Record numbers sign up to new SPAR School Zone initiative

The SPAR FAI School Zone was launched by Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny last month, and the new initiative now has record numbers participating.

For 2021, the four-week initiative replaced the more traditional SPAR FAI Primary School 5s five-a-side programme that was curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The initiative offers interactive and engaging activity sheets designed with the classroom in mind. The content has been created in consultation with a panel of teachers and promises to engage, educate and enthuse students.

Similar to the five-a-side competitions previously run, in association with SPAR, this initiative caters for boys and girls in fouth, fifth and sixth class.

Following the Easter break, students have all returned to the classroom this week, and this milestone marks the halfway point in the programme.

So far, 96,440 participants in 1,825 classes have been registered by 1,175 teachers. Children in every county in Ireland have been engaging in the weekly activities, with 45% female participation.

The new teaching resource has innovative-football themed lessons which are emailed to those who have registered. English, Irish, maths, geography, history and some fun activities are all covered in the School Zone, along with healthy eating options and football challenges.

Once a parent or teacher signs up, the activity sheets are emailed direct to the recipients, along with the answer sheets.

Teachers who sign up for the SPAR FAI School Zone will be automatically entered into a competition which will see one school in each county winning a special commissioned football kit, while one school selected from all participating schools nationwide will win a grand prize of a Zoom call with three Irish international players for their class.

The sponsorship of the SPAR FAI School Zone initiative, developed by the FAI, is a continuation of SPAR’s dedication to grassroots football, following on from the successful SPAR FAI Primary School 5s programme.

Teachers in Louth, Waterford and Wexford have topped the registration bill with the most engaged schools in the country, with parents in Mayo, Dublin, Cork and Galway also showing huge interest in the initiative, with their children working on the activities in the evening and weekends.

Regardless of the release dates, activity sheets can be used in the classroom or at home to test your children’s football knowledge in a fun and interactive manner.

Week four (series 7 and 8) content will be available to both teachers and parents by Monday next, April 19, so register now for your direct mail shot.