Information for schools

Medway schools are already transforming the life chances of children and young people. Since 1998, there have been huge developments within Medway's education services:

• provision of nursery education for all three and four year-olds whose parents want it;
• significant improvements in performance at Key Stages 1 and 2, so that Medway is now within reach of the national average levels of achievement;
• the development of specialist schools in the secondary sector;
• further improvements in what was already good performance at Key Stage 3 (KS3);
• overall performance on the crucial indicator of five or more General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) at grade A*-C, which is close to the national average (while Medway's performance on the indicator of five or more GCSEs at grade A*-G surpasses the average and continues to improve);
• a widening of educational opportunities post-16 through consortium working, so that Medway now has more students staying on than ever before and achieving undiminished average points scores;
• the development of Universities at Medway which offer unprecedented opportunities in higher education;
• a wide range of academic, vocational and leisure opportunities through a network of extended schools.

At the same time, Medway has developed economically. The local economy was hugely affected by the closure of the Royal Dockyard in1984 but the growth of small and medium sized enterprises locally has now reduced the level of unemployment to well below the national average– the people of Medway have built their own future through enterprise and hard work. The council still faces the challenge, though, of a local economy based on relatively low levels of skill and pay. While girls and young women are beginning to capitalise on their improved performance at school as they gain access to higher education, the number of young men going on to university is actually falling. If Medway is to seize the opportunities of development in the Thames Gateway and ensure that its young people have access to the best opportunities, the council has more to do.

Extended schools are part of that agenda. The programme brings the benefits of further improvements in educational achievement for children, young people and adults, support for their families seeking to improve their lives through paid employment and a wide range of learning and leisure opportunities, as well as contributing to the regeneration of rural and urban communities.

Extended schools help to deliver the five outcomes of Every Child Matters:

• staying safe;
• being healthy;
• enjoying and achieving;
• making a positive contribution;
• achieving economic well-being.

Extended schools are a key feature of the Children and Young People’s Plan. The full text of the Strategy (pdf 65KB) is available to be downloaded. To use this file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer please use our advice page.

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