The excitement of attending a sports stadium to learn cannot be underestimated.  The atmosphere and ethos of the clubs involved are echoed in the PfS centres; sport is all about success and achievement and often glamour and role models, and young people have the chance to become part of that, a huge motivational factor.

Literacy and numeracy programmes are at the core of each centre’s curriculum, based on online games/ interactive programmes and through activities involving players and the club’s facilities such as player interviews, match day programme reports, club shop activities and advertising campaigns. There are many opportunities to use the club’s facilities such as the pitch, the ground, the press room and the players and club staff themselves; unique learning situations are presented.

The Every Child Matters agenda also underpins the PfS curriculum and ECM outcomes are achieved through PfS programmes. Economic Awareness, for example, is demonstrated through Dragon’s Den style activities where young people learn about costs and production skills. Healthy lifestyles are promoted through player interviews and physical activities and learning about nutrition and exercise.

ICT is the medium through which many of the programmes are delivered and each centre is fully equipped with a suite of computers, digital cameras and other hardware and software to promote an interest in learning. Each young person that attends PfS sessions will have access to their own pc and ICT equipment and will develop their ICT skills significantly.

Personalisation of the learning at PfS centres is key to young people’s enjoyment and success; there is a varied and rich programme of study at each centre enabling each young person to work to their potential and to engage with their learning.

Over the last ten years of PfS, the curriculum has evolved to reflect the needs and interests of the young people attending the centres. Consequently, new programmes that complement PfS have developed and have gone from strength to strength.  Cooking for Success is now thriving at many centres, often the club’s catering facilities are used and young people learn about nutrition and budgeting in addition to cooking meals with their peers. Fishing for Success, Boxing for Success, Policing for Success, Growing for Success and Relaxing for Success (based on the principles of emotional and physical relaxation from stress) are all programmes developed at new centres that hold an interest for young people or engage young people in terms of the skills and techniques studied.