- £2.5 million to expand after school activities
An additional £2.5 million is being invested to expand free after
school activity clubs for primary school children from low-income
families, starting this August.
The investment builds on the success of the Extra Time programme
delivered in partnership with the Scottish Football Association
(SFA) which currently supports around 5,000 children every week
across 50 clubs in 27 local authority areas.
The new funding will test different activity provision across
Scotland, focused on helping children and families who would not
otherwise be able to afford access to after school activities.
The funding will support activities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Moray,
Borders, Highland and Shetland, working with St Mirin's Out of
School Care, YouthLink Scotland and the SFA. Provision spans
rural, island and border communities, with activities ranging
from sport and arts to STEM (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics) and creative skills.
Cabinet Secretary for Education Màiri McAllan said:
"Every child deserves the chance to take part in activities which
support their health, wellbeing and confidence regardless of
their family's income. This investment will open doors for more
children who might otherwise miss out, while also helping their
parents to work, increasing household incomes and tackling child
poverty.
"Building on the strong foundations of the Extra Time programme
we are now testing a wider range of models across Scotland from
island communities in Shetland to the Borders so we can learn
what works best and shape the future of school-age childcare."
Background
Activities run MondayFriday, 36pm, for primary school children
from low-income families. All providers will have safeguarding
policies, PVG checks and insurance in place.
The £2.5 million is part of a wider 2026-27 Scottish Government
investment in school-age childcare including:
