What is it? The 10-week Playing for Success programme is a study support scheme aimed at 10- to 14-year-olds. Activities are linked into football to motivate pupils.
What does it involve? Children take part in activities to improve their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. The programme also focuses on key skills and building the pupils' confidence.
How many pupils take part? This year, 112 young people from eight schools in Sunderland are taking part. The scheme has worked with more than 3,400 young people since its launch.
What sort of activities do pupils do? The pupils recently took part in a special communication lesson with a professional storyteller. They also took part in an astronomy lesson, in which Sunderland Football Club's stadium was turned into a planetarium.
Who runs it? The programme is run by Sunderland City Council and the Sunderland Football Club Foundation. The Department for Children, Schools and Families developed the scheme.
What do the teachers think? Diane Blanckley, deputy head teacher at Oxclose Village Primary School, says: "Pupils who attended the spring term have enjoyed a marked improvement in their key skills and confidence levels."
