making homework work

Making homework work There is renewed interest in the value of homework, and the role that it plays in school life and outside school hours. This guide aims to highlight some issues, challenges and good practice related to homework that we have identified – and help you decide how homework works best for you and your setting. It is aimed at all those working within out-of-school-hours learning. The guide contains a wide range of case studies showing innovative and effective approaches to homework. If you would like your experiences of homework to appear on our website or in future publications, please email us at info.cardiff@continyou.org.uk telling us what you are involved in. ‘Any learning activity that pupils are asked to do outside of normal lesson time can be regarded as homework.’ The quotes highlighted like this are taken from Homework in primary and secondary schools – a study by Estyn (2004) of homework in schools in Wales. To view and download the report, visit the Estyn website at www.estyn.gov.uk. 2 Background Because of its less than voluntary nature, homework is not always seen as part of out-of-school-hours learning (oshl). However, with its origins as ‘prep’ back in the public school system, it may be the most extensive, and oldest, form of school-focused out-of-school-hours learning. Over the years homework has become an apparently essential ingredient of secondary schooling, despite not being a statutory requirement; in some form, homework is now also firmly rooted in most primary schools. Although it is generally agreed among education professionals, parents, governors and politicians that constructive homework can be a ‘good thing’, or at least a necessity, there are those with either a very rigid or very easy-going approach to homework at both an institutional and individual level. A new debate at last? There has been no academic study to prove and assess the real value of homework. The logic behind setting homework seems to have developed from a professional belief that constructive learning at home is an essential element in developing the lifelong learner. In secondary schools especially, it is generally seen as necessary to cover the demands of the national curriculum, and to build children’s levels of attainment. Add to that custom and practice, and expectations of a ‘good school’, and we end up with tight homework timetables and school homework policies, which generate pressures for the pupil, teacher and family, and result in outcomes of varying quality. The opposite extreme is championed by the American academic Alfie Kohn in his new book The homework myth: why our children get too much of a bad thing (2006). In this he attempts to explode the myth, and suggests that, at least for younger children, homework should not intrude on their life out of school at all – in fact, it should not exist at all. His argument appears to be sparking a debate here in Britain, at least in the press. This will be welcome if we eventually emerge with a genuine understanding of what the purpose of homework is, what it can achieve, how it sits comfortably with an out-of-school life, and some useful signposting through the issues that it raises. In the meantime, it is largely up to schools to find their own way. The Welsh Assembly Government Unlike their England counterparts, where advisory homework hours at each key stage have been set by the government, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has not become very embroiled in the homework debate – emphasising that homework is not a statutory requirement and that it is the responsibility of the headteacher and governors of each school to decide homework policy, including the amount of homework set. The WAG recognises the important contribution that homework makes to pupils’ progress at school, and in helping them to achieve high standards, through: ‘Homework partnerships with parents, carers and pupils can extend high quality learning experiences beyond the school day.’ 3 • consolidating work done in lessons • encouraging pupils to extend and develop independent learning skills • allowing individuals to work at a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. Since 1998, all schools have been required to have a written home–school agreement explaining the respective responsibilities of schools and parents in raising standards; homework usually forms part of this agreement. The quantity issue Views among education professionals, parents and children vary greatly as to how much homework should be set. Indeed, it is almost impossible to quantify homework as children work at different paces, in different environments, and with different degrees of commitment. Work which involves ‘finishing off’ a class task is likely to be more onerous for the slower worker, and less challenging for the more able. Differentiated homework for a mixed-ability class of 30 children can become an administrative and assessment nightmare. In particular, conflict with the wide range of other school and non-school-based social and learning opportunities available to young people today can create unnecessary stresses when homework is inflexibly set and is over-burdensome. We should not lose sight either of the pressures on those children who carry the burden of caring responsibilities at home – whether for siblings, parents or other relatives – or on those who have work commitments after school. The quality issue Almost all secondary and some primary schools have a homework policy, a homework timetable, and a form of homework diary for each pupil. However, setting and completing homework are not without their challenges. Homework can become an emotive subject, with teachers, parents, governors and elected representatives (as well of course as the young people themselves) holding strong and varying views on its quantity, content, style, purpose, effectiveness and equality of opportunity. This can mean that ‘letting sleeping dogs lie’ can be a more attractive option than exploring moves away from the traditional approach to homework. It is clear that, where homework tasks and expectations are ill-considered, or practised slavishly rather than logically, pupils do not buy in to the idea – meaning that the whole concept is counter-productive and unlikely to induce a love of learning or a sense of personal [Regarding other activities a young person might participate in outside school hours] ‘Homework should not restrict a child’s access to these opportunities to develop.’ ‘A great many young people have part-time jobs that add to the pressure on them...’ ‘Homework which merely fills up pupils’ time...is unlikely to be productive and may prevent valuable development that would otherwise occur through play and other interests.’ 4 responsibility for lifelong learning. At its worst, it can simply be time wasting for both pupil and teacher, and a source of conflict at home and at school. However, there are a number of schools where genuine, imaginative attempts to address such thorny issues are being made. Some of these are new and unproven in the longer term, but have evolved from positive thinking and, sometimes, true partnership. In contrast, at local authority level, while there are examples of officers supporting individual school initiatives, it has not been possible to find a Welsh example of an authority-wide perspective or leadership around homework issues. The nearest is Cardiff, where the authority funds the learning centres; indeed, the only example so far unearthed of an LEA taking the lead is from County Durham in England (see the ‘Case studies’ section). Parents and the home Given that homework is largely meant to be completed at home, in the parents’ house and perhaps in their presence, it may be seen as surprising that, traditionally, there has been little consultation between schools and parents as to how this arrangement can be managed to best effect. All too often parents have been expected to demonstrate a passive acceptance of what the child brings home, providing a bit of help where they can. Fortunately, there is now more of a focus on the benefits for the child, the parents and family life if parents can be involved in supporting their child’s learning from an early age. Various initiatives, both national and local, are now growing in range and significance as the importance of such support is understood and accepted. An example of one such initiative is given in the ‘Case studies’ section. The language issue The growing phenomenon of children of English-speaking families attending Welshmedium or bilingual schools can generate some difficulties in home–school communication – in particular, preventing parents from supporting their children’s home learning as much as they would like. But some help is available (see the ‘Case studies’ section). ‘For parents of children with special educational needs, finding out how children learn can help to ensure that opportunities for learning and reinforcing are maximised at home.’ ‘Schools should have strategies for involving parents and carers actively in their children’s learning from the early years.’ ‘For very young children, under the age of five, homework is about linking learning that occurs within an organised setting such as a playgroup with learning at home and elsewhere. It helps to promote partnership between educators and a child’s parents or carers.’ 5 Equality of opportunity Working at home One of the challenges surrounding homework has always been the great variation in home circumstances experienced by children. Homework has mainly been set on the assumption that there is a dedicated room or quiet space where the child can settle down to their studies undisturbed, and where interested but not over-intrusive parents can provide knowledgeable support and encouragement. Of course, for a significant number of children these conditions simply do not exist. This situation has become exacerbated by the growth in the number of homework tasks which will benefit from, if not rely on, PC usage. This is not a problem for those with access to PCs at home and the skills to use them, but can disadvantage other pupils without the hardware or the skills. Teachers are, of course, well aware of this, and many schools have introduced some kind of homework facility to provide at least physical conditions that are more conducive to personal study than some pupils might enjoy at home. The homework club The homework club concept has been developed in many schools, and in many different forms. The clubs can take place before school starts (perhaps as part of a breakfast club), in the lunchtimes, after school, evenings, or Saturday mornings – and might or might not be associated with other activities, such as PE or sport, cultural activities, or the OwnZone concept. With OwnZone, a school brings together out-of-school-hours learning activities, homework and pastoral support, and a base for socialising, under one coherent management system – with pupils playing a large part in the process. (To find out more about OwnZone, visit the ContinYou website: www.continyou.org.uk.) Few schools are able to offer a dedicated area, and so classrooms, libraries, ICT suites and dining rooms are all used. Increasingly, schools are looking at working together to provide homework facilities within the community – for example, in Holywell, Flintshire, where a secondary school runs a club in the local primary school to which secondary and primary pupils are invited. Occasionally, off-site premises are identified through a community partnership. Some of the facilities target children with particular needs or from particular year groups; some are subject-based; others are open to all; some operate on a weekly basis; others daily. Homework clubs can be well attended – but not always by those who might benefit most. Schools have to look at ways of making what is on offer attractive. This can include offering ‘Issues of equality of opportunity regarding access to support and resources need to be considered when planning for pupils to work at home...’ [Regarding IT] ‘...all schools and communities need to provide clubs or to make other arrangements…for pupils who do not have access to computers at home.’ ‘...an increasing number of primary and secondary schools are providing breakfast, lunchtime or after-school clubs to help pupils with their homework.’ 6 other activities alongside the facility for homework – for example, OwnZone – and demands some effort in ‘marketing’, developing an identity and name, and providing a quality facility that exceeds expectations. How to staff clubs is a major question – staff need to at least replicate the support an interested parent might provide. Some clubs depend on volunteers (such as parents or students) and teachers giving their own time; some have found funding to pay adults, including teachers and support assistants; some are taking innovative approaches to contracts for a range of support staff to cover out-of-school activities; and in some schools pupils act as mentors and help run clubs – often older pupils helping younger ones. Distance from school For many pupils the structure of the day is dominated by the bus service. Participation in a homework club – or any type of out-of-school-hours learning – can be difficult if alternative transport is not readily available. For those with longer journeys, travelling time can make significant inroads into the time available for homework completion and other activities when they get home from school. In one interesting experiment in North East England, where the main route to school is a rural railway line, one coach in the train was fitted with laptop computers and large tables to facilitate study during the daily journey. Homework – an element in transition Smoothing the path from primary to secondary education is one of the priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government, with transition plans being in place in all schools in 2007. For some time transition has been addressed by clusters of schools in many ways, particularly through joint and linked curriculum projects and transfer of data. To date homework has not featured strongly in such programmes; however, joint homework planning between secondary and partner primary schools can be an important element in minimising the academic and social ‘culture shock’ of transfer. One such scheme was developed under the ContinYou Cymru Symud Ymlaen project by Holyhead High School in Anglesey and four nearby primary schools, based on science, maths, and literacy through drama. Pupils ‘opted in’ for two sessions per week throughout Year 6 and into Year 7, which included homework support. The Symud Ymlaen resource is available from the ContinYou website at www.continyou.org.uk. Acknowledgements This homework guide was written by Brian Hubble and Pam Boyd on behalf of ContinYou Cymru. It was edited by Louise Reilly and designed by Paul Mepham. Translated by Dyfrig Selway Published by ContinYou Cymru ContinYou Cymru, Anchor Court, First Floor, Keen Road, Cardiff CF24 5JW Tel: 029 2047 8929 Fax: 029 2047 8930 Email: info.cardiff@continyou.org.uk Website: www.continyou.org.uk Registered charity number 1097596 ‘Transition projects between Year 6 and Year 7 can help develop homework and learning partnerships.’ ‘Many pupils in rural areas of Wales, and those attending some Welshmedium and denominational schools, often have long journeys to and from school.’ Dysgu tu allan i oriau ysgol Out of school hours learning 7 Case studies A school bites the bullet – Own Work in Cardiff High Cardiff High School has developed an original approach to homework alongside, and associated with, the development of a ‘thinking skills’ approach to learning, aided by General Teaching Council for Wales funding. At an early stage in consultations it became clear that traditional homework and tasks did not sit comfortably with the new ‘thinking skills’ approach, and that it was seen to be a straitjacket. However, as the majority of the pupils’ parents had traditional views on education, some courage – and a lot of consultation – was needed before any new approach to homework could be put in place. A new homework policy based around thinking skills has now been developed by staff, with the aim of helping children to become resilient and independent learners – and to enjoy their homework experience. Detailed research with pupils provided important pointers as to how they learnt best, and a homework focus group of twelve pupils helped to identify the way forward. The ‘Thinking for Learning’ approach to homework is currently operating in Years 7 and 8. Meaningless tasks have now been abolished, and analytical ‘Own Work’ tasks, with a clear relevance, are agreed with pupils beforehand – which also helps to reduce any potential for overload. An Own Work timetable is in use for a few subjects, such as maths. However, in geography, for example, pupils work to a flexible brief over a period of time and produce their ‘report’ in a form and style of their choice – and, where appropriate, incorporate their own hobbies and special interests. Own Work features too in ‘lessons’ on Thinking for Learning – where pupils are encouraged to develop a range of skills and approaches, and to discuss the significance of the work they do at home. There is also recognition that there might be times when even Own Work is not desirable or possible. Comprehensive but unfussy procedures have been devised to support and guide teachers in the setting and assessment of, and in response to, Own Work tasks. A twice-weekly ‘club’ has been established in the Learning Support Department for those who do not have the necessary facilities at home – and for the occasional, though declining, defaulters! A local authority takes the lead and a school is flying – not Wales, but Durham Few, if any, education authorities are taking the