Up & Learning now leading the Adamsdown Homework Club!

Wow, what a great first year at homework clubs! When I started in October 2013, Adamsdown already had an established homework club which had been running successfully for about four years and was bursting at the seams. It is run with Cardiff University, who train up their students to become tutors, along with some very dedicated community volunteers. There are four sessions which run Monday and Tuesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings and support 55 children and young people with their homework, revision and supporting their learning needs.

Due to the increased demand and a growing waiting list it was clear we would have to accommodate more sessions to meet the growing need. This first saw the introduction of a second session on a Sunday, which is or most popular group and raised the number of available places by a further 12, which were snapped up almost straight away. We then had a request from Moorland Road Primary School. We have never offered exclusive clubs before, limiting places to just one school, but they had a list of 22 very keen children who were asking for something to be put on at their school. With the support of Cardiff University, who supplied four student tutors, we were able to offer a new style homework club to 12 year six children. This was the first of its kind and we didn’t know how it would pan out, so we agreed with the head to review it after a term to see if it is successful enough to continue. That term came and went with excellent feedback from the children, parents and the school and it was without question that the club continues. Following the success of the Moorland Road group, we have now had requests for exclusive clubs from Baden Powell. Glan Morfa and Tredegarville schools. These will begin in the new academic year raising our overall capacity to 103 places- almost doubling the amount of children and young people we are supporting within a year.
Following this year’s successes with all of the homework clubs and the positive impacts its proven to have on children’s academic achievements, we felt it important to bring everyone together and celebrate. So on 28th June we held our first homework club awards ceremony. Every learner was given a certificate and a goodie bag, supplied by Cardiff University, to say well done for all of their hard work and commitment which they have shown over this academic year. It was also opportunity to say thank you to all of our community volunteers, who give their time each week to support our clubs, which couldn’t run without them. The event was enjoyed by all and we are hoping the success of homework clubs will continue and this will be the first of many awards ceremonies!
If anyone would like to sign up for a place at homework club, please use the online registration form which you can find when you visit our homework club page.
We are also seeking new volunteers to support all of our homework clubs, so if you or you know someone who is interested, please register with us using our online volunteer form.