Background
What is study support?
Study support is defined by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as:
'...learning activity outside normal lessons which young people take part in voluntarily. Study support is, accordingly, an inclusive term, embracing many activities - with many names and guises. Its purpose is to improve young people's motivation, build their self-esteem and help them become more effective learners. Above all it aims to raise achievement.' Extending Opportunity: A National Framework for Study Support (DfES 1998)
This is the standard definition for managers, co-ordinators and practitioners working in schools and local authorities in England. To get a sense of the diverse range of out-of-hours clubs, activities and projects that fall under the definition of study support, visit the study support activities page.
Study support in disguise!
Different terms, such as:
- out-of-school-hours-learning (OSHL)
- Extra Time activities
- extra curricular activities
- enrichment activities
- after-school clubs
are sometimes used - but they all refer to the same concept of study support.
Study support is also one of the five key elements of the extended services core offer. In that context, somewhat confusingly, the term used is: 'A varied menu of activities'. Again it is simply another term for study support.
What study support is NOT
It is also important to define what study support is NOT. Some play, youth work, childcare or out-of-classroom learning (eg running a geography field trip) opportunities provided in or around schools ARE NOT study support. It is widely recognised that learning often takes place as a result of participating in these activities, but if they are compulsory, rather than voluntary, to attend and/or, do not focus on learning outcomes in the widest sense of the word, then they cannot be considered to be study support.
ContinYou and study support
ContinYou is a leading UK charity with a history of shaping and promoting the study support/out-of-school hours learning agenda. We have developed a substantial network of schools and providers through our subscription and member services, and have pioneered the growth of imaginative and popular study support activities amongst schools, partners and local authorities for the past 15 years. We are committed to ensuring that learning beyond the classroom, in all its forms, is kept firmly at the centre of education and government policy across the UK.
We are working in partnership with a range of other national organisations to promote study support/out of school hours learning.
These pages provide details of the study support projects that ContinYou have run or piloted - most notably Breakfast Club Plus. It also contains copies of key presentations and reports from the successful conferences and events that have recently taken place.
What is Extra Time?
Extra Time describes ContinYou's approach to study support/out-of-school-hours learning. It is our aim to:
- ensure that high-quality study support/oshl activities are within the reach of every child and young person in the UK
- provide a wide range of accessible learning opportunities that extend, enrich and promote learning beyond the classroom.
Extra Time is also the name we give to a range of services and resources that we produce to support the strategic development of study support/oshl activities in schools, local authorities and communities.
