At the Kids' Clubs Network annual conference in London last week, Sure Start minister Catherine Ashton said there would be 240 extended schools in England by 2006, at least one for each of the 150 local authorities.
Baroness Ashton said, 'Our ambition now is to provide integrated support that families want. We want an infrastructure for our youngest children as lasting and solid as the school and health system.'
The funding will be aimed at disadvantaged areas initially, then rolled out to the rest of the country. A Department for Education and Skills spokeswoman said 61 extended schools were expected in the first year, one for every Excellence in Cities area. They would then follow in 25 Excellence 'clusters' in non-urban areas.
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