TBOWS – An Extended School

TBOWS Extended School’s Team Supporting
Students, Parents and the Local Community

‘Living Life to the Full’

 The Bishop of Winchester School has always been committed to inspiring its students to achieve their best in a safe, caring, friendly and enjoyable environment.  TBOWS knows that when the schools values and opportunities are right, young people chose to come to their learning centre which enhances good behaviour and supports them achieve the skills and qualifications they require for economic well being in the future.

 As the Bishop of Winchester School has grown in its success of raising the ambition and achievement of its students it has also wanted to increase its relationship with the student’s families and the local community. 

 The Bishop of Winchester School is now a fully extended school working within the central Bournemouth cluster ensuring the very best opportunities for our community, which is at the heart of the delivery of the government’s Every Child Matters agenda and 21^stCentury education. 

 F.A.Q 

What is Every Child Matters?

How do parents benefit from extended services?  

What does it mean for The Bishop of Winchester School? 

What is Every Child Matters? 

The Every Child Matters agenda aims to improve outcomes and raising standards of achievement for children and young people. There are now over 8,000 schools offering the full range of extended services, with almost half of all schools well on their way to doing so. 

Extended schools are a key vehicle for delivering the Government’s objective of lifting children out of poverty and improving outcomes for them and their families. 

There is now clear evidence that children’s experiences greatly influence their outcomes and life chances in later life. In particular, educational attainment is a powerful route out of poverty and disadvantage.

 The publication Extended Schools: Building on Experience sets out a core offer of services that all children should be able to access through schools by 2010.

 The core offer includes:

•   A varied range of activities including study support, sport and music clubs, combined with childcare in primary schools 
  
  Parenting and family support
  
  Swift and easy access to targeted and specialist services
  
  Community access to facilities including adult and family learning, ICT and sports grounds

Schools will need to work closely with parents, children and others to shape these activities around the needs of their community and may choose to provide extra services in response to demand.

How do parents benefit from extended services?

Parents will have greater choice, flexibility, convenience and accessibility to help them balance family and work commitments. The 8am-6pm offer allows greater flexibility for full or part-time employment. Some parents may choose to use home-based carers who can also be part of the extended schools offer. Working parents on lower incomes, who are accessing childcare through their school, can benefit from claiming the childcare element of the working tax credit which can cover up to 80% of the costs. Parents will know that their children are engaging in positive activities in a safe environment. They will also be able to access themselves those services through their local schools thus furthering their education themselves or increasing their career prospects or simply having fun and supporting their children.

 What does it mean for The Bishop of Winchester School? 

 The Bishop of Winchester School works closely within Central Locality Cluster ensuring collaboration with other local schools and providers to provide as many opportunities for students, their families and the local community as possible. 

The Bishop of Winchester School is pleased to offer a wide range of ‘out of hours’ opportunities throughout the year.  The School offer a wide range of activates both on site or within the local community.  So weather you are in to animation and movie making, CCF, Duke of Edinburgh, dance, drama or DJing, book reviews or horse ridding there is an opportunity or experiences for you. 

 Please note that the activities will have a cost attached to them although they are extremely subsidised. This cost is an essential charge to guarantee sustainability of the activities. We understand that some families might find it hard to pay those charges. This should not stop young people from taking part in any activities at all. If it is the case, parents should let either the Education Welfare Officer or the Year Learning Manager (tutor) know for necessary arrangements to be made.