xl clubs: A practical way to learn. A positive way to achieve.
In a growing number of schools and non-mainstream centres across the UK, xl clubs target young people facing difficulties in education and work with them on a personal development curriculum that promotes achievement and encourages success.
Deliberately informal, xl clubs seek to re-engage and motivate young people. xl club members learn to take responsibility, develop social skills and enjoy the benefits of teamwork.
The curriculum
The 6 main curriculum areas of the xl programme are:
Personal, interpersonal and team skills
Citizenship and community awareness
A community based project
A residential activity (where possible)
* Entrepreneurship and enterprise
Preparation for the world of work/training
* Please note Scotland run an xlerate with xl, enhanced entrepreneurship and enterprise model
How clubs are structured Mainstream schools:
The majority of xl clubs operate in mainstream schools. However, an increasing number of non-mainstream centres are now introducing xl into their curriculums. Examples of the types of non-mainstream centres that already form part of the xl network are PRUs, YOIs, FE Colleges and Youth Centres.
Each club operates a 'closed' five-term programme where club members are encouraged to work together to achieve goals relating to their education, training and future lives.
Each club:
operates in a school
has 12 to 15 members and meets for at least three hours a week
is student led, empowering young people to make positive choices about their future
is guided and encouraged by an xl club Adviser with strong group work and facilitation skills. xl club Advisers are often drawn from the Youth Service or Careers Service
starts at the beginning of the penultimate year of compulsory schooling and ends with the last year
Non-mainstream Centres
• Operate in a non-mainstream centre • Have between 5 - 10 participant • are student led • are guided by an xl club Adviser • Run for a minimum of 6 months How young people are recruited
recruitment is voluntary
young people who would most benefit from the programme are identified to take part
selection follows an application process and interviews
Accreditation The Prince's Trust xl Award, accredited by ASDAN, supports the xl programme and recognises the development of xl club members. The Award can be achieved at three levels; xl Bronze, xl Silver and xl Gold reflecting development of a broad range of competencies through the xl curriculum. In addition to developing competencies xl Silver and xl Gold can also provide accreditation of the wider key skills units of Working with others, Improving own learning and Problem solving.
Positive outcomes Evaluation has demonstrated that young people who take part in xl clubs are consistently showing:
improved attendance and punctuality
increased completion of their final year
an increase in the number of qualifications attempted
improved quality of evidence for National Record of Achievement
The latest evaluation 93% of xl participants said that they would recommend the clubs to others, and 90.4% reported at least some improvement in the personal development skills of confidence, motivation and taking responsibility.
The Prince's Trust, schools and non-mainstream centres All clubs are independent, but the network of schools and centres running xl across the UK is co-ordinated by The Trust. Mainstream schools running xl are carefully selected. xl works with the schools that facing the greatest challenges - where levels of attainment are amongst the lowest, whilst levels of behaviour and economical disadvantage are amongst the highest in the UK. The Trust has responsibility for the strategic development of the network as well as:
establishing the minimum standards for running the xl programme
providing all xl club Adviser and learning materials for the programme
providing induction and update training for xl club Advisers
holding local celebration events for xl club members
Monitored by Ofsted The xl network went through extended monitoring by Ofsted at the start of 2003. The overall findings were very positive, with Ofsted concluding that "xl represents a very effective alternative curriculum" and that the young people demonstrated "very demonstrable gains in self-confidence and communication skills". For more information download Ofsted's monitoring notebook.
xl is a Registered Trademark of The Prince's Trust.
Laura's got it nailed Laura Morgan, once on a road to nowhere, realised her worth with an xl school club and started her own nail bar. Read her story
RBS Group staff get in on the xl action Royal Bank of Scotland Group staff are taking up the challenge to support young people in local xl clubs. More
Success outside the mainstream Seven out of ten xl clubs outside of mainstream schools have seen improvement in their students. A new report looks at xl's success in settings outside the mainstream. More
Rugby heroes run out for xl Read about RBS Six Nations action for xl clubs at Murrayfield
High marks again In the latest xl evaluation, 90% of participants said they'd recommend xl clubs to others. Download the 2005 Evaluation Report (755kb PDF)
