Extended Schools Programme

The Extended Schools (ES) programme aims to improve levels of educational achievement and the longer term life chances of disadvantaged children and young people by providing the necessary additional support which can enable those children to reach their full potential.

Launched in May 2006, £60 million of funding has been provided through the Extended Schools programme over the last 6 years allowing those schools serving areas of the highest social deprivation to provide for a wide range of services or activities outside of the normal school day to help meet the needs of pupils, their families and local communities.

The varied activities offered through the Extended Schools programme are designed to support learning and promote healthy lifestyles, raise school standards while engaging schools with their local community and connecting people with local services; these include breakfast or homework clubs, sport, art, drama, ICT and many other programmes including those which aim to involve parents, families and the wider community in the life of the school.

The Minister for Education has committed additional funding to further support the Extended Schools programme in this and over the next two financial years with £11 million having been made available to over 460 eligible schools in 2012/13.

More information on Extended Schools including the criteria used to determine which schools qualify for the 2012/13 programme and a list of those schools currently receiving ES funding can be accessed via the links below:

extended_schools_criteria_2012_13._41kb.pdf

list_of_extended_schools_2012_13_616kb.pdf

To find out more about how Extended Schools can help you, you can also access the www.nidirect.gov.uk website under “Extended Schools”.  To find out what services are provided by schools in your local area you can check with the schools themselves or your local Education and Library Board.

For further information and guidance on the Extended Schools programme aimed primarily at School Principals and Boards of Governors, follow this link :- Extended Schools Guidance

The Department is also piloting a Full Service approach in two severely disadvantaged areas which, like the Extended Schools programme, aims to support and maximise the learning and achievement of children most in need or at risk of low educational attainment. You can find out more about Full Service provision here: Full Service Programmes