It'll be great to see you become active on this networking site. I hope that you'll find the Learning Exchange useful when you need a sounding board and when you have good practice to share about your extended services work. And I hope too that you'll find some inspiration here among your colleagues. Here are some of the things you can do on the site: 

Explore    Take a dive into the Learning Exchange Library when you have a minute. There's so much there for you - articles, websites, videos, podcasts, think-tanks and other interesting bits and pieces - and I'm constantly foraging for more. Keep posting any useful tools, documents, websites, events and news on your own pages and please let me know if you think anything is missing. Look at the case studies too - and please send us yours. And don't forget to consider the Learning Exchange Awards.

Be a blogger...    Yes, you're busy, but it would be great if you could find a little inspiration during your week to start writing a reflective blog here about your extended services work. Share your challenges, your successes, your plans with other Learning Exchange members. And, we're also interested in things that haven't worked out that well - this is the Learning Exchange, after all!

Need advice with tricky issues?    Start a forum here to discuss it with your colleagues around the country. And when forums are lively and useful, we'll summarise the discussions for you and keep them active for a time, so that you can still ask questions or post comments if you want to.

A big idea    In my view, offering extended services at schools, in schools or near them, is the best education and health strategy the 21st century has seen, so far. This is an idea the UK needs - in fact the world needs it. It has the potential to genuinely address the learning and health needs of people who live in disadvantaged and deprived areas, and to raise the aspirations, achievement levels and expectations of everyone (especially pupils and their parents) who comes in contact with the schools in their communities.

It's gaining ground   The strategy is referred to differently in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland - and is gradually becoming a strong force across the education landscape. It’s taking hold in the United States (listen to what Arne Duncan, US Secretary of State for Education, says - if you view this video, you'll know he's talking about extended schools/services). Also, take a look at this George Lucas Educational Foundation video of a Children’s Aid Community School in Washington Heights, New York). And, similar strategies are being adopted in Australia and South Africa as well as several regions in Russia and Siberia and in several Eastern European and Eurasian countries. It's also happening in Nepal.

Over to you...    If we can show parents, politicians, funders and other stakeholders the beneficial effects that extended services/community focused schools are having on the children, young people and families who need them most, we'll have a better chance of sustaining this strategy over time. Sharing your expertise, case studies and good practice here, at The Learning Exchange, will be key to that.

best wishes - and enjoy being part of the Learning Exchange online community.
Paddy O'Dea
Manager/Moderator