Context

Double Club began in 1998 when Arsenal won the “double” of the Premier League and FA Cup in one season, and works with local schools in north London to use sport to engage children with learning. The Department for Children, Families and Schools funds teachers to run Double Club sessions in schools in north London and the project has developed schemes of work and resources for a variety of subjects linked to the National Curriculum. 

Aims & principles

The programme targets children with who are underachieving for a variety of reasons. Small class sizes and fast-paced lessons ensure that the children don’t get bored, with the added motivation of football training and the opportunity to visit the Emirates stadium.

Summary

Some children participate in the scheme for one term in curriculum time and have six 45 minute sessions of Double Club per week with half of the sessions being football practice and half literacy and maths. The classes are mixed sessions, although the majority of pupils involved are boys.

Outcomes

In 2005, the DfES gave Double Club a glowing evaluation, noting that 87 per cent of 70 year 7 pupils improved their literacy scores by 10 per cent or more over a 12 week period. Attendance and behaviour in Double Club sessions are generally excellent, which has a knock-on effect on attendance in other subjects. The DCSF now funds Arsenal to help other sports clubs develop their own Double Club schemes.

Resources

Double Club now has its own range of English textbooks covering Key Stages 2 and 3 which can be found here 

Contacts

Scott Cohen, Double Club Coordinator

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