A group of boys from Barry have been improving their numeracy, literacy and football skills after ‘signing’ for premier league giants Arsenal!

Seven pupils from Barry Comprehensive School have been benefiting from a special link up between Arsenal Football Club and the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s 5x60 team that is giving them an all-round education.

The boys have all been identified as needing a bit of extra help with their English and Maths, and thanks to Arsenal’s innovative ‘Double Club’ scheme, they are learning through football-themed classes.

The exercises are ideal for the soccer-mad year 7 to 9 pupils, and include creating football-related newspaper headlines and using Arsenal textbooks to make maths more fun.

The classes are held every Friday afternoon, and once the school bell rings for the end of the day the boys head over to the neighbouring Colcot Sports Centre for a 45-minute session playing futsal – an indoor technique-based style of football that was born in Brazil.

The combination of futsal and the ‘Double Club’ classroom lesson was suggested to the school by Kantz Misra, a volunteer from the Elim Church in Barry who had heard about how Arsenal’s scheme had made a big impact in communities elsewhere in the UK.

Kantz, who delivers both the classroom and futsal sessions, said: "This project really engages with the boys, helps to make learning fun and opens their eyes to a different type of football. The marriage of futsal and Arsenal is perfect, with the samba-style in keeping with the Gunners’ own ideals of fast flowing football, technique, enjoyment and playing in the right spirit."

Delighted with the all-round education that the boys are getting, Barry Comprehensive School’s headteacher David Swallow said: "The enthusiasm and commitment the boys have shown is very heartening and the progress they have made is significant. We would like to thank everyone involved in the scheme for their help and support. It has been a tremendous success."

The initiative started up during last year’s summer term as a pilot, and it has grown in popularity ever since, with the futsal side also being opened up to all pupils at the school as part of the Sports Council for Wales’ 5x60 initiative – which is supported locally by the Vale of Glamorgan Council - that encourages extra-curricular sporting activities.

Explaining the game further, Ben Williams, the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s 5x60 officer for Barry Comprehensive School, said: "Played with a smaller ball with reduced bounce, futsal encourages players to use their flair, creativity and ball control to pass the ball to a team-mate in small spaces. The game is also less physical than regular football, with ‘team fouls’ awarded for any off the ball contact. After five team fouls a penalty is awarded, so a high level of discipline is also called for. We’ve been delighted with futsal’s success at Barry Comprehensive and are looking to create futsal intra-form leagues, competitions between schools and have a long-term aim of having a regular futsal development session for local youngsters."

As a reward for the seven Barry boys who have shown such commitment to the initiative, Ben and Kantz took them on a trip to London for a tour of Arsenal’s Emirates stadium. Kantz said: "It was a real treat for the boys and they fully deserved it. Their behaviour and attitude has been first class and they thoroughly enjoyed their tour of the stadium, seeing the changing rooms, sitting in the dugout and imagining what it would be like to be a top player. Not all of the boys are Arsenal supporters but I think a couple may have been converted after the trip!"

If you’d like to find out more please call Kantz Misra on 07876 646365. For further details about the 5x60 scheme in the Vale of Glamorgan please call the Vale Council’s sports and play development manager Karen Davies on 01446 704614 or email kjdavies@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk