Boost for supplementary schools

A national centre is to be set up in England to support supplementary schools.

There are more than 5000 supplementary schools run mainly by minority ethnic groups. They teach national curriculum subjects as well as mother tongue languages and ethic history and culture. They are staffed by volunteers, often including qualified teachers.

The new National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education will be jointly funded by the government and a private foundation, the Paul Hamly Foundation. Its aims include building a national network of supplementary schools, helping new supplementary schools get started, and developing a quality framework and code of practice.