragmatic grounds schools in every area are designed for children, trusted by most parents and often lie empty when they could be used for other things.
Yet extended schools should not be developed without caution. Some children and parents will genuinely not feel able to engage in a school environment and their needs have to be planned for. Some schools, especially primary schools, will not have enough space or management capacity to respond and will need support. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the development of services in and around schools is not at the expense of community-based provision.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
