New Specialist Activity Workshops Offered to All Childcare Providers and Education Settings

Friday 2 November 2007 - Schoolfriend etc, the UK's largest charitable childcare provider, today announces the launch of its Schoolfriend Extra programme, extending the provision of out-of-school activities to a wide range of settings. This follows a term of pilot workshops, carried out across the UK.

Schoolfriend Extra provides a team of specialist instructors who work with children across the country to provide them with unforgettable experiences. This is the first time an extensive range of extended schools activities has been offered nationally. The charity will now offer a new bespoke service for any school, gifted and talented or special needs departments, local authority, youth group or community centre seeking new and exciting ways to engage children in extended schools activities.

Schoolfriend Extra was launched in order to bring a new dimension to the lives of children who might not have access to such activities at school or at home. Children will have the benefit of choosing from a range of workshops to suit their preferences and talents. The charity employs experienced staff with proven track records of high teaching standards and qualifications in a wide range of activities to run specialist workshops.

These motivating workshops include arts and crafts, sports, drama, music and dance, yoga, healthy eating and gardening/the environment. They are designed to enhance learning, improve communication skills, develop relationships and the imagination as well as build confidence. They are linked to the National Curriculum and can be adapted to suit children aged between four and eleven.

Commenting on the launch of the Schoolfriend Extra programme, Schoolfriend etc founder, Amanda Argent, said:
"Our aim is to enhance learning in a creative environment and we are thrilled to be able to offer this new bespoke service to all childcare providers, using the expertise of our specialist instructors to reach out to even more children across the UK."
The Schoolfriend Extra team will also create exclusive workshops to suit individual requirements. This service includes the following types of activities and workshops:

• Play Rangers: Weekly specific workshops at schools or community centres such as Arts and Crafts, Gardening, Outdoor Activities, Environmental Play

• Family Learning: Quality Time parents and children workshops in either Sport, Drama or Art including the opportunity to take part in shows, dances, sport events and exhibitions. There is also the opportunity to take part in a children and parents' First Aid Course.

• Half Day Workshops: Half day workshops for adults in either Sport, Art, Drama or Dance to increase confidence in their chosen subject, suggesting ways in which parents can engage with their children and develop play opportunities

• Mini Games Workshops: Especially designed for schools that don't meet the mandatory weekly physical education target and particularly suited to younger children

• Party in a Box: For children aged between 5-12 years old, the provision of a complete party box including themed invitations, plates, cups and table decorations, dressing up accessories, instructions manual for activities, balloons, shopping lists for themed food and activities and the option to use a Schoolfriend Extra facilitator to run the activities in the box

• Topic Led Workshops in Schools: This creative workshops covers Art, Drama, Dance and Music

-ENDS-

ENDORSEMENTS

• Reception Teacher, commenting on the Gardening and Environment Workshop, said:
"This workshop was very good and adaptable for our class as it linked to our topic of the term, "growing". The information was very useful and all of the children participated well and enjoyed getting involved in all aspects of the workshop."

• Kamara, Year 2, commenting on the yoga workshop:
"I think it was a tremendously good day."

• Miss Ross, Year 5 Class Teacher, said:
"I thought the workshop was excellent. It was motivating and fun. All the children joined in and enjoyed it. "

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• Schoolfriend etc provides high quality, affordable childcare in schools across the UK. It has been running after-school, breakfast and holiday clubs since 2003 and is now the largest charitable provider of childcare in the country.

• It is currently working with 2000 primary schools either in existing or soon-to-open clubs and operates in 92 out of the 150 local authorities.

• Schoolfriend etc was founded in 2002 by Amanda and Stephen Argent. Their vision was to utilise school facilities after 3.30pm by opening up schools to working parents and their children. From the outset, Schoolfriend etc was designed to make a positive impact on both children's lives and the local community.

• Schoolfriend Clubs assist schools in fulfilling the Government's Extended Schools Agenda - by 2010 every school needs to provide care from 8am to 6pm - and the Every Child Matters programme by offering out of school provision on school premises without the burden of the schools having any additional cost or administration.

• Schoolfriend Clubs are fully approved by Ofsted and have a high adult to child ratio that allows staff to spend a lot of individual time with each child.