School leaders' perceptions of the impact of extended services on families and communities: The case of one local authority

The move in England towards extended services was a core part of the educational policy of successive Labour governments throughout the 2000s. Sitting alongside like-minded initiatives, school leaders were encouraged to envision, plan for and operate a range of activities and services aimed at deepening and extending schools’ relationships with pupils, families, and their communities. Other research evidence has suggested that extended services have had a positive impact in a range of different ways, including pupil attendance and attainment, the engagement with and of families, and closer working with community stakeholders. Drawing on data drawn from interview and self-evaluation across a sample of schools within one local authority, we explore school leaders’ perceptions of the impact of extended services on families and communities. With direct funding for extended services being removed, the research and analysis is timely given the need for school leaders to reflect and decide upon the value of maintaining the range of activities and services sitting within their extended services offer.