£2.5m for out-of-school learning

Some projects offer pupils extra sporting opportunities

More than 130 out-of-school hours learning projects are to be created in England with £2.5m being announced by the government on Tuesday.

A total of 138 public, private and voluntary sector organisations will work in partnership with 345 schools to set up and run the projects.

Sport, drama and music will be among the activities on offer to pupils through the new projects, as well as more unusual opportunities, such as the chance to explore archaeological digs and design fashion outfits.

The £2.5m will fund the projects for the next two years.

Lasting impact

The projects are being set up under the Partners for Study Support grant scheme, which was launched last October.

The scheme aims to establish partnerships between organisations and schools which will have long-term benefits for and a lasting impact on pupils.

A recent survey suggested that more than two-thirds of schools in England had increased their provision of out-of-hours learning activities in the past two years.

The Mori poll of 204 primary and secondary schools indicated that 71% of schools laid on more than seven different activities out of lesson time.

A separate survey of the schools' pupils, conducted by BMRB and published by the government alongside the Mori survey, indicated that a typical primary school pupil spends nearly two hours a week taking part in out-of-hours activities, and a secondary school pupil three hours a week.

Education and Employment Minister Malcolm Wicks said the new projects would boost children's motivation and build their self-confidence.

"Fun activities like these which happen out of school hours can help raise achievement back in the classroom and prepare pupils for the world of work."

Other funding

Out-of-school hours learning projects are also funded with National Lottery money available from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), and with cash from the Department for Education's Standards Fund.

A spokesman said that since April 1999, £205m had been available through the NOF for schools, LEAs and their partners to develop activities.

The funding would continue to feed through to schools from the NOF until 2004.

He added that this year, £20m was available to schools to develop study support activities through the Standards Fund, and that another £60m would be available for these from April 2001.