The survey sought the reaction of parents and pupils to extended schools which offer access to a wide range of services from 8am to 6pm, 48 weeks a year. The core offers include study support, play and recreation, sport, music, arts and crafts and other special interest clubs, volunteering and business and enterprise activities.

Over half of schools surveyed provide extended services. Most schools are responsible for the day-to-day provision of the services, although many work with their local authority, private providers and others.

Childcare and activities are most likely to be funded by users or the school. Users are most likely to pay for childcare in primary schools, although deprived schools are most likely to fund childcare themselves. The majority of schools that charge users for childcare and activities provide help for families who struggle to pay the full fee.

The most commonly cited sources of support include local authorities, 82 per cent, other schools 54 per cent, the health sector 32 per cent, and SchoolImprovement Partners, 26 per cent.

Nearly all schools offer activities or childcare either at or through their school. Special schools are less likely than mainstream primary and secondary schools to offer activities and childcare.

Evening activities, after 6pm, are provided by half of secondary schools, but by only 21 per cent of primary schools and 38 per cent of special schools.

Results from the parents survey indicate that pupils who are least likely to be using activities are those from more deprived backgrounds, those where parents do not work or only one parent works, those attending special schools and those where parents are dissatisfied with the school.

The extend schools survey is available from DCSF. http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR068.pdf