The Government has opened 38 study centres in football clubs over the last four years. And it has been popular - at least 20,000 children have gone to the after school classes.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds United are all taking part.

The National Foundation for Educational Research published a study of the government's scheme after interviewing children in 12 centres around the country.

Researchers found that childrens' achievement improved enormously.

Students at primary schools improved their mental arithmetic scores and students at secondary schools improved both their reading and mental arithmetic scores.

The report also found that the majority of students taking part were from poor families and were doing worse at school than their peers when they started the football scheme.

Researchers found that students benefited regardless of their ethnic background or their family circumstances.

In maths, the gains nearly brought the children surveyed up to the level expected for their age, especially in the case of 11-year-olds.