Extended school hours

Charles Clarke said: "Children are our most precious asset. How we nurture, care and support them in their early years is a fundamental test of whether a society values individuals and believes in opportunity for all.

"Since 1997, more than one million new childcare places have been created benefiting over 1.8 million children. Over 1200 new Neighbourhood Nurseries; 524 Sure Start local programmes and 107 Early Excellence Centres have been set up. Every three and four-year-old is now entitled to a free part-time early education place. The Chancellor has also introduced a system of tax credits to help thousands of working families pay for childcare."

Party Response: Liberal Democrat

Phil Willis MP, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, said: "It makes sense to get maximum use out of school facilities and to keep children in a single secure place throughout the day. But by missing out on essential details the government is at risk of spoiling a good idea.

"Parents must have peace of mind that their children are receiving high-quality childcare by properly vetted staff.

"Teachers must be informed how it will affect their work conditions and so far nobody has told schools how they are expected to pay for this.

"Until all these questions have been answered 10-hour schools remain another empty Labour promise."

Stakeholder Response: 4Children

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: "The demand from parents and children to extend the opening times of primary schools is overwhelming – children want more opportunities to take part in activities and parents need childcare to enable them to work.

"Recent research by 4Children demonstrates, for the first time, a major shift in attitude amongst schools themselves, responding to government plans and encouragement.

"Our research found that just over two-thirds of schools are already offering childcare or other extended activities, whilst almost half of all primary schools think that they are likely to be providing an extended school within the next two years.

"However, if the government is going to capitalise on this enthusiasm and support, considerably more intervention and investment will be required to make it happen.

"Ministers have recognised the importance of investment in early years through its billion pound programme to develop children's centres.It now needs to recognise the importance of sustaining that investment in children as they move through the school years.

"The eagerly awaited government 10 year plan for childcare must include significant investment in childcare for school age children in and around school.  Without this, the identified barriers of lack of premises, staffing and sustainability will remain insurmountable and a major opportunity to change children's lives will be lost."

Stakeholder Response: National Union of Teachers

Steve Sinnott, NUT general secretary, said: "The government’s decision to expand the provision of schools offering a full range of community services will be welcomed by teachers across the country.

"Crucial to extended schools must be the availability of social services and psychological support to help vulnerable children. Immediate help for children in such need can make all the difference.

"Teachers must be at the centre of deciding whether or not to become an extended school. Imposition is entirely inappropriate for such an initiative.

"In addition, the necessary resources must be made available to enable the employment of extra staff to provide the extended school day.

"Teacher involvement beyond the normal school day must not be on a compulsory basis. Their workload is already immense and placing a requirement on them to take on more would merely serve to damage existing provision.

"Care must be taken to ensure that work undertaken in after school clubs does not contradict or undermine the education provided to pupils during the day.

"We look forward to a constructive dialogue with both government and local authorities on how extended primary schools can be developed."

Stakeholder Response: GMB

Brian Strutton GMB National Secretary said: "This is an interesting development which will see many children benefiting from spending extra time at school. We give the move a wary welcome. The downside is that hard-pressed school support staff will again be expected to stretch their goodwill further by working even longer hours.

"The GMB will publish research tomorrow into the hours of unpaid work that school support staff put in each week out of commitment to their jobs - to the tune of 100,000 hours a week in England and Wales.

"Given the current long hours, and the challenges our members will face if their hours lengthen further, the GMB hopes to raise this issue in meetings with Charles Clarke and David Miliband over the next few days.

"The loyalty of support staff, who contribute so much to the success of the nation's schooling, should be recognised with improved pay and regulated hours."

Stakeholder Response: National Deaf Childrens Society