“We never had facilities like this at school” – Stephen Bunting reacts as PDC Bullseye Maths project sparks surge in student interest

Stephen Bunting was greeted by a room full of new fans in Runcorn this week as the PDC’s Bullseye Maths programme visited Blessed Carlo Acutis Academy, where a new darts facility is already making a big impact.

The PDC star was at the school ahead of his appearance in the Premier League Darts in Liverpool, taking part in sessions designed to combine darts with numeracy while seeing first-hand how the sport is being used in the classroom.

“It's amazing to see and it's a brilliant idea,” said Stephen Bunting, as he stepped into a facility that reflects darts’ growing reach beyond the professional stage.

The idea for the darts room was sparked earlier this year, when interest in the sport surged among students during the World Championship. “We noticed the buzz around the school in January following the World Championship and when the idea of creating a darts room was put to students, we had an overwhelmingly positive response,” said headteacher Miss Freeman.

That enthusiasm quickly turned into action, with students directly involved in creating the space now being used daily. “It was great to involve them in creating the darts room and we've seen such an impact in the short time that the facility has been open.”

The result is more than just a place to play. It has opened up access to the sport for students who might otherwise miss out. “Many of our students might not otherwise have the chance to play darts outside of school, so for them to have a darts room available like this is really important.”

What sets the project apart is how closely it ties into learning, with darts providing a natural link to numeracy. “Darts is a sport in which maths is just as vital as the physical part of the game, and our students are continually testing their counting whilst playing,” Freeman explained.

That connection was reinforced during Bunting’s visit through sessions of the Bullseye Maths programme, delivered by the Junior Darts Corporation.

“We're seeing schools around the UK introducing darts rooms now as a place not only for their students to relax and learn a competitive sport but also to promote the maths benefits which darts can offer,” said Gary Horsley, Director of Education and Community Projects. “Through Bullseye Maths we are trying to grow number confidence across people of all ages and encourage interaction with numeracy. This was Bullseye Maths' first visit to a high school and it was great to be able to challenge the maths skills of some existing players whilst also introducing some students to the numeracy involved in the sport.”

For Bunting, the visit highlighted just how much the sport has evolved at grassroots level. “We never had facilities like this when I was at school but it's great to see an environment like this for the kids to get into darts at a young age,” he said.

The 39-year-old also pointed to the wider growth of the sport beyond the PDC stage. “Darts is booming and going from strength to strength, not just in the PDC but in communities too where so many people are getting into the sport now.”

That rise is being felt inside the classroom too, with the success of young stars helping to drive interest. “Seeing a local player like Luke Littler become World Champion has been an inspiration to so many students, and for them to get the chance to meet Stephen Bunting was wonderful,” Freeman said. “We wish him all the best in the Premier League on Thursday - he's got plenty of new fans from the school cheering him on!”

With the darts room already embedded into daily school life, the project highlights how the sport is expanding beyond the stage, bringing together competition, accessibility and learning for the next generation.