<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>'Open all hours' plan for schools


</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> School hours could become more convenient for working parents

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->Schools in England will stay open for 10 hours a day, under childcare plans to be presented by the government.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke is expected to say that such "extended" schools should provide more welfare and childcare services.

Although the formal school day would not change, schools would remain open until 6pm to provide childcare for working parents.

Many schools already provide breakfast and homework clubs for children.

A speech to be delivered by Mr Clarke on Wednesday is expected to say that such "wrap-around" services, from 8am to 6pm, will eventually be extended to all primary schools.

This would provide time, before and after the formal school day, in which pupils could take part in supervised activities.

Widening services

The speech is expected to put forward plans, announced earlier this year in the government's five-year education plan, for an extended school to be opened in every local education authority by 2006.

<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg>EXTENDED SCHOOLS
Open 8am to 6pm
Provide childcare services to "wrap round" the school day
There will be supervised activities such as sport, art and clubs
Parents could have to pay
One extended school in each local authority by 2006
1,000 extended schools by 2008



Source: DfES Education Five-Year Strategy, July 2004

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By 2008, the five-year plan promises that there will be 1,000 such extended schools

Such "educare" schemes - combining education and welfare - are seen as a way of helping children to have a safer and more stimulating after-school environment - and to provide parents with a greater range of high-quality childcare.

The extra hours in school could be spent in activities such as sport, art, clubs and societies - but the government has already claimed that this will not mean extra work for teachers.

This would require additional staff - and the five-year strategy says "parents might be asked to contribute towards the cost of some extended services".

Schools could also work together in networks to provide a wider range of services.

There are also ambitions to provide adult education and parenting classes - and to use schools as bases for health services and advice. Childcare is emerging as a key theme in the government's education plans - and this focusing of attention will be seen as a statement of political intent. <!-- E BO -->
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3635572.stm

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