An Introduction

Through Playing for Success, the Department for Education and Skills has established out of school hours study support centres within top football clubs and at other sports' clubs, grounds and venues. The centres use the environment and medium of football, rugby and other sports to help motivate pupils identified by their schools as being in need of a boost to help them get back up to speed in literacy, numeracy and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Centres are equipped with the latest ICT facilities and are open after school hours, at the weekend and in the holidays.

The centres are staffed by a Centre Manager (a qualified and experienced teacher), supported by higher education and further education students and members of the local community working as mentors. Centres have strong links with schools to ensure that Centre Managers understand pupils' needs and schools recognise pupils' achievements at the centre.

New sports involved include rugby league/union, cricket, hockey, ice hockey, tennis, gymnastics, basketball and horseracing.

By April 2007 153 football and other sports' clubs have signed up to the full Playing for Success model and 130 have opened centres to date. Around 210,000 pupils have benefited so far, and over 55,000 will benefit each year when all centres are open.

Funding is based on a three way partnership between Government, Department for Education and Skills and Local Authorities through the Standards Fund, the sports clubs and business sponsors. From October 2002, the Football Foundation became a new partner in supporting centres in football clubs outside the FA Premier and Division One leagues.

Cambridge United

The Cambridge United Learning Centre 'United in Learning' is about to embark on its second academic year. In our first full year 2006-2007 we have worked with seven secondary schools, one Special School and nine primary schools.

Students attend after school sessions for six weeks for a three-hour period. The scheme is unique in that the schools do not have to pay and is funded by our partners, the Local Authority, the DFES and Cambridge United Football Club.

The programme has different objectives
- To improve students' Literacy and numeracy activities using sport and in particular football as a theme
- To improve students' use of IT
- Sessions to improve study skills and encourage independent learning
- Sport as route to other knowledge, skills and understanding (for example geography, history and science)
- The work also aims to improve students' self esteem and self confidence.

There are various benefits to the students and the school as a whole:

- 15 Students and a member of staff are transported from the school to the centre and then returned to school at the end of the session
- Free snacks for the students
- Free tickets for a Cambridge United match
- Rewards at the end of the six week block
- Opportunity for schools to use the experience as part of its SEF for OFSTED purposes
- Opportunity to meet first team players
- Full ground tour of the Abbey Stadium

All of this takes place underneath the Main Stand in the Harris Suite at the club. The Learning Centre has sixteen networked computers which are equipped with the latest software. The centre has a projector and screen which the students can use to present their ideas to the rest of the group.

Contacts

If you would like to find out more information about the work of the Learning Centre please do not hesitate to contact the Centre Manager, Jez Daniel.

Cambridge United Learning Centre
Abbey Stadium
Newmarket Road
Cambridge
CB5 8LN

01223 240 191

jez.daniel.pfs@cambridge-united.co.uk

Please also contact the centre if you are interested in the following:
- using the centre for a private group
- Mentoring opportunities
- Sponsorship opportunities
- If you are interested in booking a school placement