Education Secretary Lucy Powell travelled to Liverpool on Friday to see first-hand how a football-focused education programme is working with young people who are not following conventional academic pathways. The initiative, founded by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in 2011, combines classroom study with high-level football coaching for 16 to 19-year-olds.
Bridging sport and study
Gerrard said the scheme offers a vital chance for teenagers at a crossroads after compulsory schooling to continue learning while pursuing the sport. He described the progress of students – some of whom might otherwise have left formal education – as a “great buzz”, and emphasised the role of staff in day-to-day delivery.
“I was lucky, I had a career in the game, but if I didn't... I'd have been like a lot of these kids where you're at a crossroads when you come out of education.”
He told the BBC that giving young people a platform to improve their education alongside access to “the best sport” was “fantastic” and that the academy seeks to provide “the best possible facilities” so students can become “better versions of themselves”. He paid tribute to teachers and support staff who run the programme.
Government interest in vocational options
Powell, a known Manchester City supporter, said she had “huge respect” for the work being done at the Mossley Hill site. Her visit underlined ministers’ stated ambition to widen practical and vocational pathways so that pupils and college students can better prepare for employment and secure positive destinations after study.
The exchange highlights a persistent policy focus across Whitehall on alternatives to purely academic routes for 16–19-year-olds, and on partnerships that link education with employers and community organisations.
- Programme founded: 2011
- Age group served: 16–19 years
- Location visited: Mossley Hill, Liverpool
- Visitors: Education Secretary Lucy Powell and Steven Gerrard
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Founder | Steven Gerrard |
| Established | 2011 |
| Target age | 16–19 |
Officials and campaigners have previously argued that sport-based and vocational providers can re-engage young people who do not respond to more conventional classroom environments. The Mossley Hill project presents one model of how specialist centres can combine qualifications with practical training and mentoring.
For teachers and parents, the appeal of such programmes often lies in their combination of structure, clear progression routes and the strong motivational pull of sport. Gerrard’s profile brings attention and resources, but he stressed that the academy’s success depends on the staff who deliver lessons, pastoral support and coaching each day.
The visit serves as a reminder that ministers are watching grassroots and employer-linked initiatives as they pursue reforms intended to broaden post-16 options. Observers will be looking for how successful local schemes can be sustained or scaled without losing the intensive support that helps vulnerable students remain in education.
Powell’s comments reinforced a policy emphasis on preparing young people for jobs and ensuring colleges and schools focus on destinations as much as qualifications. The Mossley Hill centre will now sit alongside other pilot projects and college-led innovations being examined by the department as it seeks practical pathways into work and training.
As the education debate continues, the academy’s experience will be one of several real-world examples ministers can point to when arguing for expanded vocational and technical routes for young people on non-traditional academic paths.