lead on homework across their areas. However, in one authority in England – Durham – the local authority has been the prime mover showing what can be done. Here, the focus on homework was initiated by the county’s strategy manager for study support, who requested that it be included in the Single Education Plan, and gathered a group of interested colleagues to find a way forward. An initial audit was held with schools on the relevant issues. A 70 per cent return on a questionnaire showed that many schools agreed that homework was a thorny issue. This group then approached several schools for ‘model’ policies which they thought were effective, held discussions with school staff, and gathered together information on parental views. The strategy manager joined the Learning Beyond the Classroom group at Framwellgate School to look into the provision of homework. This group has since developed the 747 pilot project with Year 7, that is, seven key skills for Year 7. The project concentrates all homework provision in Year 7 towards building key independent learning skills in students, and is supported by a 747 club within their Learning Resource Centre. Teachers are encouraged to spend more time setting up interesting and stimulating projects, and are delighted with the very high quality of the work submitted by the pupils. The next step in the process is to set aside time for the pupils to develop self-evaluation and peerevaluation skills based on their homework. The local authority is now currently planning to find and fund three more schools who are ready to take an alternative look at homework. This will then generate more serious dialogue with all the area’s schools, with a focus on parental involvement and incorporating action research. Schools do seem ready to move on, as the strategy manager says: ‘I have had no difficulty in persuading colleagues of the need to change both the culture surrounding homework and the focus of how it helps children to learn; the difficulty is finding a route to follow which will provide us with a lasting “mindshift” for all stakeholders’. Parents and children together – the Share programme The ability of a child to tackle homework tasks successfully and to overcome problems they might encounter with their homework depends significantly on the parent’s ability and confidence in providing useful help and advice – especially in the earlier years. On this, the 2004 Estyn report on homework had some positive things to say about Share. Share is a national (UK) practical approach to involving parents in their children’s education and to increasing their appreciation of the vital role they play in children’s learning – so that providing support for homework becomes a natural process. Share can be provided by local education authorities or schools and other community settings. The parents/carers – and other family members – are invited to practical sessions with trained practitioners, using high-quality materials linked to the curriculum of the Foundation Stage and at Key Stages 1 to 3. Some of the materials are available in languages other than English. The programme supports parents to develop their 8 own skills too (in IT, for example), even leading to Open College Network accreditation – or less formally, in helping them to feel more involved and in partnership with the school. Share has been developed by ContinYou. Visit www.share.org.uk or www.continyou.org.uk/ share to find out more. Saesneg at home, Cymraeg in school? – Welsh Language Board Support Line Following a pilot period, the Welsh Language Board launched the Welsh Homework Support Line. This service provides help with Welsh words or terms, as well as practical help with general matters regarding homework. Currently the service is offered to Key Stage 2 pupils and their families. The service is being extended to the secondary sector during 2007. The preparatory work incorporated a pilot in eight Welsh-medium and bilingual secondary schools from September 2006 until March 2007. This provided an opportunity to ensure that the appropriate structures would be in place, prior to launching the secondary service nationally in April 2007. The service operates from 3pm to 9pm, Sunday to Friday. It can be contacted by telephoning 0871 230 0029, or by emailing post@gwaithcartref.com or post@homeworkinwelsh. com. A range of posters, flyers and stickers promote the service. For more information, visit www.bwrdd-yriaith. org.uk. Saesneg at home, Cymraeg in school? – the Twf Project The trend in favour of bilingualism provides young people with great advantages – but can also create issues. How can these parents support their children with their learning, especially homework tasks? Twf is an advisory organisation, funded by the National Assembly for Wales, which promotes bilingualism in the home, and provides advice and information on how these issues can be addressed. Clinics and one-to-one meetings with the parents of newly-enrolled school children in such situations are provided, including a focus on early learning, a guide to Welsh-language books, and advice on learning in and out of school and at play. The website is a useful guide to this and other aspects of the bilingual home (www.twf cymru.com); the leaflet ‘Homework’ is available from Twf by telephoning 0871 230 0029. Further advice at the local level can be obtained from Twf’s regional field officers. A focus on the challenges – Ysgol Moelwyn homework club Situated at the heart of Blaenau Ffestiniog, the school runs a support system for pupils in Years 7 to 9 who have difficulties managing homework, resulting in failure to complete, late submission, or completion to a lower standard than would be expected. An internal system of referral through subject teachers and year heads initiates contact with parents and, if the situation persists, this leads to an agreement that the pupil attends the homework club up to four times per week, depending on the situation. The club