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Nick Clegg praises homework club

07 March 2012

Nick Clegg talking to pupils and students at the homework club

Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has praised the work of University students at a Cardiff community homework club.

The club was established two years ago by Adamsdown Communities First and the Adamsdown African Association. From the start, Cardiff University students have been encouraging and supporting the children with their homework and exam preparation and have been organising other learning activities.

The club aims to raise attainment and achievement with students in inner city schools and colleges, in particular children from families who have little or no history of going to university. The University student tutors provide support for Maths and English in particular.

Visiting Adamsdown Resource Centre, Mr Clegg said: "It’s been absolutely fantastic to see the enthusiasm and the joy of the children and, above all, this thirst to learn. It’s genuinely inspiring. It’s not very often that you ask a group of children on a Saturday morning at a homework club whether they like maths then a whole bunch of arms shoot up. It’s a real tribute to everybody who has been working on this project."

The Deputy Prime Minister was particularly impressed with the Cardiff University student tutors on the project. He said: "I saw the student volunteers in action in classroom games and role playing with the children. That was really impressive because these are not necessarily fully trained up educationalists, but they were motivating the children, laughing with the children and getting them excited about learning."

Louise Gray, Widening Access Manager at the Centre for Lifelong Learning said: "The homework club has grown to include a diverse range of local children varying from 7 to 18, all receiving weekly help from Cardiff University students throughout the year."

Sue West, Adamsdown Communities First Co-ordinator said: "The club has been an amazing success, pupils have reported that since joining the club they enjoy difficult subjects more (such as Maths and Science), are achieving better grades and have increased aspirations for the future."

"The partnership with the University has been instrumental to the success of the club and has now developed to allow us to increase our activities to support the parents of the children through learning as well."

Related links

Centre for Lifelong Learning