Evaluation of the full service extended schools initiative

The final report from the evaluation of the DfES full service extended schools initiative (FSES), published in June, has indicated the potential for extended schools to generate learning and wider outcomes for pupils, families and communities. This success is encouraging for other schools nationally.

Although FSESs are different in several respects from extended schools, much can be learned from them. Having a clearly thought out rationale and a coherent FSES approach that draws together different elements of provision are both important. It is imperative for leaders and coordinators of extended schools to be certain about how extended provision relates to the core business of the school, and to have the capacity and ability to pursue the broad agenda. Efforts must be taken to strategically embed FSES developments with other initiatives and for them to be part of an overarching cohesive framework for delivery at local level. This helps ensure that decision making is shared with partners and local people on the one hand, and that services are accessed and outcomes are maximised, on the other. Equally, developments need to take place over time in the context of a coherent and stable policy context at national level if they are to have longer-term and larger-scale effects.

Extended schools offer a rich resource for the delivery of multiple policy agendas and a base for the delivery of seamless services. There is, therefore, no room for autonomy. Much more can be achieved by working collaboratively with colleagues from statutory, voluntary and community agencies – colleagues who have expertise to offer and can make swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services a reality. Effective partnership working is paramount and is built around trust and mutual commitment to generating positive impacts and outcomes for service users. True collaboration which leads to greater stability of resourcing takes time to establish.

It became clear that these successful FSESs were schools that took seriously the relationship between the personal, family and community backgrounds of their pupils and their educational outcomes. They adopted a holistic approach and understood that efforts to improve educational outcomes must be accompanied by action to enable them, their families and in some cases communities to overcome any difficulties they faced. In addition to the establishment of multi-agency support structures, successful FSESs were also likely to have provision aimed at enrichment, enhancement and enabling.

The three-year evaluation, conducted by a team of researchers at the universities of Manchester and Newcastle, adopted a multi-strand approach. This included case studies of FSESs and comparator schools, a statistical analysis of the National Pupil Database, a cost benefit analysis and childcare component, questionnaire surveys in case study FSESs and comparator schools and a final questionnaire survey administered to all FSESs nationally. The evaluation aimed to identify and characterise the activities undertaken by participating schools, the processes underpinning these activities and their impacts and outcomes.

Eight key findings from the research

• FSESs saw their extended provision as closely integrated with their core business of teaching and learning and as part of a whole-school effect.
• Having a clear rationale is important, as is a coherent FSES approach. FSESs articulated the nature and purpose of their approaches and brought together different strands of provision to form a cohesive framework for delivery. 
• FSESs were characterised by considerable diversity. There were, however, some common features. FSESs developed activities aimed at providing swift and easy access for pupils to a range of personal support and provision to overcome pupils’ barriers to learning’ through a collaborative partnership approach. All focused on the wellbeing and educational achievements of pupils and most operated a holistic approach regarding the wellbeing of pupils, families and communities as important in its own right.
• FSESs impacted positively on the attainment of their pupils and typically experienced improved school performance. They also generated wider outcomes for pupils, parents and local people, particularly those facing difficulties. Impacts were clearest in the case of pupils facing difficulties. Widespread local change, if possible, will take time but the beginnings of positive community impacts were evident and FSESs reported an enhancement of their standing in the community. Outcomes seemed to be multiplied when their work was set in the context of other educational and wider strategies.
• School leaders typically took the lead on FSES developments which they saw as a way of bringing together efforts to meet the challenges facing themselves, their pupils and the communities they serve. When schools worked within a clear area strategy, decision making tended to be shared with partners, and in some cases, local people and pupils. Dedicated leadership structures were crucial to the development of FSESs and the role of the FSES coordinator could not be underestimated.
• FSESs were operating within the frameworks provided by the FSES initiative and amplified by the Every Child Matters agenda, which has created an overarching framework within which schools can operate.
• There were concerns from some projects around sustainability and developing partnerships with other agencies. However, enough schools had found ways round this to suggest these potential difficulties could be overcome. Many good examples of effective partnership working were emerging which were built around trust and a common understanding of aims.
• Engaging in effective partnership working and embedding FSES with strategic frameworks at local level could lead to greater stability of resourcing and sustainability. 

Dowload the final report: Evaluation of the Full Service Extended Schools Initiative: Final Report

This article first appeared in Extended Schools Update - December 2007