Nursery World - 680m to help extended schools get off ground

Children's campaigners have welcomed Labour's announcement of a 680m fund to 'kick- start' the extended schools initiative, but warned that it should sit within a framework of children and families policy - not education. Speaking at a Labour party press conference last Wednesday, Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said that if re-elected Labour would make 250m available in the next two years to ensure that extended schools 'really take off, and take off soon'.

Speaking at a Labour party press conference last Wednesday, Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said that if re-elected Labour would make 250m available in the next two years to ensure that extended schools 'really take off, and take off soon'.

She added, 'On top of this we will allocate a further 430m over two years to help kick-start extended schools in different areas.'

But Anne Longfield, chief executive of the charity 4Children, said, 'This is clearly an announcement made on education policy day. But it should have been made on a children and families policy day.

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