Extended Services through Schools

An extended school provides a range of services and activities often beyond the school day to help meet the needs of its pupils, their families and the wider community. They will be centres for life-long learning, and contribute to health, social cohesion and economic regeneration.

The Newcastle Extended Services through Schools (PDF) plan and the Children's Centre Strategy (185.4 KB, pdf) will be taken forward together with the aim of developing a seamless service for children, young people and families.  Our vision for the future of Newcastle’s schools is that they will be at the heart of their community.

By 2008:

• Half of all families will have access to school based childcare for 5-11 year olds;
• One third of secondary schools open from 8am to 6pm offering a range of extended activities.

By 2010:

• All parents of 3 and 4 year olds offered access to wraparound childcare linked to the expanded early education offer (15 hours of free integrated early learning and care for 38 weeks a year) - extended day and extended year;
• All parents of 5-11 year olds to have access to affordable childcare based in their school or with an early education provider nearby with supervised transfer arrangements - extended day and extended year;
• All secondary schools open from 8am to 6 pm weekdays providing extended services.

 

Extended Services through Schools in Newcastle

Almost every school within Newcastle has already participated in a series of workshops to begin the process of auditing their current provision and working collaboratively with other services and partners to provide additional facilities and services on their sites. The range of services and activities will vary depending on the needs of the community but by 2010 it is expected that all mainstream and special schools will provide access to:

• 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 two 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

• wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities, including adult learning

These extended activities and services may or may not occur on the school site but schools will help access to them working either individually or in clusters.

 

Extended Services verification exercise documents 2009

The attached documents relate to Extended Services verification exercise for the attention of headteachers:

• Letter from John Collings
• Verification tool for schools
• Extended Services capital expression of interest

Case Studies

Gloucestershire -  the local authority (LA) has restructured local services around the Every Child Matters outcomes. This case study looks at LA strategy and use of the common assessment framework in Archway School.

Nottinghamshire - the Kirkby College family of schools is piloting integrated working with a wide range of practitioners and adoption of the common assessment framework.

Derby - Nightingale Junior School has adopted the common assessment framework as the principal mechanism for identifying need resulting swift intervention and support.

Leicester - a team of professionals is based at New College to identify need and offer support to vulnerable young people aged 13 and over.

Nottingham - Jesse Boot Primary School has developed personalised, integrated services focused on local need and strong links with health care services.

Wandsworth - the local authority has rolled out use of the common assessment framework (CAF) across the borough. This case study looks at local authority strategy and use of the CAF at Westbridge Primary School.

For more information about these case studies please visit the TDA case studies webpage.

 

Key documents

Newcastle Extended Schools Strategy (Pdf)
Every Child Matters - Extended Schools Building on Experience (1.1 MB, pdf)
Designation as an Extended School - Application and Guidance (Word, 107kb)
Self Assessment Against The Extended Services through Schools Core Offer (pdf, 42kb)
Extended Schools Prospectus June 2007 (pdf, 1146kb)

 

Extended Services Lead

Jayne Moules

Area Locality Manager
Email: jayne.moules@newcastle.gov.uk

Children's Services

MAP Room
Newcastle Springfield Centre
Off Blakelaw Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
Phone: 0191 277 4488

Family Services Directory (external link)