The benefits of after-school clubs are well documented including better academic performance, improved communication, teamwork and an increase in confidence.
This is especially the case with children from disadvantaged backgrounds because they often don’t have the same opportunities to try new hobbies and sports as their better off peers do.
Unfortunately, not all primary and secondary children have access to after-school clubs because of lack of space, staffing and budgets.
However, it is possible to provide after-school clubs without having to buy expensive equipment or stretch staff budgets; teachers are often willing to teach subjects and hobbies they’re passionate about while parents are often happy to volunteer.
Team Sports
There are many sports like football, basketball, netball, cricket and rounders that can use the space already available at schools and require minimal equipment and supervision.
Sports can help foster confidence in children who may not feel comfortable competing in PE lessons during the school day or feel that sport isn’t for them.
This is especially the case for girls. In 2024, the Youth Sports Trust’s annual Girls Active Survey found that 46 per cent of girls aged 14 to15 reported a lack of confidence which stops them being more active at school compared with 26 per cent of girls aged 7 to 8, a rise of 11 per cent since 2017.
Multisport Clubs in Secondary Schools
Multisport Clubs is a programme run by the Youth Sports Trust to break down barriers of traditional single-sport formats.
It is led by young people aged between 14-17 providing a combination of sports for pupils aged 11-13.
The Youth Sport Trust trains young leaders to give them the skills and confidence to deliver sessions and create a positive experience for everyone.
Each club ensures that at least 50 per cent of both participants and young leaders are in receipt of Pupil Premium in England, Pupil Development Grant in Wales, or Pupil Equity Fund in Scotland.
The results speak for themselves with 86 per cent of young people reporting a greater enjoyment of sport and physical activity while eight out of nine teachers reported that students involved in training show greater engagement in school life.
Creative Writing, Languages, Tutoring, Chess, and Lego
There are many after-school clubs that can take place in the school hall such as drama, music and choir while others are easy to host in classrooms.
Children have incredible imaginations, yet the school curriculum and the constant meeting of targets can sometimes stifle them.
Creative writing after-school clubs can provide children with an outlet for their imaginations and help direct them towards storytelling and poetry which will help improve their writing, communication skills and confidence.
Language classes and tutoring can help give a boost to those children who may struggle with specific subjects.
Chess clubs can foster problem-solving, strategic thinking and concentration while Lego clubs help develop teamwork, creativity and fine motor skills.
Art, Gardening, Nature & Science Clubs
Children today spend significantly less time outside than their parents did thanks to smartphones, computer games and the perceived risks of playing outside.
Yet being in the fresh air, especially in green spaces near to nature, is vitally important for children’s physical health by boosting immune systems as well as their mental health.
After-school activities like gardening, nature and art clubs which involve messy play can all take place outside.
After School Club Equipment
Many schools use Spaceshade canopies for these kind of activities allowing children to enjoy them all year round, whatever the weather.
The canopies can incorporate solar panels which can help your school generate energy and incorporate real-time data into science clubs and lessons.
They can be tailored exactly to your needs with colourful roofs and a wide range of frame colours and all-weather sidewalls.
In addition, they are perfect for fitting hard to reach spaces to create extra space and are the third of the price of building an extension and quicker and easier to install.
If you’d like to learn more about how schools use our canopies, read our case studies or contact us.
