Whole School Letter (40)

ACTIVITIES FOR ALL FUND

I am writing to you to let you know about a project fund from the Government’s Department for Children, Schools and Families( DCSF). The fund, known in Suffolk as the “Activities for All” fund, will be available to schools from April 2010 until August 2011.

Each school in the Framlingham/Leiston area has been awarded some “Activities for All” funding. The aim of the fund is to help support children and young people to attend more activities that take place out side of normal school hours. These activities could take place either on or off the school site, such as Brownies, wind and brass lessons or swimming lessons at Framlingham College. The fund can also be used to help children and young people to attend activities that take place in the school holidays. The fund may also be used to assist with the purchase of equipment for clubs e.g. cycles or helmets for cycle proficiency.

One way the school can use the funding is to offer support to families who might need a little additional help to fund their child to attend a club or activity because of economic circumstances. This may be due to difficulties with costs, transport, equipment required for an activity, or due to the child having specific needs. The fund can also be used to provide opportunities for children who are young carers, or for those who do not have English as their first language, or who are experiencing challenging times in their lives, to attend more activities.

Where an activity does not already exist, the school can also use the fund to try and develop new activities requested by children for whom the fund is intended. It is anticipated that any new activities developed using this fund, would be there to benefit to all children.

As the amount of fund allocated to the school may be less than that required by demand, it cannot be guaranteed that the fund will be always able to support your child to attend a specific activity. Schools will consider all of the returned reply slips when planning how to spend their allocation.

If you feel that you would like your child to be considered for this funding, please do fill in the attached reply slip and return, as soon as possible, to the school office. It would be extremely helpful if your child could suggest what type of activity or club they would like to do as well as what they already may do.

Activities for All Fund –Return Slip
Child/ children’s Name…………………………………………. Class……………………
I would be interested in support to allow my child/children to attend more ‘out of school’ activities.
My child would be able to access the funding because of the following reason (Please circle the number that applies)
My child is eligible for free school meals (FSM)
English is the second language for my child or we are a traveller family (EAL)
My child is a young carer (has a parent or sibling with a serious illness or disability) (YC)
They are a “Looked After Child”(LAC)
From a family which is homeless or in overcrowded accommodation(ACC)
My child has Special Educational Needs and we have low incomes(SEN)
Difficult financial circumstances* (FDC)
Another reason (DFI)(please specify)………………………………………………………….
(* could include the following situations: death of a close relative, parents splitting up, no transport to where an activity takes place)

My child currently goes to the following activities after normal school hours:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
My child is very interested in attending (please say what activity your child would like to go to) or state what they might need to help them participate in an activity (e.g. brownies, music lessons, Saturday music club, karate, swimming, holiday activities, needs a uniform, would like to play an instrument, etc)

……………………………………………………………………………………
Please return the slip to the office by Wednesday 26 May
Parent Name…………………………………….
Parent Signature………………………………… Date……………………….