Schools’ Football Week 2024 hits record participation levels

• Over a quarter of a million school pupils to benefit from the ESFA’s Schools’ Football Week campaign, in partnership with Pro:Direct Sport
  
• Almost 120,000 girls will benefit from some kind of schools’ football week activity from the 5^th – 11^th February 2024
  
• Schools’ Football Week participation has continued to grow for the 5^th consecutive season, with an additional 24,000 pupils engaging in activity thanks to primary and secondary school teachers in England

Schools’ Football Week (SFW), in partnership with Pro:Direct Sport, is an ongoing initiative created by the English Schools’ FA (ESFA) and designed as an opportunity for schools, teams and Associations from across the country to embrace schools’ football and the wellbeing benefits it provides to pupils and players. It celebrates the importance of schools’ football, competitive or otherwise, to pupils across England and provides teachers and coaches with tools and a motivation to further discuss the benefits of schools’ football within their educational environment, from the pitch to the classroom.

In February 2023, the campaign reached record levels of participation with 235,000 pupils benefitting and 108,000 girls and the ESFA is delighted that in 2024, these participation numbers have grown again and will see:

• Over 260,000 pupils benefitting from Schools’ Football Week activity
• Almost 120,000 girls taking part in activity thanks to the campaign

Schools have been provided with resources and opportunities to win football equipment for their activities, an assembly from award winning author of the Jamie Johnson football series, Dan Freedman and the opportunity for pupils to design their own England kit thanks to Pro:Direct Sport and Nike, with two winning designs to be turned into physical shirts for the winning artists to receive. The campaign has also promoted resources from the PLCF’S Premier League Primary Stars website, which can be used to enrich SFW classroom activity.

The ESFA’s SFW campaign is a fantastic way to show the many benefits of schools’ football both on the pitch and in the classroom. The Association, which is founded on the ethos of an educational establishment, works hard to share the many benefits of playing football at school such as, providing opportunities to develop positive relationships, creating a positive impact on pupil behaviour and truancy and encouraging teamwork. The SFW campaign is a great way to promote this messaging and to provide a platform for schools to showcase the excitement and enjoyment pupils get to experience first-hand.

Marvin Robinson, ESFA Chair said: “This event has consistently been a remarkable platform for celebrating the extensive benefits of school football. Collaborating with Pro:Direct allows the ESFA to extend our reach and share our enthusiasm for this initiative more widely than ever. 

I eagerly anticipate the variety of activities scheduled by schools next week, I am delighted to witness the continued growth and impact of this campaign in 2024 and look forward to seeing some of the activities taking place in schools from the 5^th – 11^th February. This year, the training camp for our England U15 Schoolgirls and U18 Schoolboys will also coincide with the end of Schools’ Football Week, and it is fantastic that those representing schools’ football at the highest level, will be able to do so and play their first friendly fixtures against ISFA, during the week-long celebrations”

The ESFA’s ambition is to continue to grow Schools’ Football Week year on year, but also use key data received from the 1,200+ schools that register their interest to find ways to create new and additional activity for those schools that are passionate about providing these opportunities to children, particularly within girls’ football.