LONDON (Reuters) - Education Secretary Ruth Kelly will detail on Monday how 680 million pounds of funding will be allocated to schools across England to allow them to remain open throughout the day.

Kelly will visit a London primary school for the publication of a prospectus of services such as child care after-school clubs that schools will be able to offer, a Department for Education and Skills spokeswoman said on Sunday.

The prospectus will expand on long-standing government plans to encourage schools to extend their opening hours, allowing parents to drop their children off before work and collect them at 6 p.m.

"The best schools are delivering extended services already," Kelly told the Sunday Telegraph.

"They know that children will be better placed to achieve their full potential if they are in child care that allows them to complete their homework, keep fit and healthy and have fun."

Teachers will not be required to provide or supervise the extra activities outside classroom hours, which will be run by voluntary groups and outside suppliers.

The National Union of Teachers questioned whether there would be enough money for the plans to work.

"This sounds like new money but if it is for both primary and secondary schools, of which there are some 23,000 in England, it will be spread very thin," said NUT General Secretary Steve Sinnott.

Anne Longfield of child care charity 4Children welcomed the scheme.

"It's something that parents and children have been asking for for an awful long time. It's something that parents and families in other countries get access to all the time," she told BBC Television.

from yahoo.co.uk.


On the surface it seems a good idea. I'm sure kids would disagree. However, I have a nagging feeling that this could just be another example of the government having to do parent's jobs for them.

I wondered that myself - the report says children have been asking for these clubs, which seems weird. I personally couldn't wait to get home at 3.30 and do my own thing when I was that age. I doubt that state sanctioned fun would include anything that really was fun.

It's good that children will have somewhere safe to stay if their parents aren't at home, but the growth of this kind of thing makes me feel suspicious that it just allows employers to make even greater demands that staff work late. Do parents these days actually get to spend any time at all with their kids?

I work at an after school club in sheffield (Brookies After School Club) and the schoo we are attached to, Hartley Brook Primary is trying to start its "EXTENDED SCHOOL" But it will put us out of work..... and it will be run by the CCAs, Unqualified deadbeats with nothing better to do, rather then us, Highly trained playcare staff..... MAKES ME SICK!

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All this extra school time and parents working longer hours could lead to all sorts of problems.........like........

[ A home , somewhere in England. A mother is slumped in an armchair , knocking back a large gin and tonic. A girl of about 8 enters the room. The mother is shocked and a bit frightened].

Mother ] And who the hell are you ? How did you GET in here , anyway ?

Girl] Oh , Mum , last month , you were calling me your " little Princess " , now you don't even know who I am !

Mother {quickly recovering!} ] Oh , don't be silly , darling I was only joking. Now , have you had your supper ?

Girl] Yes , and watched telly , and played games , and played on computer, and Mrs. DimWallnut told us a lovely story about.......

Mother ] Yes yes, dear , but it's time for bed now. Up at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

Child ] Oh , Mom . Hey , where's that man I saw here last Sunday morning ? The one with grey hair and lines all over his face ?

Mother ] Oh , you mean your Daddy -------he's stuck in a jam on the motorway again and he left work 2 hours ago. Now come on er......er.....er......princess,......it's nearly midnight. Up those Apples and Pears !
Well , perhaps not as bad as that but getting there !

I just think that kids need to be kids. They have the rest of their lives to be stuck in some dreary place all day (work).

Originally posted by Fareast
All this extra school time and parents working longer hours could lead to all sorts of problems.........like........

[ A home , somewhere in England. A mother is slumped in an armchair , knocking back a large gin and tonic. A girl of about 8 enters the room. The mother is shocked and a bit frightened].

Mother ] And who the hell are you ? How did you GET in here , anyway ?

Girl] Oh , Mum , last month , you were calling me your " little Princess " , now you don't even know who I am !

Mother {quickly recovering!} ] Oh , don't be silly , darling I was only joking. Now , have you had your supper ?

Girl] Yes , and watched telly , and played games , and played on computer, and Mrs. DimWallnut told us a lovely story about.......

Mother ] Yes yes, dear , but it's time for bed now. Up at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

Child ] Oh , Mom . Hey , where's that man I saw here last Sunday morning ? The one with grey hair and lines all over his face ?

Mother ] Oh , you mean your Daddy -------he's stuck in a jam on the motorway again and he left work 2 hours ago. Now come on er......er.....er......princess,......it's nearly midnight. Up those Apples and Pears !
Well , perhaps not as bad as that but getting there !

that's probably an improvement on the current situation :D

excellent use of resources , keeps the little thugs off the street 'cos their parents aren't home & granny can't cope.
however will teachers demand a pay rise for working extra hours are do they intend on using new staff - teachers deserve the money but the system could really do with increased staff levels.

Originally posted by willman
excellent use of resources , keeps the little thugs off the street 'cos their parents aren't home & granny can't cope.

Unlikely. I expect that children or their parents will be allowed to 'optout' of this after-school environment, so the ones who hang out of the streets now will continue to.

Heres what Extended School Is Gonna Be.

First Off, Teathers have nothing to do with it, its the class room support people that will be doing these.

Teachers wont do it as they will only be payed Class Room Support wages :( (HAHAHA)

And they will have homework corners so they have to do their homework

"Structured Play" That is No Choice In The Matter Play, They have to do it or they get in trouble

After School Clubs Are Run By Playworkers, With Special Training, (Child Protection, Health & Safety) Class Room Support (Idiots, No offence to CCAs Out There Who Have The First Idea :)) Dont have these qualifications.

After School Clubs Have To, By Law Feed The Children.
School Dont And Wont.

Extended School Sucks!

The Poor Kids, Having To Stay In School Longer *shudders*

Gimme an hour with the damn education secretary.... Ill kick "IT" into touch!
:clap:

Forgot to say lol, Ure right Abdul.

Parents dont have to send their kids there, ive had parents talking to me and other staff members at my after school club, they say they wont send their children to it as they want them to play and have fun after a LONG day at school.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:


Extended School = :loopy: :gag:
After School Clubs = :thumbsup: :thumbsup: