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.

On Wednesday 23 January the Women’s Farming Union (WFU) spent the day in the Study Centre promoting the Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) Farmhouse Breakfast Week. The centre was transformed for the day as the WFU set up an interactive display including posters and items for the children to look at and touch relating to a variety of areas of farming. A number of children from Upton Meadows, Lyncrest and St Luke’s primary schools joined us in the centre at various times during the course of the day. The children were treated to bacon rolls, apple juice, locally grown apples and a ‘farming in the classroom’ session on British farming delivered by the WFU. The ‘farming in the classroom’ session was fun and informative for the children drawing on their own experiences and increasing their awareness of British farming and healthy eating. Great fun was had by all and the children left the centre buzzing with excitement and their new found knowledge of the countryside.

A big thank you must go to the WFU for giving up their day to work with our local schools and share their knowledge and experience with the children.

  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.

 An Excellent start to the ‘Coaching for life’ scheme.

Run by the Cobblers Study Centre and Football in the Community young people aged between 13 and 19 years old have started to attend the Coaching for life scheme organised by Connexions.

The Centre is getting them started this can be the hardest part. However, we are able to help and identify achievements and skills so they can produce a CV. This can seem like an impossible task. You just don’t know what to put in or what to leave out. You may feel you’ve done nothing and achieved nothing that’s relevant.  The programme is designed through a series of workshops to provide help for the young people so they can focus on goals and encouragement to attain those goals.

 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.

After a great summer school the new season of Playing for Success will start. Margaret, Anthony and Jean are looking forward to meeting all the students and setting them new and exciting challenges!

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