Extensive enrichment in the arts, music and sports adds significantly to students' enjoyment of school.
Ofsted, 2009

The Canvey Schools Partnership consists of all 15 Canvey schools on the Island and it works together to raise standards and attain success ensuring a unique, local working partnership making education count for every child.

Working for the Canvey Schools Partnership are the Extended Schools Coordinator, Sharan Allsopp, based at Castle View School and two Assistant Extended Schools Coordinators, Pat Taylor (Furtherwick Park School) and Sharon Hickey, based here at Cornelius Vermuyden School.

An Extended School is defined by the DfES as one that . . .

• Provides a range of services and activities often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of children, their families and the wider community;

• All schools, children and families to be able to access a core of extended services which are developed in partnership with others;

• The core offer is:

• High quality childcare on the school site or through local providers with supervised transfer arrangements;

• A varied menu of activities such as homework clubs, study support, sport, music tuition, dance and drama, arts and crafts, special interest clubs, visits to museums and galleries, languages, volunteering, business and enterprise activities;

• Parenting support including information sessions for parents at key transition points, parenting groups, specialised support, information on the advice and support available to parents;

• Adult learning and family learning;

• Swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services (some may be delivered on the school site);

• Providing wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities.

Assistant Extended Schools Co-ordinator (Cornelius)

Sharon Hickey took up post in September 2005 and the focus during the first year has been to increase community activities, involvement and partnerships. This includes:

• helping to increase use of the Karslake Centre at Cornelius;

• working on the Summer School;

• Cornelius Open Day and involving the school in community art projects.

One such project is the Canvey Island Bee Project which involves working in partnership with Castle Point Borough Council to regenerate a section of Canvey Island's seafront. The project will see all of the schools and community of Canvey Island come together to create artwork for the seafront which will be practical and improve the look of the area. The project is to be themed around the Shrill Carder Bee which is unique to Canvey and will include a large mosaic seating area; pebble mosaic paving slabs; a raised garden bed; a sea bank mural; a bee pole weather vane and an information board. All of this is to be placed in the area opposite Lubbins Park School by the new toilet block.

As a partnership we provide a range of regular holiday activities for both families and children and a wide range of after school clubs. Activities we have organised so far this year include Artfull Splodgers Arts and Craft days, Family Activity Days, Puppet Making Workshop, Ready Steady Cook, and a Christmas craft workshop.

Family Activity Day at Cornelius - 4 August 2005

Extended School Activities
Family Activity Day

The fourth Canvey Island Family Activity Day, organised by Sharan Allsopp, Extended Schools Co-ordinator was held at Cornelius on Thursday 4th August 2005 between 11AM - 4PM.

The day was a huge success, with a huge number of families coming to Cornelius to take part in the Art, Sport and games activities that were laid on during the day.

The objectives of the Family Activity Days are:

• Getting families out for a day, spending time together having fun;

• Providing back-to-basics activities with no computers or technology, such as drawing, painting, board games, sporting activities, etc.;

• Give parents / families ideas to take home with them;

• Make use of school sites during the holidays.

Many thanks go to the following organisations, groups and people who helped to organise various aspects of the Family Activity Day:

• Sharan Allsopp - Extended School Co-ordinator and Emily Redgate - Arts Development Officer from Castle Point Borough Council, who organised the day;

• Paula Burns - Parenting Co-ordinator for the local Primary Care Turst;

• Kate Clayton - Community Development Officer for the local Primary Care Trust;

• Representatives of the National Childminding Association;

• Representatives of the Castle Point Road Saefty Team;

• Parentline Plus;

• The "Community Crew" - pupil volunteers from the Youth Community Group made up from all of the schools on the island.

As part of our Arts College status, Cornelius Vermuyden part-funded Arts-based activities involving painting, colouring, cutting and sticking, face-painting, etc. which took place in our brand new Arts Block facility. The photographs below show how popular these activities were during the day!

Outside the new Arts Block, sports and games activities were available in the fresh air. Basketball was available on the courts and games such as swingball were played on the grass. These areas were also very popular.

Food and drink was available all day, provided by Nick Parker (Catering Manager from the Cornelius Kitchen) and served from the canteen by members of the Cornelius Parent-Teacher Association, COVA.

Photographs (Family Activity Day)

Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

Family Healthy Cooking Session

This session took place on the morning of 4 April 2007, run by Nick Parker (Catering Manager). The session covered the making of two healthy foods and was set up to promote healthy eating in families as part of the extended schools programme and Healthy School status. Many thanks to Sharon Hickey who advertised the session, Nick Parker for organising and running the session and for the assistance of Mrs Pattison, Mr Cawley and Abigail Logan (Year 10 Catering student).

Photographs (Family Healthy Cooking Session)

Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

Additional Information:

Download further information from the links below:

• Family Matters programme Easter 2007 onwards (Acrobat - 108Kb)

For further information on any of these activities please contact Sharon Hickey on 01268 681682.