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This article contains information for governors on developing extended services in and around schools.

Background
A key way of delivering Every Child Matters outcomes extended schools provide access to a core offer of extended services, in partnership with local providers, local authorities and through clusters. This core offer includes access to: before and after school clubs (not necessarily on the school site); activities beyond the school day such as sports, arts, music clubs, study support and volunteering; parenting support; referral to health and social services; and opening up facilities to the community such as sports grounds and space for adult learning. These services will need to be shaped to meet the needs of pupils, parents and the community; this core offer ensures that there is a minimum of services and activities for families. Services will not necessarily be provided on the school site or by teachers.

Many schools have been providing extended services for a number of years and have seen benefits including improvements in pupil attendance, self-confidence, motivation, attainment and teachers better able to focus on teaching and learning. This is why the Government is committed to all schools providing access to this core offer by 2010. There are currently over 7,000 schools (over 1 in 4) providing access to the core offer of extended services in partnership with local providers.

Responsibilities
Governing bodies are ultimately responsible for the provision of extended services. The Education Act 2002 legislated for governing bodies to have the power to provide, or enter into contracts to provide, any facilities or services that will further any "charitable purpose" for the benefit of pupils at their school, families of pupils and people who live and work in the local community. The phrase "charitable purpose" has a particular legal meaning and governors should refer to Chapter 19 of the Guide to the law for school governors for clarification (see web link below).

Guidance and support
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is providing direct support to schools and local authorities and ensuring that extended services do not lead to an increase in teacher or governor workload. Schools will need to work closely with their local authorities to ensure that services respond to local demand. Each local authority has an extended schools remodelling adviser (trained by the TDA), who provides direct support to schools. £680m is available for the setting up of extended services for the period 2006-08 and the £1.3b funding for personalised learning can be used to support access for their most disadvantaged children and young people to extended activities, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged families.

Details of bespoke guidance for governors on extended schools can be found below.