School clubs 'lost in poor areas'

Tony Blair highlighted the role of extended schools ahead of 2005 general election

After-school clubs in deprived areas are closing down while children in middle class areas continue to enjoy their facilities, a charity is warning.

Schoolfriend etc, which works with schools in England and Wales, says 150 clubs are threatened with closure.

Many of these are in poorer areas where fewer parents can afford to pay the fees needed to make them sustainable.

The government wants all England's schools to offer a range of clubs in its extended schools programme by 2010.

These are a central plank of its policy to improve educational achievement and widen access to child care.

For parents in deprived areas even 50p is too expensive Stephen Argent Chief executive of Schoolfriend etc

In its guidance to teachers the government describes them as a "key vehicle" for delivering its objective of lifting children out of poverty.

'Leafy suburbs'

Successive reports have highlighted the value that after-school clubs have in raising children's self confidence, aspiration and exam results - particularly those from poorer backgrounds.

Schoolsfriend etc chief executive Stephen Argent said: "At the moment local authorities are allocating funding to clubs that can show they are sustainable.

"That's going to be mainly clubs in the middle class, leafy suburbs, or areas where parents are working and can afford to pay the fees. Typically a dance or drama class costs about £7.50.

"For parents in deprived areas even 50p is too expensive.

"If you get 15 or 20 children attending regularly you can make it sustainable, but in areas of deprivation or where parents are out of work you cannot get the sorts of attendance to make it sustainable."

He added: "If you don't put the money into these areas than you are going to create a self-fulfilling prophecy."

'Financial support'

Mr Argent argues that if the funding model is not changed so that clubs can be given more time to establish themselves, then the government will not meet its target of all schools providing extended services by 2010.

Mr Argent is meeting Schools Secretary Ed Balls next week and has made his case to one of Gordon Brown's advisers.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said local authorities would have a duty from 2008 to ensure there was sufficient out of school care for children of parents in work or training.

He said the funding they were awarded took account of disadvantage and local costs.

"Our statutory guidance makes it clear that this money can be spent to support providers who are needed to secure sufficiency but who are facing a threat of closure."

But he added that support should generally only be given to providers who were capable of becoming sustainable.

"Where particular providers are unable to stay in business, the local authority's children's information service will be able to advise parents about alternative provision," the spokesman added.