Establishing New Models of Provision
Evidence shows that more than a quarter of parents using sessional provision are dissatisfied with the opening times of their provider. Flexible access to the free offer has the potential to boost take-up of provision by disadvantaged groups, helping to narrow the achievement gap.
Adapting to this new model of providing childcare may not pose too much of a problem for childcare settings that are already offering full day care. But for schools and sessional providers it may be more challenging: there may be problems with premises being unavailable for a longer period for example, or providers may have to think about including breakfast or lunch as part of their provision. Some childcare settings may want to make minimal changes, others may decide to radically rethink how they organise and deliver both the free entitlement and the wider offer of childcare, and some may decide to deliver the new entitlement by developing partnerships with childminders or other local childcare providers.
Resources and documents
These documents and resources describe or illustrate - how
local authorities are working with maintained schools, and with private,
voluntary and independent sector childcare providers, to develop new models of
provision.
Blackpool's
approach to engaging schools and head-teachers, and resolving issues
Telford's
parental contract for the free entitlement (copy)
Sheffield's
approach to engaging the maintained sector in initially offering the extra
hours and flexibility, and thereafter
Slough's
system of linking children's centre and extended schools initiatives, and
enhancing working relationships through forums
Sunderland's
models for accessing the extended entitlement flexibly, and raising
the issues surrounding each
Blackpool's
guidance to schools on delivering the flexible free entitlement within
out-of-school provision
This page was last updated on 12 December 2007
