By Justin Parkinson
BBC News education reporter |
 Children are encouraged to take part in more activities |
Schools are not what they used to be. The government is promising longer opening hours and more extra-curricular activities in an effort to increase enjoyment and achievement.
It has set a target of 3,500 schools and pre-school centres in England becoming "extended" education providers by 2010.
Parents are expected to take a greater role in their children's development, while themselves taking up courses.
The education watchdog, Ofsted, says these are making pupils and families in deprived areas more self-confident.
Longer days
But what does being "extended" involve?
The Camrose Sure Start Children's Centre offers its services to nought-to-five-year-olds and their families in Northampton.
Like other extended providers, it opens from 8am to 6pm on weekdays - for 50 weeks a year.
It offers facilities including nursery care, a mobile toy library, speech and language help and a "dads 'n' tots" group.
Parents can put their offspring in cr�ches, receive health advice, healthcare and parenting advice, or take up courses in subjects as diverse as maths and yoga.
About 60% of eligible children in the area are using at least one of its services.
Anette Beattie, head of family and community services at Camrose, said: "The reception has been very positive among the parents.
"But we need to become an awful lot better at gauging whether our services are good enough and what impact we are having on children and their families.
"We will not be really successful until everyone is using something we do."
The extension programme is intended to make schools and children's centres the focus of the community.
More jobs?
Social services, education and healthcare are on offer.
Childcare covering the whole working day will help more parents get jobs, ministers say.
Health workers and personal tutors visit homes, giving advice.
Children, it is hoped, will benefit from more academic and sporting activities offered at centres, improving their health and exam results.
Ofsted acknowledges that some schools and pre-school groups are already becoming community "hubs".
Ministers say this will eventually lead to a more coherent programme to educate children and parents and improve health.
In other words, it could revitalise deprived areas.
For Ms Beattie, whose own scheme started just last year, it is too early to tell how successful it will be.
She said: "There needs to be more co-ordination at the top, between government departments, about how to combine education and healthcare.
"We have just completed our three-year plan. Hopefully we can get better."
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We will not be really successful until everyone is using something we do
