On Thursday 17^th July, the Cobblers Study Centre held its end of term presentation evening in the Sixfields Stadium. The presentation evening gave an opportunity to over one hundred parents and teachers to celebrate the success of young learners who had taken part in the Playing for Success scheme. 

The Study Centre uses the environment and medium of football as a motivational tool to help raise literacy, numeracy and ICT standards amongst KS2 and KS3 pupils throughout Northamptonshire. 

This presentation evening was particularly notable as it was the first to include children from Daventry schools that had attended the Study Centre for the first time.  These schools were The Grange, Ashby Fields, Southbrook Junior, Falconers Hill and Raeburn.

The presentation evening included a showing of photos of the children at work over the last ten weeks.  Three representative of the Cobblers Youth Team assisted Study Centre Manager Jean Limpitlaw in presenting certificates and football goody bags to participants of the scheme.  The youth players also posed for photographs and signed autographs.  The young learners were also treated to a surprise visit from the official Cobblers mascot Clarence.

Congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the Playing for Success scheme this year.  All staff at the Study Centre are looking forward to kicking off a new term in September.  

Volunteering as a Mentor at the Cobblers Study Centre is continuing to be an extremely rewarding experience. Thirteen students walk in through the doors on the first day of their experience here, shy and uncertain of what to expect. In a few short weeks the students charge through the doors, excited about their new challenges. It is my pleasure as a mentor to be a friend to these students, helping them to improve their Literacy, Numeracy and ICT skills through games and challenges. As some of these students have never experienced using a computer before it is wonderful that they are learning these new skills. Orienteering, Smoothie making and the Club Challenge are just a few of the experiences which I am proud to be a part of, supporting, guiding and building confidence in the students which will last throughout life. I have made some wonderful friends in the students who I have supported, many who feel sad on their final departure from our centre, and the staff here continue to make my work fulfilling and enjoyable.

Gail Taylor - Student at the University of Northampton

On the 3rd of May the Cobblers Study Centre welcomed a group of children and staff from the WBA Study Centre to Sixfields. The group are taking part in a Gifted and Talented project, run by the study support centre at WBA, that will take them to a number of study centres in football clubs around the country. The group  participated in a range of activities during the course of the day including the Stadium Orienteering Challenge, team games and a sequencing activity based on the life of Walter Tull. The day was rounded - off with tickets to the Cobblers final match of the season against Tranmere. The day was a great success and children from the Cobblers Study Centre can look forward to a return visit to the Hawthorns next season.

The Study Centre is currently running a leadership programme for Northampton School for girls. The programme is being run in partnership with the Community Programme, with Darren Norton delivering the JFO (Junior Football Organiser) course to the students. The four Year 9 students from NSG attend the study centre for 3 hours per week during which time they receive an hour of JFO course instruction and two hours of Playing for Success type activities. The programme is designed to develop leadership skills, build confidence and raise self-esteem in young people and has proven to be very successful so far. The four students will ultimately plan and run a football festival for children from the local community. As part the course requirements they have already planned and run two very successful practical sessions at Upton Meadows Primary School. The feedback from the school has been very positive and the NSG students were able to make a significant contribution to the school community. This programme is the latest new project piloted by the Study Centre, bringing together a number of partners to ensure its success.

1 April 2008

Another successful Playing for Success term was brought to a close with the presentation evening on the 1^st April. Parents, carers, teachers and friends were invited down to the club to celebrate all that the young people have achieved over the course of the programme. Presentation Evenings are always popular and this was no exception with the Executive Restaurant filled to capacity. Mark Bunn and Liam Doleman were on hand to present certificates and goody bags to the young people from the following schools:

Kingsthorpe College

Kingsheath Primary School

Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School

Kingsthorpe Village Primary School

Green Oaks Primary School

Whitehills Primary School

The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School

All Saints CEVA Primary School

After announcing the winners of the ‘Champions League’ competition, there was just enough time to get some autographs signed and pose for a photo or two.

The next PfS programme starts on the 21^st of May and we are pleased to welcome the Daventry schools in to the centre for the very first time.

  The new Playing for Success term has started in the Cobblers Study Centre. We are very pleased to welcome children from Kingsheath, Kingsthorpe Village, Kingsthorpe Grove, Whitehills, The Good Shepherd, All Saints, Sunnyside and Greenoaks primary schools. We are also pleased to have a number of students from Kingsthorpe College visiting the centre on Monday afternoons. The children will spend the next 10 weeks attending the centre on specific days to take part in a variety of activities in and around the study centre and stadium. During this week (week commencing 21 January) the children spend time introducing themselves, designing personalised name badges using the computers, setting up their learning log and completing a number of team challenges. Next week is the real introduction to the Northampton Town Football Club when the children will experience the stadium tour and have the opportunity to create their own comic strip tour using photos taken around the stadium.

 What an amazing and fun evening that signalled the end of a full 10 week programme to all the students attending the PfS sessions for autumn 2007.

With the executive restaurant full to capacity the audience from families, friends and teachers all gave their support. This is a real testament to the achievements by the centre in making this so successful. Many thanks go to the following schools:

The Duston School

Duston Eldean

Lyncrest

Chiltern Avenue

Upton Meadows

St Lukes

Caroline Chisholm

Hopping Hill

Players Nick Thorogood and Mark Haines attended to sign autographs and pose for photos. They assisted centre staff in congratulating children on their hard work this term. It is always a huge impact on children to meet club players.

We are 3 weeks into the playing for success activities. So far the students have used ICT to create their own name badges and designing origami shirts. In the second week a maths orienteering challenge was set around the stadium this was tackled with loads of enthusiasm and energy. In the third week the students were split into teams working well together to complete robolab challenges designing and building their own buggies, also they were given a lesson in healthy eating which they took forward into designing menus for the squad and creating their own smoothie recipes. 

We have 8 schools attending the centre this year Caroline Chisholm, Chiltern Primary, Eldean Primary, Hopping Hill Primary, Lyncrest Primary, St Lukes Primary, Upton Meadows and The Duston School. All the students have been keeping a log of their time at the centre setting goals and tasks for each session below are a few comments so far:

Ellen (Duston School) - It’s really fun and exciting!

Lel (Caroline Chisholm School) - The team games are great and I am really enjoying all the different activities.

Amy (St Lukes Primary) - I really like going on the computers and meeting other people.

Cameron (Upton Meadows Primary) - I have achieved all my goals, but time at the cobblers centre goes too quickly.

All the students are a credit to their schools. To find out more about what’s going on please visit the PfS heading

Mereway Community College brought the sunshine with them on Monday 8th October as they experienced a tour of the NTFC. This is the second part of their double club the first being a physical session at their school, the second being education session with the Cobblers Study Centre, this is a unique opportunity to improve standards and achievement. This term the ‘Double Club’ is linked and supported by NTFC.

Russell Lewis took the students through the club engaging them on all aspects of football and club history, from going behind the scenes of the boardroom to the changing rooms. This experience brought to life the importance of connecting students with their ability in sport and education.

A fascinating insight and all the students thanked him for his time, the students then moved into the study centre where they created origami football shirts and a comic strip with photos taken of them on the visit. This has enabled students to improve their ICT and literacy, a very good day had by all.