On Saturday 16th January 2016, 30 of our children went to Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club for an experience they will never forget. The drive down to Lancashire took us over 3 hours but it was well worth it as the children got the opportunity to train in one of Rovers indoor arenas, coached by professionals who work with footballers every day. The training session lasted an hour and a half with the focus being ball control, passing and moving into space. The children were absolutely brilliant and thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
We then made our way into the stadium area where all of the children were presented with medals on stage at the Fan Zone by Rovers officials, a gesture the children were not expecting but was very well deserved for performing exceptional football skills during the session.
Following this, we spent some time looking around the club shop before taking our seats in the stadium. The children were so excited and then, twenty minutes before kick-off, all 30 of our children were escorted onto the pitch to wave flags and welcome the players of Blackburn Rovers and Brighton & Hove Albion. This was amazing for children from our school being involved in a championship match in front of 25,000 supporters.
To complete the package and a wonderful day, at half time the children were once again invited onto the pitch to be involved in a penalty shootout. The club were lovely and I was delighted they allowed the TV cameras to film the event and put it on the massive screen in the ground and the 1000 tv’s in the clubs and cafes under the terraces for the supporters to see all of the action.
Our children’s behaviour was impeccable and I was proud to be with them and so privileged to be their headteacher on this special day. I have had many phone calls and emails from the club and supporters who were in the ground to say how well our children performed and how much of a credit they were to Stanhope Barrington and Weardale in general.
Opportunities like this are champagne moments, experiences that will live long in the memories of all those who were involved and another reason why Stanhope Barrington Primary school continue to be a leading educator as we are able to offer activities and occasions that others can only dream of.
Well done to everyone and many thanks to those parents who supported on the day.
Mr S Myers
