CLDC’s After-School Homework Clubs Helping Children Thrive Across Clare
Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) is quietly making a big difference to children and families through its After School Homework and Study Programme, run in partnership with local schools and community groups in places like Cloughleigh and Kilrush. At its core, the programme gives children the time, space and encouragement they need to stay on top of schoolwork and build good study habits from an early age.
What the programme does
These homework projects are referral-based, after-school supports running across several sites in County Clare. They are fully funded through the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), so there are no fees for families.
In CLDC’s Homework Projects in DEIS schools, small groups of children get help with their homework in a calm, organised setting. The aim is to give extra support to those who, for different reasons, might find it harder to keep up and to make sure they can take part fully in school life.
CLDC also backs post-primary schools and local community and voluntary groups to run after-school study supports in their own areas, offering funding, guidance and practical help. This means support is there at different stages, from the early years of primary right up to exam years in secondary school.
How Homework Clubs work
CLDC-supported Homework Clubs are referral-based and very much focused on schoolwork and learning. Tutors are chosen for their experience in areas like teaching, special needs, youth work and social care, so they are well placed to support children with a range of needs.
Tutors have planning time together once a week to share ideas and plan activities. This helps make sure the children get a positive, consistent experience in Homework Club throughout the week. As one tutor explains, it is “about meeting their holistic and emotional needs – when they come into us even letting them vent about their day and this is a safe space to do that. It’s about not just the homework but creating a nice environment for them generally.”
Scoil Chríost Rí, Cloughleigh
At Scoil Chríost Rí in Cloughleigh, Ennis, two rooms are set aside just for Homework Club, giving children a clear routine and sense of purpose when they come in after school. Groups of six to seven pupils from 3rd and 4th class attend at a time, followed by a younger group from junior and senior infants, so tutors can give each child plenty of attention and encouragement.
Right now, 23 students are involved in the Homework Club here, from a mix of backgrounds and cultures, including children who simply need that extra bit of help and motivation with schoolwork. When homework is done, the children can go out to the garden to play or help with the plants, which is a relaxed way to finish the hour after concentrating indoors.
This blend of focused work and play means Homework Club is something the children enjoy and look forward to, rather than feeling like more school. Tutors also plan the rest of the hour so that activities are structured, engaging and supportive, including simple literacy games and seasonal activities such as an autumn scavenger hunt for shapes and colours that build skills and confidence “without them realising”.
Kilrush Project
Meanwhile in Kilrush, a dedicated team works at CLDC-owned Glebe House. The project initially ran from the primary school nearby but due to pressure of space transferred to our building. Referrals are made from the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme at the local primary schools.
The Junior group is the first group at 2pm and targets children in Senior Infants. Later the Second group runs at 3pm and targets children from 1st to 6th Class – Kilrush runs in blocks of 10 weeks so each class group has an opportunity to attend.
The HW Tutors in Kilrush are Kay Deloughery, the longest serving member of the team along with Sinead Daly and Ann Ryan who also works in the creche in Cairde Beag.
Building routine, confidence and belonging
Tutors and school staff say that routine and relationships are key to how the clubs work. Having a regular, predictable place to go after school helps children get into good habits around managing time, finishing tasks and putting their hand up when they need help. There is also a strong social side to the clubs. Children work alongside their classmates, which brings a sense of togetherness and a bit of friendly competition as they spur each other on to finish their work and do it well.
For many, Homework Club builds a stronger connection to school, as they experience success and encouragement in a smaller group. As one tutor puts it, “when they make a breakthrough with reading… then are able to read books or pick out words that they learned, that is lovely.”
Partnership with schools and wider supports
The Homework and Study Programme is designed closely with schools, who help identify the children who will benefit most from extra after-school support. At Scoil Chríost Rí, principal Danny O’Connor and his teamwork side by side with CLDC’s After School Homework and Study Programme staff to agree which pupils attend and to make sure the club supports what happens in class.
Teachers see Homework Club as an extra chance to go over topics, answer questions and pay attention to individual needs. The School Completion Programme (SCP), funded by Tusla Education Support Services as part of the DEIS programme, is also an important partner, working with children who may be at risk of leaving school early and linking in closely with Homework Club tutors and CLDC.
The goal of the School Completion Project is to work with children at risk of early school leaving, bridge gaps in education and promote healthy, happy school days.
The School Completion Officer often works one-to-one or with small groups and is a key contact for both the school and parents. Staff focus on attendance and engagement, and Homework Club places are linked to regular school attendance, with many of the same children also supported during the school day.
“We work closely with the School Completion Officer here in Cloughleigh,” one tutor explains. “They know who needs the support and that extends across the whole school population too. Children from any background can struggle.”
Who attends – and why it matters
Every child has their own story, but many Homework Club students benefit from having a bit more structure, reassurance and quiet time to get their work done. Some may have very busy home lives, extra learning needs, or families dealing with language or literacy challenges, while others are learning English as an additional language.
The clubs welcome a diverse mix of children, including pupils from Traveller and Roma communities, and a number of participants also attend resource classes in school and value the ongoing support afterwards. Because there are no fees and the focus is firmly on positive relationships, CLDC’s Homework Clubs help make sure that extra academic support is there for children who need it most.
There are encouraging signs as children move on. Many pupils who previously attended the Homework Club have gone on to the nearby Ennis Community School, where CLDC also supports an After School Programme. Tutors recently met several former Homework Club participants preparing for their Junior Cert – young people who have stayed in education despite challenges such as limited space to study at home, foster placements or parents with little English.
People and programmes behind the work
The Homework and Study Programme is part of CLDC’s wider work with children, young people and families, and is supported through SICAP, which is backed by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the European Social Fund under the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning.
SICAP Development Officer Ailbhe Crowley leads the Homework Projects as part of a broader effort to give children and young people in County Clare a fair chance to succeed in education.
In Cloughleigh, the day‑to‑day work is carried out by After School Homework and Study Programme staff such as Fiona McSweeney, working alongside colleagues including Andrea O’Regan, Aoife O’Brien and Ryan O’Connell, whose combined skills in education, literacy and youth work help children learn, grow in confidence and feel supported.
Alongside her work in the club, Andrea is completing a PhD in Literacy Education at Mary Immaculate College. Her research – a focused ethnographic case study – explores how a DEIS urban primary school homework club can contribute to children’s literacy and motivation.
She hopes that what is being learned in Cloughleigh can inform other schools: “I would love this to be a model for other schools if they were trying to set it up. Some schools have after-school services, but this is an academic‑based resource for children who need it. We are very lucky with Clare Local Development Company – they are great in terms of book donations and access to resources, along with the school itself.”