STAR COMMUNITY Eden Girls’ inspires Manchester’s next generation of sports leaders Inspired by the heritage and achievements of its city’s famous football and cricket clubs, Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester is developing the next generation of sports leaders through the SLQ Sports Leaders Programme. This term, Year 8 pupils at the school began to work towards their Level 1 qualification in Sports Leadership. Last year, 248 Year 8 girls completed Level 1 of the programme, which qualifies them to lead a sport session under direct supervision. Qualifications in Sports Leadership enable young people to learn and demonstrate important life skills such as effective communication and organisation, whilst leading basic physical activities for younger people, their peers and older generations within the community. The qualification involves both guided and peer-to-peer learning and supervised leadership to ensure that learners have all the skills they need to lead basic physical activities. As part of the programme, pupils are tasked with designing and creating session plans in a sport of their interest. Pupils then work through the programme, which promotes the qualities of leadership necessary for sport but also wider areas of life, including safety, access to equipment and presentation skills. Teachers are looking forward to the pupils leading their sessions, where they will initially practise working in small groups and ultimately progress to working as an individual leader, directing groups taking part in the sport.
Super Tudor day for Blackburn pupils History was brought to life for the pupils at The Olive School, Blackburn after the school was turned into a Tudor court for a special ‘super learning’ day. Year 4 pupils dressed in Tudor clothing and spent the day engaging in Tudor-themed activities, including an art project where pupils drew Tudor inspired pictures. A highlight of the day was a lavish Tudor banquet. It was hosted by King Henry VIII (Mr Bailey) who was called to lunch by the school’s very own Jester (played by Mr Astly). King Henry VIII was welcomed into the school canteen by the children whilst lutes played a Tudor medley in the background. Lunch was soon served and pupils enjoyed a feast of chicken drumsticks, pies and berries. King Henry VIII proclaimed himself to be on a diet and pronounced that he would therefore only be able to eat 14 chicken wings and five pies! Pupils also experienced Tudor punishment when the stocks were wheeled out containing Mr Bailey. Mrs Walsh ensured that all the pupils had extra wet sponges to ensure Mr Bailey was duly punished. Pupils and staff had a wonderful and fun day filled with laughter and excitement and are planning to hold another super learning day in the near future.
AUTUMN 2020 ISSUE 05
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