Using football to help youngsters learn

Albion in the Community runs programmes in schools to help youngsters learn and become more active

The charity arm of Brighton and Hove Albion is looking for local schools to take part in a Premier League programme that uses the appeal of football to inspire young people to learn.

Albion in the Community (AITC) has been successfully delivering the Premier League Primary Stars programme to 16 local primary schools during the current academic year; and it plans to increase that number to 24 schools next year.

Schools are provided with around 10 weeks of support and activity that aims to inspire pupils in everything from English and maths to teamwork and sport.

AITC’s sports mentors work with different schools each term, spending a day a week in each school and working with whole classes, small groups and individuals to deliver PE alongside football-themed literacy, PSHE and numeracy lessons.

The charity now wants to hear from local schools interested in signing-up for the next academic year.

Any Sussex-based primary school can express an interest in taking part, with AITC particularly interested in working with those schools and young people most in need.

Jane Fendley, head teacher at St Mark’s CE Primary School in Brighton, has seen first-hand the positive impact the programme has already had on local pupils and was quick to recommend it to other schools.

Mrs Fendley said: “We have loved being involved in the Premier League Primary Stars project this year.

“The children were always incredibly excited about AITC coming in to work with them each week.

“The curriculum lessons, whether it was PE, literacy or PSHE were all engaging and delivered with great enthusiasm and took into account the children’s differing needs. I would encourage all primary schools in Sussex to get involved. We will definitely be submitting an application to be involved next year.”

Places are in high demand each year and the deadline for expressions of interest is Friday June 15. AITC will select schools based on need and on their completed applications.

Paul Williams, schools manager at AITC, said: “The response and feedback from schools involved so far has been incredibly positive and we can see the impact the project is having on pupils’ health and wellbeing as well as their confidence, behaviour and attainment.”

Schools can watch a video produced by the Premier League to show how one local pupil has benefited from the project this year.

The film can be viewed online here.

To find out more, and to download an information pack and application form, visit: www.albioninthecommunity.org.uk or email: [email protected].