is open to all pupils, and ten per cent of each of the three year groups attends at least once per week. The club is staffed by a teacher on three evenings per week, and by a higher-level teaching assistant for the fourth. This homework club is not an isolated initiative, but just one component of a pattern of developments in the school which have made a huge difference to pupils’ performance in recent years. Take your laptops home – in Cerrigydrudion Being well aware of the problems of ‘fairness’ in setting home-based tasks for Years 5 and 6, especially with regard to the small number of pupils who do not have access to IT facilities at home, Ysgol Uwchaled, a small rural primary school in Cerrigydrudion, Conwy, has tackled the issue head on by purchasing laptops which identified pupils are allowed to take home. These computers can be used for set tasks, but also have software, such as Word-Shark, for children to develop their basic skills bilingually. This has been made possible as part of a community fund-aided project, which also aims to provide access to IT facilities for high school students and adults who live in the village and are also without these facilities at home. The school recognises that given the high rate of PC ownership these days, not many children are involved, but that as those without become fewer, the disadvantage to each of those becomes proportionally greater. This mum likes the homework club – North Wales This mum runs her own small business, and her husband currently works overseas, so she has her hands full with three secondary school children. The youngest had been giving cause for concern – not for any behavioural reasons, but just a general lack of interest in school, aggravated by a mild learning difficulty. ‘The school suggested he might try the homework club, twice a week. He reluctantly decided to give it a go – and it also fitted conveniently with my own hours. What a turn-round! ‘He found that he was not the only one who didn’t understand what was needed, he had some quality personal support, and he quickly began to produce better work in some subjects, especially maths and English. ‘Much more than that, he has been encouraged to read at the right level, and he is now never without a book – a few weeks ago he wouldn’t be seen with one! He is now making demands on himself – and on me! I wouldn’t have believed that such a simple idea could have such a positive effect on him. And he will not miss the club for anything.’ Anonymous (Note: This successful facility is based in a school with an extensive rural 9 catchment. The school is concerned that this restricts access to pupils who live within a short distance or whose parents can provide transport – a familiar scenario with all out-of-school-hours learning in such schools. Thoughts are being directed towards a strategy to address this inequality but in the meantime it is thought better to continue rather than not to provide the club at all.) Partnership and decentralisation – Ogmore Vale In Bridgend, Ogmore Vale High School is taking several measures to ensure that equality of opportunity with homework is a reality. The headteacher, Nick Oaten, believes that once they are close to achieving this then the school can begin to implement their vision of a fresh approach to the whole concept of homework, in which research-based, ITC skillsbased learning out-ofschool- hours can become the focus of a whole-school ‘Own Work’ approach. For some time the school has been running a homework club one day per week, based on staff goodwill and with late transport provided to the communities up the Ogmore valley. However, the school is looking beyond this and external funding has been secured, and being sought, for a number of initiatives, largely off-site and set in the home communities of the pupils. The school has enjoyed the full support of the LEA out-of-school-hours learning officer, who has contributed much to the community partnership development and to chasing the funding – and key people within the communities who have initiated some aspects of the developing homework scene. Primary schools, Bridgend Association of Voluntary Action, youth centre and community centre staff, the LEA and Communities at One contribute to this partnership with the high school. A facility is developing in the youth centre in the community of Blackmill, a Communities First area, with laptop, broadband and wireless facilities. This is staffed by a tutor with ICT skills and a youth worker as a project assistant who will also link to families and the school as an outreach worker. In the first instance, this will be open one evening per week for two hours, for primary children and once per week for secondary. Ogmore Vale is not being precious about access – the club will be open to children from other schools who live in this community, including Welsh medium-educated children. Other community activities for the children, and for adult groups, are welcome to dovetail into the scheme after 6pm and to benefit from the facilities. Consultation with the prospective pupil users has taken place, and will be ongoing, to assess the demand and the type of facility provided. In fact, a key appointment is a community consultant who knocks on doors, canvasses opinions and actually leads the young people – and older ones too – along to the activities. A truly personal approach! A marketable perception is seen as important and the word ‘homework’ will not appear in the name of any of these activities. It is hoped that, as well as supporting children with the completion of standard homework tasks, development of self-study/ IT skills will be addressed, and additional activities such as digital photography could be included. A similar pilot scheme is being established in the Ogmore Life Centre, and eventually it is planned to spread the concept throughout the school catchment by opening a similar facility in Nantymoel. Thinking further ahead, the school is looking