Sport stars back learning project

Jonny Wilkinson is hoping children will tackle reading and maths

Rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson is among the sports stars backing a scheme which links sports clubs to schools.

The Playing for Success scheme has helped 90,000 pupils to improve reading, maths and computer skills - with extra lessons at sports grounds.

The project has been backed by many premiership football clubs, but now more rugby teams are becoming involved.

The success of the project has prompted German football clubs to begin a similar scheme next year.

Getting involved

And the Department for Education and Skills is hoping that the glamour of the world cup rugby winners will help to inspire youngsters to want to take part in lessons at sports clubs.

"It's getting lots of schoolkids more involved with their local sports teams while teaching them the basics in a way that interests them," said England star Wilkinson.

The Playing for Success scheme uses the connection with sports clubs as a way of motivating nine to 14 year-old-pupils, particularly boys, who might be less enthusiastic about the idea of extra lesson in a school setting.

The learning centres make their lessons sports-related. The Department for Education and Skills says that this might mean pupils learning about maths through measuring the pitch or calculating the capacity of the stadium.

Literacy activities might include answering questions based on the sport, interviewing players or writing for a match programme.

Learning goals

The scheme has been claimed as an academic success, with the Department for Education and Skills saying research shows reading and maths results are improved among pupils attending.

The scheme was launched as an experiment five years ago - but has continued to grow. By 2006, the government wants to have 100 such learning centres attached to sports clubs - where youngsters can go after school for extra help with homework or to catch up with lessons.

Pupils on average attend about 20 hours a term at the learning centres in sports clubs - which will be funded by £7.5m of government money next year.

Among the other sports celebrity backers for the scheme are the managers of Manchester United and Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

The project developed in England is being adopted overseas. German team, Schalke 04 FC, is to open a learning centre next year, and one has already opened at Nijmegen FC in the Netherlands.