9:55am Thursday 17th January 2008
By Clare Birch
A £270,000 national scheme has been funded by the Football Foundation, to encourage youngsters to attend homework clubs, including Wiirral's own Tranmere Rovers.
Twenty-two professional football clubs, have joined the FAST - Football and Schools Together - Forward scheme, which will reward attendance at homework clubs with professional football coaching.
Tranmere Rovers will be supporting pupils at Bebington High Sports College, on Higher Bebington Road, Bebington.
The Football Foundation, a sports charity committed to funding grass roots football, is being managed by Manchester Metropolitan University's Collaborative Partnership Office, which develops strategic partnerships with education providers and promotes wider participation.
The local focus of FAST Forward has proved popular with football clubs as it fits well with the agenda of Football in the Community. UEFA-trained coaches from the clubs will now be making weekly visits to local schools to deliver an hour's football coaching to youngsters from Year 8 to 11 who attend the school's homework club for at least an hour a week.
Homework clubs are aimed at underperforming children who, with the right stimulus, could achieve higher results and FAST Forward aims to reach 900 children from more than 25 schools across England.
Dr Liz Marr, head of widening participation at MMU and director of the project said: "Homework clubs are an excellent idea but they are not always attractive for youngsters and this is where FAST Forward comes in. Football is a very powerful motivator and can be a real force in inspiring children and encouraging participation."
Dr Marr added: "Recent MMU research has also shown that children who are physically active are up to eight times more likely to excel at exams, ideal for those in the FAST Forward age group who are taking their SATs and GCSEs." Sports writer and broadcaster David Meek will launch the FAST Forward scheme at Fulham Football Club on Tuesday, January 15, between 1pm-3pm.
Dr Marr continued: "As well as benefiting from improving their literacy, numeracy and computer skills at homework clubs, young people involved in the FAST Forward scheme can work towards a FA Junior Football Organisers (JFO) Coaching Award. We are expecting to see after-school attendance figures rocket."
Other football clubs taking part, alongside Tranmere Rovers, in the scheme include Barnsley; Bolton Wanderers; Bristol Rovers; Crystal Palace; Darlington; Derby County; Everton; Fulham Grimsby Town; Ipswich Town; Notts Country; Nottingham Forest; Port Vale; Portsmouth; Queens Park Rangers; Rochdale; Sheffield Wednesday and Southend United.
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