EDUCATION PROGRAMMES
The Chelsea Foundation Education department aims to work collaboratively to promote community cohesion, education and lifelong learning. Working in partnership with learning providers, we use the power of football and the Chelsea style to excite and motivate learners of all ages.
Our education department continues to build on successful relationships with schools and the local community and to develop and deliver exciting education initiatives which help inspire participants to achieve their learning goals. Each season our education projects help over 2,000 learners aged seven to 70 plus.
We support learning in over 40 partner schools across Elmbridge, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea. In particular, projects focus on improving participants' skills and attitudes to learning, the club's rich history and changes in lifestyle and society over the last century. Literacy, numeracy, ICT and language skills are a focus for our projects. Anti-discrimination, celebrating equality and diversity are also key messages taught across our programmes.
Chelsea Football Club supports our education charity projects through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda.
Education Through Football (ETF)
ETF is a Literacy, History and Citizenship project based around the Michael Murporgo and Michael Foreman book 'Billy the Kid': the story of a boy growing up in the 1930s. Billy's dream to play for Chelsea FC is interrupted by the war with tragic consequences. Class teachers are given resource packs based on the book, which fit in with the Primary Literacy Framework and the History curriculum. On the project launch day pupils come to the Stadium for an exciting behind-the-scenes tour and museum visit. Author, artist and 'Billy the Kid' illustrator Michael Foreman talks about his wartime childhood and his work as an author and artist.
It doesn't matter which team children support, and they don't have to know anything about football to enjoy the project. Here are some comments from teachers about their pupils' experience of taking part in Education Through Football:
'This project is inspirational, all the pupils in my class were interested and involved.'
'This project has significantly improved my pupils' writing skills.'
'Education through football has been the best thing I have been involved in as a teacher.'
The project has been running for eight years and has reached over 6000 Year 5/6 pupils. A class set of Billy the Kid books, teacher notes, teacher training and events are provided free of charge to schools taking part.
Kick Start After School Programme
Kick Start Maths and IT is a new initiative, funded by Chelsea FC supported by The Premier League Charitable Fund (PLCF). Up to three hundred school children each year will be attending our after-school study support sessions, which focus on using football to help improve maths and ICT skills.
This effective and engaging programme is delivered at our football-themed education centre, the Hub at Stamford Bridge. Additionally, activities, such as maths trials take place in the Chelsea megastore, around the stadium and in the new Chelsea Museum. The programme supports the National Curriculum and helps to address the Every Child Matters agenda.
Alive and Kicking
The Alive and Kicking project aims to give fans over the age of 70 the opportunity to increase their computer skills, in a sociable and supportive environment. This unique scheme has received national recognition by winning an Adult Learners' Week group award. The project is funded by Chelsea FC with support from the PLCF and the Open Age charity.
Working in small groups with ICT tutors, senior learners are able to share stories and memories and develop their computer skills. Learners take part in weekly sessions at our Hub education centres at the Stamford Bridge stadium and at the Stoke D'Arbernon training ground. Group members also visit schools on the ETF project to share their childhood and wartime memories. Senior fans have also been inspired by Q&A events with club legends such as Roy Bentley, Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, Barry Bridges, and Tommy Docherty as well as history talks from club historian Rick Glanvill.
Kick Start Languages
Our Kick Start Language modules use football to inspire interest and enthusiasm for modern foreign languages. Basic Spanish and German courses for Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils have been developed in association with the Spanish Embassy education department and the Goethe Institute.
Language teachers deliver the classroom modules using our eye-catching workbooks and materials. Activities include football-based vocabulary, reading and writing tasks such as writing player profiles, learning colours through describing football shirts and numbers based on stadium capacities.
In addition to supporting classroom work, Chelsea Foundation staff deliver football coaching using the new vocabulary in warm-ups and game situations.
Anti-discrimination workshops
Chelsea FC's first black footballer, Paul Canoville, shares his experiences and describes how racism and bullying must not be tolerated in football or in our society today. Paul meets over 1,200 children every year in local schools. His story-telling skills and positive attitude to the hard times he has endured have proved inspirational and leave a lasting impression on the young people who have taken part in our education workshops with him.
'You have inspired me to work harder in class, and I have learnt why this is necessary.'
'I found the lesson very inspirational and have learned a lot from it.'
CONTACT US:
Education Manager
Suzi Raymond
suzi.raymond@chelseafc.com
Education Manager for London
Wendy Buddin Tel: 0207 915 2222
wendy.buddin@chelseafc.com
Kick Start After School Co-ordinator
Jeff Gayle Tel: 0207 958 2813
jeff.gayle@chelseafc.com
Education
The Hub
Stamford Bridge
Chelsea FC
SW6 1HS
Directions:
The Hub is located on the northeast corner of the Stamford Bridge complex, detailed directions can be found here.