WORCESTER'S Warriors rugby club is hoping to score a winning try with under-achieving children by asking them to come and study at its Sixways ground.
The club is planning a £150,000 study centre which it hopes will make education cool, stop truancy, and improve numeracy, literacy and computer skills.
It is a joint effort between the club, which is putting £50,000 towards the venture, the Department For Education And Skills, which has given £75,000, and Worcestershire County Council, which is putting in £25,000.
The idea comes from a Government initiative called Playing For Success, which originally provided such schemes at football grounds.
Dan Zaltzman, the Warriors' community development manager, believes the novelty of learning at a premiership rugby site in itself will be enough to encourage children to learn.
He said: "It will be a great addition to the club. We have steadily increased our interaction with the local schools and
from page one
communities by introducing hundreds of young boys and girls to rugby union.
"Playing For Success takes this a step further allowing us to encourage local children to be more enthusiastic in their learning, helping them to engage in the education process by harnessing the 'wow' factor of being taught at Sixways."
It is not yet known when the site will open and Worcestershire County Council is talking to educational establishments to decide how, and by whom, it will be used.
Geoff Taylor-Smith, head of lifelong learning at the council, called it a "fantastic opportunity to improve children's achievements."
He said: "We will soon be appointing a manager who will take the scheme forward and work with schools to identify children who will benefit from this exciting new learning opportunity."
To make the centre a success, the club is asking other businesses to do their bit.
Mr Zaltzman added: "Although the funding will contribute to the costs of the erection and staffing of the study centre, we would certainly welcome any gifts.
"The Department For Education And Skills require that local businesses are engaged to provide support for the study centre.
"Anything from fresh produce, water, ICT equipment and even a minibus to help transport the youngsters to and from the centre is needed.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article