§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in the promotion of homework clubs in schools in Portsmouth; and if she will make a statement. [22439]
§ Mr. TimmsWe are committed to providing opportunities for young people to enrich their learning through out-of-school-hours activities. "Extending Opportunity: a national framework for study support", published in 1998, set out the contribution homework clubs can make to a school's wider programme of out-of-school-hours learning activities.
We also published Homework Guidelines, which require school homework policies to refer to any opportunities that exist for pupils to do homework, under supervision, at places other than home. In addition to school homework clubs, these may also include libraries and community centres. The homework area on the Department's Standards website supplements the guidelines with examples of good practice and case studies which teachers, governors, parents and pupils can access.
Within that framework, the promotion of homework clubs in specific parts of the country is a matter for individual local authorities and schools.