How out of school activities affect achievement

Raising Achievement 
and . . .

Attendance

Behaviour / Inclusion

Community and Parents

Early Years

Ethnicity

Gender

Literacy, numeracy and SEN

Out of School hours activities

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Technology

A New Day for Learning: A Report from the Time, Learning and After School Task Force

Just a quick browse through this Jan 2007 report begins to re-invigorate tired and jaded minds. It talks of education as it used to be before the UK's repressive National Curriculum and assessment, assessment, assessment sank its unproductive claws in everyone, young and old.

Yet this is a report from the States, but one which matches closely what the current UK Govt. (Jan 2007) is pushing, and what good schools have been doing for ever. 

It talks of "a comprehensive, seamless approach to learning that values the distinct experiences that families, schools, afterschool programs, and communities provide for children."

It even dares to use the term "holistic" for goodness sakes!!

It is VERY worth your time reading this and pushing your SMT into action - for you know how slowly an SMT may move . . . . . Suggest some INSET time on this during your next Baker Day.

The Impact of After-School Programs That Promote Personal and Social Skills (2007)

This research, from the University of Chicago, on the CASEL site ( Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning) notes that:-

Youth who participate in after-school programs improve significantly in three major areas: feelings and attitudes, indicators of behavioral adjustment, and school performance. More specifically, programs were successful in improving: youths’ feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem school bonding (positive feelings and attitudes toward school) positive social behaviors school grades achievement test scores.

Very worth a quiet read if you can wring the time from your SMT . . . .

Healthy Eating in Schools - Ofsted March 2006

This report is Ofsted’s response to increasing public concern about the quality of children’s diets and rapidly increasing rates of child obesity. It assesses how schools have responded to guidance on school meals and healthier eating. Its findings are based on a small scale survey of primary and secondary schools made in preparation for a major survey of food in schools to be carried out in 2006/07. Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools were accompanied by nutritionists appointed by the Food Standards Agency.

Improvements seem to be happening faster at primary level than secondary, and there is still some concern about the short and rushed lunch hours in some secondaries.

The Afterschool Hours: A New Focus for America’s Cities  

This .pdf report believes that vigorous leadership by mayors and city council members can yield big dividends through improvements in the quality of after-school programs, according to a new publication released by the National League of Cities. The report spotlights eight successful community initiatives focusing on engaging students in the critical hours after school and offers practical advice and lessons for other local officials to use.

This may be worth reading given current UK government initiatives in extending the hours when schools are open and used by the local community.

Moving Beyond the Barriers. Attracting and Sustaining Youth Participation in Out-of-School Time Programs  

Harvard Family Research Project’s (HFRP) Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation briefs highlight current research and evaluation work in the out-of-school time field.

This July 2004 brief identifies common barriers to out-of-school time participation and possible incentives to counteract them. There is also a list of useful related resources to peruse. 

National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth: Summer schools 2003  

May 2004 report from Ofsted on the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth: Summer schools 2003. Generally a good report from Ofsted. Most students made "substantial progress"; quality of learning was "good". Most teaching good; some excellent. Only two-thirds of the summer school places were filled with a high proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The Effectiveness of Out-of-School-Time Strategies in Assisting Low-Achieving Students in Reading and Mathematics: A Research Synthesis  

From the U.S. McREL (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning) this research synthesis examined 56 studies of after-school and summer programmes. The study found that OST (Out-of-school-time) strategies can have positive effects on the achievement of low-achieving or at-risk students in reading and mathematics and also that OST strategies need not focus solely on academic activities to have positive effects on student achievement. Additionally, OST strategies that provide one-on-one tutoring for at-risk students have positive effects on student achievement in reading.

Research brief here. Full report here.

Promoting Positive Youth Development as a Support to Academic Achievement 

This white paper, by the U.S.-based National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) in association with the Forum for Youth Investment, (and commissioned by Boston’s After-School for All Partnership) investigates how after-school programs can most effectively promote positive youth development as a support to academic achievement.

Strategies for Success: Strengthening Learning in Out-of-School Time  

Commissioned by Boston’s excellent After-School for All Partnership, seven organizations and institutions researched seven strategies for expanding learning opportunities beyond the traditional school day and year. This document summarizes the key issues that emerged as well as summarizing each research topic with an emphasis on effective practices.

Other out-of-school research can be found in the research area of the newsroom.

Playing for Success : An evaluation of the fourth year (April 2003) 

Playing for Success "is a [UK] national initiative, established by the DfES in partnership with the Premier League, the Nationwide League and their clubs and LEAs."

The evaluation demonstrates that Playing for Success is continuing to make a real impact on the pupils who attend. 

