Extended Schools - Teaching Expertise

Extended services play a crucial role in ironing out inequalities and helping all children, young people and their families to access a rich network of activities and specialist support. Sandra Teacher explains how schools can ensure their provision is inclusive

Young people from Bridgwater were given the opportunity to perform alongside Alexandra Burke at Twickenham through their involvement in a dance project. Mike King reports

Birchensale Middle School’s Family Learning programme targets the parents of low-ability children, offering them the chance to improve key skills and participate more fully in their children’s learning. Carrie Saint Freedman visited the school to find out more

Wider Family Learning is a cross-cutting strategy to engage reluctant adult learners while involving them more with their children’s learning. Although one in three schools take up Wider Family Learning grants from their local authority, the level of funding available means that many more could successfully apply. Nick Holt takes you step-by-step through an application form

This edition of Extended Schools Update looks at some of the resources available and events coming up this term to help schools promote Every Child Matters and extended services outcomes, through environmental learning initiatives and activities

Volunteering provides opportunities for the local community to engage with your school’s extended services. Here are some suggestions for activities, including awareness days, accreditation opportunities, the arts and the Olympic Games

Most schools will probably already be offering a range of after school clubs to pupils, but it is always worth considering new ideas and looking for inspiration. Here we investigate some ideas for starting novel after school clubs

Extended Schools Update is a new e-bulletin which hopes to provide educational professionals with some practical insights and advice to support them with emerging practice at their schools

As a child and family support worker at Kingfisher Primary School in Smiths Wood, Solihull, Debbie Todd explains what her role involves

A holistic approach to supporting young people's health is led by the school-based health adviser at Newall Green School, Manchester, who embraces the whole child and the family. Neil Wilson, headteacher, discusses

The development of a youth café led by young people from Springfield School in Drayton, Portsmouth is outlined here by Jo Derham, manager of the North East Community Improvement Partnership in Portsmouth

Universal and specialist secondary student support was made more accessible to students at the Duchess's Community High School in Alnwick, Northumberland by the development of specific support structures. George Adamson outlines them

An on-site community learning centre opens up opportunities to adult learners and school learners. Jackie Lees, senior strategic leaders at Mitchell High School Business and Enterprise College, shares the development of their CLC, with tips for organising community learning provision

A successful peer support scheme has encouraged students to participate at Flegg High School in Norfolk. Mike Ward, deputy headteacher, discusses the evolution of the scheme and how increased student involvement has had real benefits to the school

As a behaviour and education support team (BEST) coordinator, Tony Nicholson has a wide and varied role. Here he gives an insight into his role and the work of the BEST team

Having an in-school social worker offers informed on-hand support to children and families all year round, says headteacher Neil Wilson, who here discusses the multi-agency teams that his school uses

How do you create meaningful and sustainable relationships with parents? Dr Jean de Rijke, developer of the Effective Partnerships with Parents (EPPa) strategy, shares her expertise

Jo McShane invite readers to consider multi-agency or multi-professional working with schools from the perspective of an enthusiastic apprentice, who realises the value that 'joined-up thinking' offers

School bursars and business managers can enrich both their schools and their own professional roles by getting involved in the wider life of their schools, says Ruth Bradbury

How effective is wraparound childcare provision in addressing issues in areas of deprivation? Therese Allen, head at Mychall Primary in Birmingham, dicusses why it plays such a key role in her school

Planning, coordinating, managing, sustaining, networking and facilitating; these are all key aspects of an extended school manager's role. Fran Shelley discusses these different aspects of her role as extended schools manager at Downside Middle School in Newport

Why have previous attempts at community schooling largely failed? Pam Woolner from the Centre for Learning and Teaching at the University of Newcastle discusses, and sets out possible implications for the current initiative

As an extended school, Chesnut Lodge School in Halton provides inclusive after-school and holiday provision for children with additional needs and mainstream children. Heather Austin, their deputy head, explores why it has been a success

How can outreach work effectively engage hard-to-reach community members? Partnership working and forward thinking has been successful in breaking down barriers to participation, as Nazia Hussain, project manager for Keighley extended schools cluster in Bradford, explains read more

Multi-agency working to support vulnerable young people can be an important strand of extended school provision, says Lisa McClarence, who gives an overview of the counselling work she does in schools

The idea of extended schools has a long history, says Pam Woolner, and we can learn from ideas that have been tried in the past read more

Virtual learning enviroments (VLEs) can support delivery of the extended schools core offer, explain deputy heads Paul Ainsworth and Josephine Smith

Some of the key success factors in the development of extended schools provision across a cluster are discussed by Dave Dunkley, headteacher at Coleshill Heath Full Service Extended School in Solihull, and Ruth Shand, lead officer for extended services at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council read more

Working in a multi-agency environment to positively engage targeted young people, Paul Rogers explains why no two days are ever the same

Primary learning mentor Ayub Malik explains why he is proud to be working with children experiencing barriers to learning

Colleen Cummings examines the evaluation of the the DCSF full service extended schools initiative and some implications for extended schools read more

Jenny Barton, lead learning mentor at Norham Community Technology College, shares her experience of developing and facilitating a support group for parents of teenagers read more

Headteacher Bernadette O’Brien describes the core themes of extended provision at Priory School and Sports College

Steve Smith, former deputy headteacher at a technology college and now business development director for education at ICT specialist Ramseys, looks at the technological challenges and opportunities that extended service schools present

Providing an extended schools service with a community learning centre brought about unexpected synergies for Mitchell High School. Shaun Morgan describes the changes read more

Principal Ian Johnson describes how an extended school day and a high level of community involvement are central to the strategy for raising achievement at The Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate read more

Ruth Bradbury offers a wealth of practical advice on getting the most from the extended schools initiative read more

Liz Rowbotham looks at how extended services have worked for one community college read more

Liz Rowbotham, Full Service Extended School Manager at Hengrove Community Arts College, explains her methods of running and evaluating extended services with the help of partnerships read more

Looking at the benefits and challenges of different models for providing childcare and early education service in children’s centres and extended schools read more

Yeading Junior in Hayes has evolved its strategy for putting emotional health and wellbeing at the centre of the curriculum. Headteacher Carole Jones describes how

What are the legal implications of greater collaborative working between education and health care professionals, asks Amelia Newbold read more

I have just got back from the SFM annual conference in London: a long journey for me, but definitely worth it – not only because it gave me the opportunity to present a couple of sessions, but also because it is encouraging to see the quality and variety of business management professionals who are now working in our schools. read more

As schools open their doors to new categories of visitor, they must take an audit of risk and danger on the premises, writes Sarah Freeston. read more

What does ‘extended school’ mean to politicians, teachers and parents and what will it mean for more able pupils? Deputy head Paul Ainsworth explains

Casterton Business and Enterprise College (CBEC) is the hub of local learning, offering 11-16 education by day and a wide range of recreational and academic activities for young people and adults in the evenings and at weekends read more

Under the extended schools agenda, all schools are expected to enhance their community provision and open up their sites to embrace a range of wider community initiatives. Nina Siddle explains how one school in East Yorkshire is developing an innovative garden area, and outlines the key role that school business managers can play in such initiatives read more

The government’s campaign to persuade more schools to offer extended services continues with the publication of new guidance. read more

Outdoor learning through nature can be very enriching for pupils. Angela Youngman discusses this broad and creative approach to learning

Half of all primary schools and a third of all secondary schools are due to be open from 8am to 6pm throughout the year by 2008 read more