7.1 Ensuring that Extended Schools activities are fully inclusive to all

Extended Schools are in a prime position to ensure that all children, young people and the wider community are able to take advantage of and benefit from additional services provided by the school. This agenda is about more than schools simply leasing out community rooms – it is about schools working in partnership to provide client led models of community support. Research shows that well being and high educational standards go hand in hand. By sharing access to equipment such as IT, offering quiet, supportive places in which to study, or safe places to meet friends and enjoy exciting activities or enjoy nourishing food, can help many children and young people to combat the effects of economic deprivation. Opening the school as a place for the whole community results in greater support for all. This is particularly important for those with additional needs.

The Children Act places a duty on local authorities to promote the educational achievement of Looked After Children. Research shows that the gap in achievement between children and young people who are in care and all other children increases from KS1 to KS3 and that only a very small percent of Looked After Children achieve 5 A-C or equivalent.

Research shows that Looked After Children have unmet emotional, mental and physical health needs that, understandably, impact on their education. Their lives are often fragmented and unstable and they miss schooling for long periods or change schools frequently. They often miss having adults who can build the resilience they need and support them to achieve their best potential. It is vital that the Extended Schools agenda ensures that the new services are fully inclusive.

Children and young people with special needs are another group it is vital to include. The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 states that public authorities have:

“duties to make it unlawful to discriminate without justification against disabled pupils and prospective pupils in all aspects of school life”

and “the duty not to treat a disabled pupil less favourably, but to make reasonable adjustments.”

Public Authorities, for example schools, hospitals and councils, must make sure that disabled people have the same chances as everyone else. They must :

• Stop discrimination against disabled people
• Make sure people are not bullied or called names because they are disabled
• Make it easier for disabled people to take part in making decisions
• Ask disabled people what they need to make things better

City of York’s Inclusion Strategy 2007-2010 states:

“The ultimate goal for everybody engaged in providing services for children and young people is that their work should contribute towards high levels of personal achievement for ALL children and young people, both as individuals and as citizens, contributing towards the greater good.”

A recent consultation process in the city, revealed that disabled children and young people wanted more out of school activities and were concerned about access and transport to enable them to join existing services. They reported that staff attitudes were variable. Parents felt that inclusion was working well but that it was not always easy to access services.

Intitial research by the Council for Disabled Children found that many disabled children were not able to access extended services nationally. Helen Wheatley who led the project reported that:

“Disabled children may need support to access extended services, but it is unlikely to be of the same intensity as they need to access the curriculum. There is a false assumption that children with a disability who need one-to-one support in school will need the same level of support to access extended services. It is not the case, as the services are much less formal.”

7.2 Checklist

School Governors are the responsible body for Extended Schools activities. Have you evidence to show that you have paid regard to the following guidelines to ensure that Extended Schools activities are fully inclusive;

• All children and young people must have equal access to all extended schools activities in order that schools do not run the risk of infringing legislation.
• Core offer 3 specifically addresses the inclusion of all children and young people through the delivery of swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services such as speech and language therapy, child and adolescent mental health services, family support services, intensive behaviour support and for young people – sexual health services
• It is not expected that all children and young people who receive one to one support in school will necessarily need to have one to one support to access Extended School Services
• Parents, carers and children and young people must be actively listened to in planning services and their views incorporated into mutually agreed care plans
• Local authority staff from Children’s Services, and SEN services must be consulted – your Early Years and Extended Schools Advisor will act as the co-ordinator for their involvement and will arrange for a Risk Assessment to be conducted to ensure that Health and Safety legislation is in place and to provide recommendations to the local authority, school and setting. Parents, children and young people will be involved closely at every step of this involvement.
• Monies have been made available to every school to ensure that all children can access their entitlement to Extended Schools provision although in rare cases it may be felt that additional resources are needed. A panel made up of local authority staff will meet to determine whether additional resources are necessary to ensure that a child or young person with additional needs is able to access their entitlement to Extended Schools activities.
• Free training for staff and resources such as toys and equipment can be arranged at any time through the Early Years and Extended Schools advisors 
• Nationally some schools have found that special schools in the area are able to offer expertise – other schools have used peer support. An example of good practice is found in Barnet, north London, where sixth form pupils supported younger disabled pupils to access activities.
• In York the Early Years and Extended Schools Service is working with the CVS to provide CBR checked and trained volunteer staff who can support Extended Schools provision. Please see section 2 to see how volunteer help can be supported
• It is essential that the wishes of parents, young people and children are actively listened to and genuine attempts made to remove barriers to inclusion. It is not acceptable practice to ask families of children/young people with additional needs to pay increased fees for Extended Schools services, or to bar clients from certain activities on the grounds of disability or to ask parents/carers to accompany those children and young people who have additional needs in order that they can access trips and other activities.

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