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All-day plan for schools stirs criticism

A controversial vision of schools running 'cradle to college' services was unveiled by the Daycare Trust at its annual conference last week. Delegates at the Trust's conference, called 'Re-inventing Childcare', heard proposals for schools in every neighbourhood across Britain to create children's centres offering a range of services including on-site care for babies and under-fives.

Delegates at the Trust's conference, called 'Re-inventing Childcare', heard proposals for schools in every neighbourhood across Britain to create children's centres offering a range of services including on-site care for babies and under-fives.

The charity has urged schools to use new powers for school governors outlined in the Government's Education White Paper published in September to allow them to run community services and 'extended schools'.

In its response to the White Paper the Trust said, 'Located at the heart of local communities, these centres would act as a base and beacon for a range of services to meet the needs of local children and families, closely linked with other agencies. Children's centres would have a range of integrated childcare, early education and family support services, building on early education services already delivered, nursery provision for nought to four-year-olds, out-of-school services and holiday playschemes for older children, and drop-in services.'

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