Young people inspired by Premier League Primary Stars programme

Nearly 400 children from schools across Devon have benefited from Premier League Primary Star sessions run by the team from Exeter City Community Trust.

The programme uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children to learn, be active and develop important life skills. Kingskerswell Primary, Ottery St Mary Primary and Ladysmith Infant School all have regular weekly PLPS sessions.

And a Premier League Primary Stars (PLPS) tournament, which took place at Exeter City Football Club’s Cliff Hill Training Ground last year, involved 16 primary schools from across the county. Bluecoat C of E Primary School from Great Torrington, who won the tournament, went on to represent the county at a national tournament held at Wolves Molineux Stadium in July. Another tournament is planned this June to coincide with the World Cup.

As part of the programme, our professional staff work with teachers to deliver fun, educational sessions in a range of subjects for primary aged children. Teaching materials cover subjects from English and maths to teamwork and PE, with free activity ideas, worksheets, lesson plans, fun assemblies and exclusive videos.

Learning is connected to the real world of sport to enthuse and inspire pupils when tackling challenging PSHE topics such as resilience, diversity, self-esteem and fair play.

The programme also includes exciting competitions, ranging from national football tournaments to creative writing and reading challenges for reluctant readers.

Premier League values underpin everything on offer, encouraging children to:

• Be ambitious – work hard and never give up on their goals
• Be inspiring – set a great example to others
• Be connected –work well with others and in a team
• Be fair – treat people equally and think of others

Ethan Chalk, lead programme development officer at Exeter City Community Trust, said: “We’re proud that Premier League Primary Stars is helping hundreds of children across Devon become more active, confident and motivated in school. By connecting learning to the excitement of football, we can inspire young people to believe in themselves, work as a team and achieve their full potential.”

For more information about the programme, or this year’s tournament, contact ethan.chalk@ecct.co.uk or Lily.andrews@ecct.co.uk