TEENAGERS at risk of being excluded from school are taking part in new life skills sessions at Southend United's football ground to help them stay in class.

Once a week, the club's minibus takes kids to the Roots Hall stadium for a three-hour class.

The sessions aim to teach youngsters to lead more productive lives, with the added incentive of football training from coaches.

The Goals programme is funded by Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership, and run by Southend United's Community and Educational Trust.

Mary Spence, chief executive of the partnership, said: "Youngsters can often be easily written off at a young age.

"But with the right direction, they can become very productive members of society, go on to lead good lives and avoid sinking into a life of crime.

"This kind of course offers life skills, with the added incentive of football training from the coaches at the trust, is one way we can help keep them on the straight and narrow."

Gill Klein, learning support manager at Southend's Cecil Jones College, which has taken part in the programme, added: "The course shows youngsters how to deal with problems outside college, as well as inside.

"If you give them the support they need, then once they are happy in themselves it has a knock-on effect on their work."