THE power of football is being harnessed to boost youngsters' maths and literacy.

Primary school students are being taught the subjects through football-related tasks at the American Express Community Stadium, home of the Albion.

The Goal Difference initiative has been set up by Albion in the Community (AITC), the football club's charity, with American Express.

Students are taught numeracy skills such as percentages, measurements and data through football-related tasks and exercises such as stadium capacity, pitch lengths, club shop merchandising, player statistics and Fantasy Football.

Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary is also taught using match-day programmes and football articles.

Three local primary schools and 45 pupils will take part in the programme this year, delivered by AITC’s Curriculum Development Manager, Dave Freeborn, and helped by volunteers from Amex.

Students from Years 5 and 6 at Mile Oak School, Brighton, have been the first to take part over the past few weeks.

Ivan Mainprize, a vice-president at American Express, said: “We’re hoping to help youngsters understand key curriculum areas in a fun and interesting way.

"Just being at a venue like the Amex Stadium, outside of a mainstream classroom environment, can help inspire and motivate young people to learn.

"This is one of several initiatives where we partner with AITC to help young people and adults learn new skills and enhance employability prospects that will benefit themselves, the wider community and the local economy longer-term.”