Extended Services Disadvantage Subsidy
In order to test how best to support schools in making high-quality activities
available for economically disadvantaged children and young people, the DCSF is
running an extended services subsidy pathfinder, starting in September 2008.
The subsidy pathfinder will build on the excellent progress to date in
establishing sustainable and inclusive extended schools, and develop learning
about successful approaches for making best use of the £265m committed
over the current spending period for supporting this. The pathfinder is
intended to develop this learning to inform the national roll out of funding in
2010-11.
The subsidy will take forward the announcement made by the Secretary of State on 10th July 2007:
"We need to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their parents do not miss out but have a chance to benefit from extra out-of-school tuition and after-school clubs... The funding will enable all schools to offer those children two hours per week of group activities in term time, plus 30 hours of additional activities over the holidays."
The subsidy will allow schools to build in real demand side involvement through increased consultation and choice for children and young people. It is expected that this consultation will increase the range of extended services being delivered through schools, and the numbers of those delivering them. This additional funding will enable schools to commission activities from other providers without fear of passing on the charges preventing some children from accessing the activities.
The pathfinder involves schools in 18 local authorities in 2008-09, with the aim of developing best practice and case studies for the roll-out in 2010. Funding will be made available to further LAs in 2009-10.
Related document
This guidance document is intended for those local authorities currently involved in the subsidy pathfinder 2008-2009. A revised guidance document incorporating learning from the pathfinder for the national scale up will be made available in June 2009.
Last updated: 17 February 2009
