Origins
The Playing For Success initiative has its origins in the Government's 1997 manifesto commitment "to attack under-achievement in urban areas". A link was forged with the Premier League and, in partnerships between central government, local government and football clubs, the concept of Study Support Centres evolved into a working reality.
Development
More recent parliamentary reform has further encouraged schools to extend their out-of-hours work with pupils and with a view to the fostering of stronger links between schools and the local communities which they serve. Indeed, the Education and Skills: Investment for Reform document, alongside A New Specialist System: Transforming Secondary Education and the primary strategy Excellence and Enjoyment emphasises the valuable role played by Study Support Centres in allowing pupils to develop their full potential. Still more recently, the investment in youth through Every Child Matters sought to highlight the appeal of sport and the belief that this could prove a potent vehicle through which to access and further address issues of literacy, numeracy and information/communication technology.
The Current State of Play
Some ten years on from inception and Playing For Success is recognised as an established body through which the environment and medium of sport is used to motivate and support pupils outside of the school classroom. What principally began as a football enterprise has now developed to embrace a diversity of sports nationwide from rugby to cricket, hockey to gymnastics, basketball to horseracing. As of August 2007, some 153 sports clubs have committed to the full Playing For Success model and 132 have opened centres to date. It is envisaged that over 55,000 pupils will benefit each year when all centres are operational. Alan Johnson, former Secretary of State for Education and Skills, asserts that "PFS Centres deliver highly imaginative and innovative programmes to improve pupils' key skills and confidence…which inspire and re-engage them back in the classroom."
The PFS Centre at Wigan Athletic FC
The PFS Centre at Wigan Athletic FC will be housed within the DW Stadium itself. The centre is both vibrant and spacious, boasting the latest facilities in ICT. Alongside our more conventional laptop PCs, we will be equipped with a number of stylish Apple MacBook computers which offer pupils an altogether different multimedia experience to that which they may receive in schools. Contemporary software ranging from Comic Life to iMovie can all be used as support tools to engage those pupils who schools identify as being in need of a timely boost to get them back up to speed in key skills. Here at the Wigan Athletic PFS Centre we can lend the necessary guidance, support and encouragement to your pupils. Our staffing comprises a Centre Manager and Assistant (both qualified teachers) and two trained study coaches to assist with the delivery of the programme. The staff to pupil ratio is such as to allow for much individual attention, so PFS provides an ideal opportunity to develop pupil confidence and to bolster self-esteem.
PFS Essentials
The Playing For Success programme is aimed primarily at pupils in Year 5. Each cohort will comprise of 15 pupils selected by the school; they will be expected to attend a three hour session each week, with the PFS programme lasting for a six week period. The PFS Centre at Wigan Athletic FC will provide transport for pupils both to and from school.
Over the six week programme pupils will be engaged in a variety of different activities; these might typically include podcasting, match commentary, poster design, drama or movie making.
Regular attendance is, naturally, vital to the success of the course and this must be carefully considered by schools when selecting their cohort of pupils.
The world of sport is used as a "hook" to capture the imagination of the pupil and a springboard from which essential skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT can be developed. Although there are several practical elements to the course, sporting ability is not pre-requisite: our emphasis is firmly upon the academic and improving pupil confidence, motivation and levels of attainment.
Further Information
Should you require any further information regarding the PFS Centre at Wigan Athletic FC, please do not hesitate to contact Andrew Heaton on (01942) 828577.
Alternatively I can be contacted through e-mail at andrew.heaton@wigan.gov.uk.
