An exciting new learning initiative called Double Club was launched at The Radcliffe School in Milton Keynes on Friday 5th June 2009.

The pilot programme has been brought to the school by the MK Dons Sport & Education Trust and Milton Keynes Council Extended Services in partnership with the Department for Children Schools & Families (DCSF).

Double Club began with Arsenal FC nine years ago and combines curriculum time football themed lessons in a 'double' session to include football coaching. Twelve year 8 pupils from The Radcliffe School are the first to take part in the 40 hour programme which uses football to brush up on their literacy skills. Additional secondary schools will join the scheme in the autumn term.

A Dons branded learning space has been set-up at the school to be used for classroom sessions and pupils have also been given Dons football kit to identify them as learning champions for the scheme to wear both in the classroom and on the football pitch.

Double Club was launched at the school with a session to give guests and pupils a taste of what's to come over the coming weeks. The pupils turned reporters when they interviewed Dons team captain Dean Lewington. They then hit the pitch for a kick-about and keepy-uppies with Dean.

John Cove Chief Executive MK Dons Sport & Education Trust said: "This is another example of the wonderful working relationship between MK Dons Sport and Education Trust, MK Council and schools. It shows how powerful football and sport is in helping to raise standards of attainment and achievement - something that we hope to continue throughout the Borough".

John O'Donnell, Headteacher at The Radcliffe School said: "We are delighted that our school is taking part in Double Club. It's an initiative that has been wonderfully well received by students, staff and parents alike."

Angie Warde, the Dons' Playing for Success Centre Manager, said: "What makes this so exciting is the fact that the experience is authentic; the pupils are a real team, they get to interview a real player and play in a real tournament. All this makes for a rich learning experience for the children and young people who are lucky enough to be involved with Dons Double Club."

The Double Club programme has been successfully used to engage students in a variety of curriculum areas including modern foreign languages, numeracy and literacy. Incentives and rewards are provided for the pupils in the form of stadium visits in MK and the Emirates stadium in London, study sessions in the Playing for Success Centre and match tickets to attend the forthcoming international at stadiummk.

The programme culminates in a potential football tournament at the Emirates where MK Dons Double Club compete against kids from other Double Clubs such as Fulham FC, Northampton Town FC, West Ham FC and Arsenal FC.