• Playing for Success has reached its target group of underachieving young people

• The 58 Study Support Centres took over 18500 pupils from 1103 schools during 2001-2

• On average, the young people who participated made significant progress in basic skills. This was particularly evident in numeracy and ICT

• At least 88 per cent of pupils considered the Centre to be 'fun', 'interesting' and 'a good idea for me

• Despite sessions being held after school, most pupils attended for 80 per cent or more of the course

• Parents had very positive views about their children's participation in Playing for Success. All responding parents said they were pleased/very pleased that their child had taken part

• Teachers rated the Centres' organisation highly. All responding schools wanted another opportunity to take part.

Full report here.

Playing for Success website here.

High School, After-School  

What is it. What might it be? Why is it important? Ideas and analysis from the U.S.-based Forum for Youth Investment.

(Source: Connect for Kids www.connectforkids.org )

A better way to eat lunch  

The American Academy of Paediatrics, the American Dietetic Association and other medical groups have joined with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to endorse 10 keys to achieving healthy eating in schools. These include a call for longer lunch periods, shorter lunch lines, fewer very early or very late lunch periods, more pleasant surroundings, and more adults eating with students.

(Registration may be needed to access this document.)

A Morning Boost for Every Child - School Breakfast  

A number of school districts in several states, including Maryland, Minnesota and Massachusetts, have begun pilot breakfast programs that offer free breakfast to all students regardless of income. The "free universal breakfast" program is seen as a way to reduce administrative costs and stigma, as well as improve nutrition and academic achievement—and teachers and administrators are very pleased with the early results.

Learning out of hours: the quality and management of study support in secondary schools  

This October 2002 report from Ofsted concludes that where out-of-school hours programmes are focused and well run, they can enrich pupils' experience, improve their attitudes to learning and help to raise achievement. However, the management of out-of- school learning as a whole is seen as generally under-developed.

The report came from analysis of 150 OFSTED inspections, so that whilst useful trends are identified the limitations of Ofsted's snapshot inspections should be kept firmly in mind.

Review of Studies on Homework  

This 2001 NFER review was commissioned by Ofsted.  It set out to identify the best evidence from recent research into homework.  It considered research literature published between 1988 (the year of the Education Reform Act) and 2001.  The review also considered literature reviews and Ofsted reports published immediately before 1988, in order to take account of the findings from previous research.

Worth reading. If the document has been moved, try searching the NFER site.

Study Support and the Development of the Self-regulated Learner  

Clicking the link above begins the download of a Word .doc document. If the paper has been moved try looking on the NFER website at: http://www.nfer.ac.uk/

This paper was presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association, Leeds University, 15th September 2001.

It "presents evidence from interviews with students and staff about the six main factors attracting students to attend out-of-school activities and the benefits students derived.

The paper ends by relating the conditions present in study support to the literature on self-regulated learning, and concludes that providing high quality study support requires commitment, investment and an understanding of its potential contribution to the work of the school."

The points made echo those found by the SRB Project at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School. Students may display increased self-confidence, motivation, autonomy and self-esteem.

Importantly, the evidence presented here suggests that, "to achieve its potential, study support needs to be viewed as a whole-school initiative" which "requires leadership from the headteacher and senior management team."

Playing for Success  

Now in its fourth year, Playing for Success "is a national initiative, established by the DfES in partnership with the Premier League, the Nationwide League and their clubs and LEAs."

To date, 20 000 pupils have taken part. PfS "aims to contribute to raising educational standards, especially in urban areas, by establishing out-of-school-hours Study Support Centres in professional football clubs. Centres are managed by experienced teachers. They use the medium and environment of football to support work in literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, and provide facilities for pupils to complete their homework. With a focus on addressing the needs of underachieving young people in Key Stages 2 and 3, the initiative places a strong emphasis on improving pupils’ attitudes and motivation to learn."

An April 2003 NFER evaluation indicates the degree of success of this project. 

The Impact of Study Support. DfES Research Brief 273  (23Kb .pdf file)

This report summarizes the findings from a three-year longitudinal evaluation on the impact of participation in study support (out of school hours learning) on the academic attainment, attitudes and school attendance of secondary school students. Check also the Quality in Study Support website at http://www.qiss.org.uk /

The research found firm evidence that:

• in all the schools studied that pupils who participate in study support do better, than would have been predicted from baseline measures, in academic attainment, attitudes to school and attendance at school than students who do not participate 

• the effects are large, an average of three and half grades or one more A-C pass at GCSE

• study support appears especially effective for students from minority ethnic communities and, to a lesser extent, for students eligible for free school meals.

The report summary is also available from the DfES (DfES) website, at:-

 http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/studysupport/docs/impact 

Breakfast Clubs

New Policy Institute's report on out-of-hours ways of raising achievement.