Schools which offer Extended Services are places where the whole school community can enjoy learning, access services and feel welcome. The vision is of schools at the heart of the community offering a range of locally determined activities and services. There is no single model for extended schools - what is on offer is shaped by the needs and demands of pupils, parents and the wider community. Many schools are already providing access to extended services, but we want all schools to do this so that all children, young people and families can benefit, wherever they live.

Schools will need to work in partnership with other schools and other agencies to deliver or provide access to extended services on school sites and in other facilities in the local community; these may take place before, during or after the school day, at weekends or during school holidays.

The development of Extended Services in schools is linked to raising pupil achievement and attainment. The government believes that strategies are in place in the classroom to raise standards - if we are to take the next step and ensure all children maximise their potential we need to deal with the barriers and difficulties that children and families face outside the classroom. Extended Services are planned to do this.

A Core Offer of Extended Services

There is a Core Offer of extended services which we hope that all children, young people and families in North Yorkshire will enjoy and access through schools by 2010:

• High quality childcare for primary school aged children, provided on the school site or through other local providers, available 8am - 6pm all year around;
• Pupils to be offered a varied range of activities including study support (e.g. homework clubs), sport, dance and drama, and volunteering and business and enterprise activities;
• Support for parents and families including information sessions for parents of children at key transition points in their lives, access to parenting programmes, family learning opportunities, and information on the advice and support available to parents;
• Swift and easy access to a range of targeted and specialist support services, such as speech and language therapy, counselling, family support services and (for young people) sexual health services; and
• Community access to facilities including ICT (Information and Communications Technology), sports grounds, arts and adult and family learning.

Schools will need to respond to the needs of, and work closely with, their community to plan services. Schools are not expected to establish new services where there is no evidence of demand or need and they may not necessarily deliver the activities or services themselves. As a result of this Extended Services will look very different from school to school across North Yorkshire.

Progress in North Yorkshire

Every school in North Yorkshire is now part of a cluster to develop Extended Services in partnership with local agencies and each other. Each cluster has an Extended School Cluster Coordinator whose job is to help schools achieve the Core Offer and help communities overcome local barriers to learning and achievement. Increasingly, services are being developed in conjunction with Children's Centres where possible to ensure services are more 'joined up' (integrated) and better meet the needs of local families and communities.

'A few things have happened at our school lately, it all started when we were asked what we wanted. Now there's a Youth Worker who helps us to organise stuff in the villages after school and in the holidays. I've met loads of new friends and feel happier coming to school' - A student.

'Our local primary school is great. I use the Breakfast Club so that I can drop my son off early on the days I go to college. He really enjoys the club and his teacher says he concentrates in lessons when he's had a good start to the day. I started the college course after I'd been on a computer course up at the school, the tutors were great it gave me confidence and they helped me fill in the application form for my access course'. - A parent.

'Through developing Extended Services we have a Home-School worker and parents have become more involved with the school, this will help to raise achievement and attainment. We have also developed better links with other schools in our area'. - A headteacher.

Further Information

For further information on which services and activities are available in either your local school or your local area please contact either your local school or local Extended Schools Cluster Coordinator.

Useful downloads Extended Schools: Building on Experience [474kb] Extended Schools: Building on Experience Extended Schools: Supporting School Improvement [677kb] Extended Schools: Supporting School Improvement Planning and funding extended schools: a guide for schools, local authorities and their partnership organisations [524kb] Planning and funding extended schools: a guide for schools, local authorities and their partnership organisations Extended Services Accessed Through Schools [924kb] Information leaflet on extended services accessed through schools