§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evaluation has taken place of the 12 homework centres in Northern Ireland referred to in his answer of 13 March,Official Report, column 644; what conclusions he has reached in respect of future projects; and what proposals he has for expansion of the projects. [2063]
§ Mr. AncramEight homework centres, funded through the making Belfast work programme, have been evaluated by the education and training inspectorate. This evaluation concluded that the most successful centres share the following characteristics
a location which is readily accessible by the pupils that the homework centre is intended to serve;they are based within schools, have access to the wider facilities and resources of the school, and involve activities to develop pupils that extend beyond the completion of homework set by the school; andevidence of commitment and active support by the principal of the school at which the centre is based and principals of other main participating schools.The future expansion of homework centres is subject to availability of resources and competing priorities.