skip navigation

Extended services in and around schools

Our aim is to help schools in Camden to provide access to a "core offer" of extended services that meet the holistic needs of children, young people and their families.

Developing Extended Services linked to Children Centres and Schools is a top priority area for the Children and Young People's Plan for 2007-2008 and will be a key mechanism for delivering integrated local services to children, young people, and families, addressing all the outcomes from Every Child Matters.

It is not just about schools extending the school day, but about recognising that pupils may need extra support, which can be provided by a range of other professionals and services. Schools are well positioned to identify children's and families' needs at an early stage of vulnerability.

The "core offer" of extended services is designed to bring together and extend the wide range of different services that support children, young people and their families in Camden and help remove the barriers to learning and raise achievement.

The core offer includes:

  1. High-quality wraparound childcare available from 8am-6pm, five days a week, 48 weeks per year, provided on school site or through other local providers, with supervised transfer arrangements.
  2. A varied menu of activities to be offered such as study support, sports, music tuition, dance and drama, arts and crafts, special interest clubs, trips, volunteering, business and enterprise activities.
  3. Parenting Support including on-site transitions information sessions for parents, information about advice and support available to parents through local services and national helplines and websites, access to parenting groups and family learning sessions.
  4. Swift and Easy Referrals to specialist support services – using the CAF and Lead Professional to support early identification and intervention for children and young people with additional needs.
  5. Providing wider community access to ICT, sports and arts, including adult learning.

We have exceeded our Government target of 15 per cent of schools providing access to the core offer by 2006. But we have to meet the challenging target of: 30 per cent of schools by 2007, 50 per cent by 2008, and all schools by 2010.

The Extended Services Team has been busy working with schools and partner agencies to plan a coherent and comprehensive range of extended services across the community.