Extended Schools and BSF
What is an Extended School?
Extended Schools provide a range of services and activities, often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of children, their families and the wider community. Secondary schools will be expected to be open 8.00am – 6.00pm all year round. In County Durham we are encouraging schools to work in local clusters, to pool resources and develop the core activities and services between in and around the cluster.
Core Offer of Extended Services
- Childcare – provided on the school site or through 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, study support, sports and arts clubs;
- Parenting Support – including information for parents at key transition points, parenting programmes and family learning;
- Swift and easy referral to a wide range of services – such as speech therapy and child and adolescent mental health services;
- Wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities – including adult learning.
The Department for Children, School and Families (DCSF) expects that “By 2010, all children should have access to a variety of activities beyond the school day. Well organised, safe and stimulating activities before and after school provide children and young people with a wider range of experiences and make a real difference to their chances at school. It gives them the opportunity to keep healthy, to acquire new skills, to build on what they learn during the school day or to simply have fun and relax”.
