Abstract
This study investigated the effects of a homework club on academic self-concept,
psychological sense of school belonging, future aspirations and academic performance. 122
(n=122) participants were involved in this study, all recruited from convenience samples. A
quasi-experimental design was used to compare differences between homework club
participants and non-participants. The results indicated that participants of the homework
club had a higher psychological sense of school belonging and made more of an effort with
their school work. There were no statistical differences found between the two groups in
either future aspirations or academic performance. The findings suggest that participation in
a homework club has some beneficial effects for secondary school students and thereby helps
to protect against school disengagement. Author keywords: Early school leaving, homework, protective factors, adolescence, school belonging, academic self-concept, future aspirations, academic performance
