SCHOOLS across North Yorkshire could soon be open all hours as part of a £684,000 scheme to make more use of their facilities.

The Extended Schools Scheme will introduce a variety of breakfast and after-hours clubs to broaden learning and boost relationships with the community.

Many of schools in the county have operated their own extra activities for a number of years.

But the project will see a massive expansion in the way educational premises and equipment is used.

The Government has provided £684,000 which can only be used for extra staff to develop and promote the schemes.

The county council's executive member for education, Chris Metcalfe, said: "Not all learning takes place in the classroom during schools hours. Children can often get just as much from activities held outside the normal working day.

"Extended Schools can help youngsters develop, raise standards in the county and give children something worthwhile to do, keeping them out of trouble.

"Our schools are very well equipped and the scheme provides the ideal opportunity for the community as a whole to make maximum use of them."

The county's director of education, Cynthia Welbourn, said: "In an area like North Yorkshire, schools are already central to many communities.

"Now they have the opportunity to go further still in making a real difference to the lives and learning of children, their families and the wider community."

Education officials, teachers, governors and teachers' unions will spend the summer working on the initiative.

For the past six years, Ripon College has run a summer school for the September intake of new pupils, offering 11-year-olds who have just left primary school the chance to make friends and get to know the school and staff before the new term starts.

Student services manager Sue Uffindall said: "I am a big fan of the concept of extended schools. We have been doing it for years and it has been brilliant, one of the best things we have ever done. The place is always buzzing."