Playing For Success
Motivational Study Support
Playing for Success is a Study Support scheme that uses football, and more specifically Pompey, as a motivational and learning tool. It has now been running successfully for seven years and is continuing to develop and diversify.
The children attend ten two hour sessions, twice weekly for a period of five weeks. A variety of activities are delivered every session. These include opportunities to improve creative writing skills, reading, speaking and listening, key skills in numeracy and ICT as well as games and team building activities.
There is plenty of learning support with mentors, predominately from the University of Portsmouth, working along side the pupils. The mentors support, encourage and motivate the youngsters.
Pupils have lots of opportunities to visit Fratton Park; they edit their own short film of their experience using the Study Centre’s suite of Apple Macs.
Other opportunities may include interviewing a Pompey player or attending a Premiership match.
The pupils are rewarded with incentives at the end of each session, to encourage continued achievement. The grand finale of the experience is a Celebration Event at Fratton Park where pupils are again rewarded for their hard work. A visitor, often the Pompey Mascot, Frogmore, or a Pompey player, present prizes and certificates to all the pupils and families, teachers and friends are also invited to attend.
Evaluations are continually positive, as you can see from the comments below:
Pupil's View
"I have got better at working by myself now but still need to stop asking questions when I can work it out myself."
Pupil from Cottage Grove
"I liked working in a small group with my mentor as he showed me loads of stuff on the computers."
Pupil from Langstone School
Teacher’s view
"The pupils have increased in confidence in many areas. Their ICT skills have improved and the best thing is that the pupils feel special just because they have been chosen to go."
"Playing for Success is well organised with no hassle for us back at school. Good communication from Centre and excellent use of resources we can’t access at school. All in all – FANTASTIC!"
Parent’s view
"Her overall confidence and communication skills have really improved. She has got so much better on the computer and is asking to read at home. Thank you so much for this opportunity."
Parent from Gatcombe Park Primary
"The Study Centre has really helped him with his English. He usually finds it difficult to get his ideas down on paper - at the Study Centre he produced some fabulous work; perhaps because the setting and the subject made it more interesting for him."
Mentor’s view
"I loved interacting with and helping the children. They are all so different! It’s been good to get experience with so many different personalities!"