Providers wanting a glimpse into the future role of schools in childcare provision should look to York, which is taking part in one of five pilots on wraparound care.
York will standardise its schools admissions policy from next September and is currently encouraging its schools to set up partnerships with local childcare providers to organise the wraparound care for its schoolchildren.
Under the new policy, children aged five before 31 December will start reception class full time in the September; those aged five between 1 January and 31 August will attend part time between September and January.
Come September 2003, Sue Eland, head of Poppleton Road Primary, hopes that her part-time reception children will just have to walk across the playground to a private nursery offering at least 30 full daycare places and out-of-school care.
Poppleton Road is one of two York schools - the other is Scarcroft Primary School - that are having private providers convert derelict school premises into nurseries. So far the school has received six expressions of interest from around the country.
'I'm really excited about it,' says Sue Eland. 'It has a lot of potential for our local community and for quality of progression and continuity in our school.'
