The ACE programme 'catch to catch up' scheme (360G-Walcot-0061E00001LEYRnQAP)

A partnership project between the Ben Hollioak Learning Centre (BHLC), which Walcot has funded regularly since 2012 to provide literacy/numeracy and cricket skills sessions, and the ACE Programme Charity, an organisation set up in 2020 to get more black British young people playing cricket. This project will offer an after-school club to 360 children aged between 9 - 12 (the vast majority of whom will be pupil premium and live near the Oval cricket ground). Each group will run for 3 hours a week for 10 weeks and be made up of cricket coaching and classroom learning. The classroom sessions will be run by 2 experienced TAs (who are also trained emotional literacy support assistants) and incorporate a project called 'supporter to reporter', teaching journalistic skills with a focus on communication, media and literacy. Further to this typing and numeracy skills will be incorporated. Cricket coaching will be offered via the ACE charity, which will provide 2 experienced coaches per session to teach the basics of the game whilst also 'scouting' talented black male or female cricketers who may be offered scholarships. Further to the learning and cricket, students will get the chance to meet and interview professional crickets, tour the ground and take part in an awards ceremony at the Oval.