Bognor Regis Community College pupils get tour of Fratton Park

All they have to do is improve their literacy skills in a scheme run by the Westloats Lane school and Portsmouth Football Club.

Called the Pompey Double Club Extra Time, it was launched in style when the football club sent an activity bus to the school.

The event was introduced by Pompey Double Club manager Nicola Pointon, and Adam Lea, a Pompey coach.

Pupils and their parents did fun literacy tasks on the laptops in the bus before taking on a six-week programme. Each week, they will be given a task to complete together after each of Pompey's next six Premiership games.

The parents will be invited back to the school with their children for a finale to the project on November 30.

If all the literacy activities are completed, each pupil and a parent will receive a stadium tour and tickets to see Portsmouth play Burnley on December 5.

It will be the Clarets' first visit to Fratton Park since April 15, 2003 '“ the night Portsmouth earned promotion to the Premiership with a 1-0 win secured by a 73rd-minute goal from Svetoslav Todorov.

Sean O'Connor, the school's community sports co-ordinator, said: "The aim of this project is to engage parents in regular and sustainable literacy activities with their children through football.

"As football already has an impact in these five selected students' lives, we hope to use that to achieve improved literacy."

Mr O'Connor explained that before the 'extra time' element of involving parents, the Pompey Double Club was already improving pupils' spelling, punctuation, reading and sentence structure.

He said the PE and English departments at the school had been liaising with the football club to produce 'impressive' results.

He added: "The majority of staff have seen an improvement in the pupils, not only in their literacy but also their leadership and social skills. With this new project we are encouraging the children to read and write at home and with family members.

"Their literacy levels will improve even further and this will have a positive impact upon their academic performance in school."

The children and parents taking part on the bus were equally enthusiastic.

Pupil Jamie said: "It's been good. I have really enjoyed it."

"The bus was nice, and it's cool," was the verdict of fellow pupil Jack.

Parent Ms Burton said: "It is very encouraging to be able to work closely with our children," while another parent, Mrs Collis, added: "It's been a fun and inviting experience."

Head of PE Mr Crittenden said: "Pompey Double Club Extra Time is an excellent initiative to build upon work pupils have completed in the Double Club in Year 7.

"It was great to see pupils and parents working collaboratively in an excellent and fun working environment."

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