to the future curriculum, which will incorporate a more skills-based approach, with a corresponding need to develop an approach to homework which will sit more comfortably with this curriculum. Cardiff’s learning centres – the Caerau experience This is just one of a number of similar centres, mostly high-school-based, which Cardiff LEA has developed and funds. Glyn Derw High School in Ely, Cardiff, hosts the Caerau Learning Centre – a school and community facility which incorporates a library and ITC suite and is open for pupils at breakfast and lunchtimes and from 3pm to 5pm after school. Additionally, it is open on Saturday mornings. As such, it provides an ideal base for tackling homework, especially as it is situated in one of the less privileged parts of Wales. The Caerau Centre has a community function, and is available to children from local primary schools, and from two nearby special schools. A normal attendance is 35 young people at all sessions, and is often more. The successful operation of the homework support depends on good, paid staff drawn from a rota of teaching (especially IT) staff, learning support assistants, cover supervisors and a cleaner who has now become a trained learning support assistant. A community learning development officer – a former youth worker – is also involved. When setting homework, the schools’ teachers are aware of the potential of the learning centre. They set work accordingly and encourage their pupils to use the facility – not least as it invalidates certain pupil excuses! A homework club with a difference – Willows High School, Cardiff At Willows, the homework club is also based in, and funded through, the learning centre, and has received high praise from Estyn in their recent inspection, but more importantly by the pupils – with up to 100 attending at any one time and never less than 35. What singles this club out is that it does not run straight after school. Being in an inner-city location, transport is not a problem and early evening opening for three nights per week – 5.30 to 7.30pm – has proved to be very popular. (There is a facility for pupils to work straight through after school if they wish.) 10 This gives the pupils a chance to go home and relax after the school day, and to have something to eat, before returning for the club – and, as it is an evening activity, uniform is not required. This does not mean that the club is free and easy – far from it, as there are agreed requirements for work and behaviour and a purposeful and pleasant learning ambience fostered by the club leader and two LSAs. Pupils are expected to work for at least one hour on set homework. In some subjects this might be working on a term-long assignment rather than strictly timetabled shortterm tasks. If set homework does not extend to an hour, the BBC Bitesize revision website is available, as is the Sam Learning Programme*. For some, other constructive but less demanding activities are available for the second hour, including quizzes, something physical like table tennis, or the development of IT skills. Although free to come and go, most attendees stay for the full two hours, and are rewarded with a points system – one per half-hour – which can be ‘traded in‘ at the end of term for something special, like an activity weekend in an outdoor centre. Add in some peer mentoring, with older or more able pupils helping others, and a tuck shop – with toast and tea for those who work through from the end of school, homework has become an enjoyable collective experience – invaluable for those children who do not enjoy the right conditions at home. This need is also met on one other evening when the club is available for Year 11 examination work only. Further testament to the popularity of the club is that former pupils regularly turn up to help – and suspended and excluded pupils, who are welcomed, come along to keep up with their work. *The Sam Learning Programme is available by school subscription to a private enterprise provider. With something for all age groups, it is based on an individual log-in approach for each pupil, and provides a range of learning activities with immediate feedback. Schools can use this as a basis for setting class homework if all pupils have access. For more information, visit www.SamLearning.com. A genuine community homework ‘provider’ – Wrexham Homework Clubs Wrexham Homework Clubs has its roots in a local children’s charity, The Venture, which began its first homework club in 1993. The success of this led to the establishment of an independent charity and the development of a network of clubs across the Borough. With support from numerous trusts and organisations, most recently from the Big Lottery Fund and Children in Need, seventeen clubs are now running in schools, community centres and libraries, and Wrexham is looking to expand into communitybased adult learning. There are different types of clubs: • Extra (ten clubs): covers a variety of oshl activities, in conjunction with schools. • GCSE support (four clubs): helps Year 10 and 11 students to maximise their grades within the core subjects, especially for those students • who are identified as potentially benefiting from extra help. • Tackling the transition issue – the Moving On programme (three clubs): operating in three different locations within the Borough, it is beginning to incorporate homework. It is aimed at Year 5 and 6 pupils and includes mentoring and other activities with older pupils. • Established for only a few months with Lloyd’s TSB funding, the programme is a mixture of modules addressing children’s fears and perceptions of secondary school and learning activities based on the current curricular topics in school. • These learning activities lean towards supportive skills rather than information, and are devised in partnership with the primary schools. Wrexham Homework Clubs is now aiming to forge closer links with the secondary schools to develop the programme further.