Thursday 13 March 2002
Extended schools NUT reaction
Commenting on the Governments announcementthat each education authority will have at least one extended school within itsarea by 2006, Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary, said:
The Governments decision to expand theprovision of schools offering a full range of community services will bewelcomed by teachers across the country.
Crucial to extended schools must be theavailability of social services and psychological support to help vulnerablechildren. Immediate help for children in such need can make all the difference.
Currently teachers are expected to take onmany of the problems which other local authority services should be tackling.Local authorities now need to accept the strong argument for such servicesto be in schools directly meeting the needs of pupils and parents.
Teachers must be at the centre of decidinghow extended schools are developed. Such provision has the potential forreducing significantly the excessive workload currently faced by teachers.
We look forward to a constructive dialoguewith both Government and local authorities on how extended schools can bedeveloped.
E N D PR.21/03
For further information contact: Olive Forsythe tel: 020 7380 4706 (office) 020 8313 1692 (weekdayevenings) or if all else fails 07879 480061.