DEPARTMENT FOR
EDUCATION AND SKILLS News Release (2007/0112) issued by The
Government News Network on 25 June 2007
Extended schools
lead to better exam results and children being more focused in
school, particularly for disadvantaged children, a new Government
report issued today shows.
This adds to the Department for Education analysis which found
progress in extended schools was around double the rate of the
national average between 2005 and 2006.
At Key Stage Four, the percentage of pupils in extended schools
achieving 5+A*-C at GCSE increased by just over 5 per cent,
compared to a 2.5 per cent increase in the national average over
the same period.
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said:
"This report shows the excellent benefits of extended
school services for children, their families and communities. I am
particularly pleased to see the positive improvements in Key Stage
3 and GCSE results for pupils facing disadvantage, on free school
meals and with special educational needs.
"By 2010 all schools will provide access to a core offer of
extended services and we can see already the advantages this will
have for all children, not only by allowing them to take part in
different activities but also in helping them do better in exams."
The Universities of Manchester and Newcastle study found that
full service extended schools (FSES) had a positive impact on the
attainment of pupils and on engagement with learning, family
stability and enhanced life chances and generated positive
outcomes for families and local people.
The report also found:
* in FSES the gap in performance between pupils eligible for free
school meals and those not eligible was reduced (and in some
analyses it was eliminated) once the differences between the
groups were taken into account;
* in FSES at Key Stage 3 the gap in achievement between pupils
eligible for free school meals and those not eligible disappears
entirely once other variables were taken into account;
* At Key Stage 4, pupils eligible for free school meals slightly
outperformed non-free school meals pupils; and
* At Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 there was a narrower gap between
special educational needs (SEN) and non-SEN children in FSES than
that seen in others schools.
Professor Alan Dyson, from the University of Manchester, said:
"Our evaluation shows that it is possible for schools and
their partners to make a real difference to the life chances of
disadvantaged children and adults. For the schools we studied,
extended provision was not a distraction from the standards
agenda, but a way of ensuring the best possible outcomes for all learners.
"Where these schools were successful, the key was that they
made a major commitment to extended provision and saw it as part
of the core business of the school. In return, the schools
themselves often improved their standing in their areas.
Currently, all schools are being expected to become
'extended'. Not all of them will be able to make this
level of commitment, but the signs are that well thought out
extended provision has lots to offer children, families,
communities - and schools themselves."
Positive effects were also felt in relation to the local
community. For instance, there were many examples of unemployed
adults beginning to see themselves as learners, acquiring
qualifications, and finding work.
The schools studied were also found to have a range of other
positive impacts on outcomes for pupils, including engagement with
learning, family stability and enhanced life chances.
The report emphasized the need for co-ordinators to support
schools in developing their extended provision.
Extended schools provide access to a range of services
including: study support, 8am to 6pm wrap-around childcare in
primary schools, health services, support for parents, adult
learning and community activities. It is the Government's
vision for all schools to offer access to a core set of extended
activities by 2010. £840m has been provided to support the
roll-out of extended schools over 2004 - 2008. This will continue
in the next spending round. The Secretary of State recently
announced an additional £217m will be invested in 2010-11 for an
extended schools subsidy scheme to ensure children from the most
disadvantaged families can access extended services that schools
charge for outside the school day.
The cost benefit analysis suggests that the benefits of the
initiative outweighed the costs and in some cases, the cost
benefits were 'spectacularly successful'.
CASE STUDY
The report contains case studies of pupils who explained the
positive impact on them personally.
One 15-year old explained how he didn't like school from an
early age, couldn't get on with teachers, got involved in
fights and was eventually excluded. He was invited to join an
Alternative Curriculum programme at a community centre, as part of
an extended school.
There he joined a small group, was made to feel welcome and made
friends. He achieved a bronze and silver Award Scheme Development
and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) Award and is now working on his
gold. He has learnt how to cook, manage a budget and run a lunch
club for older people.
He said:
"I am also learning how to cope with people in authority
better and I do outdoor education activities, which I really
enjoy. I have made some good friends, learnt to trust adults and
work together as a team to achieve goals. The list could go on and
on in terms of what I am achieving 'cause I haven't
finished yet!! My home life is much better. My relationship with
my Mum has improved greatly (she is so proud of me now) and I have
not been in trouble with the police in six months. If you were to
ask me what's the best thing about the centre I would have to
say everything is sweet as a nut!"
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The report will be available from http://www.dfes/research and
is entitled Evaluation of the Full Service Extended Schools
Initiative: Final Report.
2. Professor Alan Dyson is based at the School of Education,
University of Manchester.
3. The FSES initiative was launched in 2003. Local FSES projects
received funding from DfES, and came on stream in each of three
successive years.
4. Most FSES served areas of disadvantage and in the first year
were located in Behaviour Improvement Programme areas.
5. By the end of the initiative, 138 schools were involved, with
a further 10 funded through the London Challenge.
6. This evaluation took place over the three years for which the
initiative was funded and aimed to identify: the activities
undertaken by participating schools; the processes underpinning
these activities; the impacts and outcomes of activities.
7. The FSES initiative has informed the development of the
national extended schools programme. Nearly 5,000 schools are
already providing access to the core offer of extended services
with all schools planned to be doing so by 2010.
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