The Watford Double Club sponsored by TOTAL UK continues to contribute to raising educational standards in Hertfordshire.

The Watford Double Club is an innovative education and sporting programme being delivered in four local secondary schools: Adeyfield, Francis Combe, Cavendish and Nicholas Breakspear by Watford Learning in partnership with Watford FC’s CSE Trust. The core funding for this project is provided by the Department for Children, Schools and families. All four schools also make financial contributions to the project delivered.

The aim of the Double Club (DC) is to raise pupil attainment in Literacy and/ or Numeracy, using football as an active medium and resource. As well as improving key literacy and numeracy skills, the programme contributes to confidence and self esteem and increases desire for learning. There is also a physical element to this programme; students get a chance at the end of each session to be coached by a Watford FC qualified coach. They have an opportunity to participate in a range of sports determined by the wishes of the student and school.

This new project, which was launched in September 2007, has proved to be very successful so far, with over 200 students benefiting from the 2 hours of classroom based ‘booster’ sessions per week for a minimum of a term.

As part of the Double Club incentive, pupils have the opportunity to visit Vicarage Road stadium and Arsenal FC’s The Emirates! They also get the chance to meet and interview a first team Watford FC player, who spends some of his time observing the children in their coaching session. This is an ideal opportunity for the pupils and player to show off their talents on the pitch!