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The Prosser Perspective.... a weekly column from Dover and Deal MP Gwyn Prosser

6 September 2007

One of the more pleasurable parts of an MP's job is visiting local schools and in the ten years I’ve been in post I’ve witnessed some very big changes and seen lots of improvements in school standards and attainment right across the constituency.

One of the important changes is the growing number of schools that are extending their activities beyond normal hours to provide additional services like breakfast clubs, out-of-hours tuition and after-school clubs in sport, music, drama and a whole lot more.

The Government wants all schools to become “extended schools” by 2010 but lots of authorities are well ahead of the expectations. Across the whole of England 7,000 schools have achieved this status which puts the program more than two months ahead of schedule and we are doing pretty well here in Kent where 132 schools are already offering extended services.

We want all families with children up to 14, who require it, to have access to affordable, flexible and high quality childcare from 8am to 6pm and extended local schools can be an efficient way of providing it.

Education Authorities are getting lots of encouragement to raise their game and Kent County Council have already received nearly £5 million to fund extended services in schools during the current year and there will be more funding in place for future years to ensure all schools become extended schools over the next few years.

Schools in Dover and Deal an the outlying villages have all worked really hard to start offering extended services to pupils the extra funding is helping more and more schools to convert and I expect all the schools in our area to become extended by 2010 or sooner.

I know that extended services are popular with parents and children and can help to put schools at the heart of their communities. They provide excellent opportunities for children to take part in fun activities and boost their confidence. They help families juggle work and home life by giving parents greater flexibility and providing parental support.

The increase in pupil attainment in full service extended schools was around double the rate of the national average between 2005 and 2006. At Key Stage Four, the number of pupils achieving 5 A*-C at GCSE increased by just over 5 percentage points, compared to a 2.5 percentage point increase in the national average over the same period.

Other positive results include: improved school performance, better engagement with learning, increased family stability, better relations with local communities for schools and an enhanced standing of the school in the area.

But above all they give children the chance to take part in fun activities - they can practice sports, learn a musical instrument, have drama classes or simply catch up on their homework. And as described above - there is already clear evidence that activities being offered across the country have had a positive influence on pupils.