Over 350 students, parents and school staff attended our end of spring term presentation evening on Monday. Everyone came together to acknowledge the achievement of students, rewarding them with a certificate and goody bag for their hard work.

Saints players Matt Lord and Neil Best were there along with Bernie the Saints mascot to present the awards. Saints captain Bruce Reihana also made a special appearance to see his step-daughter collect an award after attending the eight week term at the study centre.  

The Abbey Primary School received a special award for the highest recorded attendance at the Saints Study Centre this term (97.6%). A trophy was presented to the Headteacher, Renuka Popat, by the players. The average overall attendance from the young learners this term was 92.8%. Well done to all our young learners – a fantastic achievement!!!!

Kevin Burke, Northampstonshire’s County Jester and tutor of circus skills got some of the young people up to show their parents what they have learnt in his sessions. From juggling balls to tricks with the Diablo, all the students showed immense bravery performing in front of nearly 400 people.

The Centre Manager, Pete Austen also said, “Goodbye” to Vicki Campkin who has been working at the centre for the last two years as a Senior Study CentreAssistant. She now moves on to Silverstone Study Centre to become their Centre Coordinator. We will miss you Vicki – Good luck in your new role!

This week the young learners who take part in the Playing for Success programme have completed follow up work on the stadium tour.

Using a template designed on Microsoft Publisher, the children have been producing a comic strip. Each child has learnt new skills on the computers to insert photographs taken during their tour, a title and information into a text box. Once the content had been produced, the children could then place background colours on the template.

Next week- Player Interviews

This week the Playing for Success pupils been taking part in stadium tours and healthy eating sessions.

Young learners from St Mary’s, Boothville,  and Woodvale Primary Schools and Thomas Becket Secondary School have been exploring the Saints stadium at Franklin’s Gardens this week. The pupils have learnt about the stands, club sponsors, famous Saints players, the history of the club and much more while on the stadium tour. They visited the home and away team changing rooms, the press room where the coaches and players are interviewed after a game and sat in the team seats. They even ran out of the tunnel just like a Saints player on a match day.

Meanwhile, pupils from Abbeyfield Secondary, Spring Lane, Castle and St James Primary Schools learnt about the importance of a healthy lifestyle with Jeanette.  Lots of different fruits were available for the young learners to taste and eventually they used their favourites to make a smoothie. Whilst trying all the fruit, the children learnt about a balanced diet, the importance of having their 5 a day and the role breakfast plays in their day.

Enjoy the holidays next week and we look forward to seeing everyone the week after for ICT follow- up work to the stadium tour.

This week our Playing for Success groups have been taking part in Shakespeare drama workshops.

The groups have been arriving at the Study Centre to be met with drinks and biscuits, a light refreshment after a busy school day. Once refreshed, the young learners sat down to watch a short, ten minute, DVD all about Shakespeare, his life, times and famous plays. Keiron Jones, from Shakespeare Works, then took the young learners over to one of the Saints function rooms to start the drama workshop. Throughout the week, children have been learning about and acting out plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and The Tempest.

Next week: Stadium tours and healthy eating (smoothie making)

This week we have been very busy in the Study Centre as our eight Playing for Success schools, for the Autumn term, have taken part in their Induction Day. Each morning (Mon- Thurs) thirty year 5 pupils from 2 schools (fifteen from each) have arrived at the Study Centre at 10am to be welcomed by Pete, Jeanette and Vicki. The young learners were shown around the Study Centre and had their photos taken next to Bernie, the Saints Mascot. Using these photographs and their new and existing ICT skills, the children created a name badge on the computers. Whilst one group was in the ICT zone with Pete, another group was making and designing an Origami sports kit with Jeanette in the Academy Room.  Following these activities the young people were able to get changed in the Saints team changing rooms ready for their practical tag rugby session delivered by Saints Community Coaches on the Saints training pitches.

After all the running around in the fresh air, the children then had their lunch. In the afternoon, the groups swapped over so they both had a chance to make a name badge and an origami sports kit. By this time it was 2pm and almost time to go back to school. So the young learners then had a chance to make a postcard on the computers using all their photographs that had been taken during the day. Half past two soon came along with lots of moans and groans about leaving the centre and having to go back to school!

All the groups had a wonderful time and we look forward to seeing them all next week for the start of the after school Playing for Success sessions.

All schools will be picked up by Vicki at the allocated time and dropped off again at the end of the session.

See you all next week!

Presentation Evening – July 2007