Project takes pupils from the classroom to the pitch

An English GCSE booster session took a group of Pentrehafod pupils out of the classroom and onto the football pitch – thanks to Gower College Swansea and the Reaching Wider Partnership.

College lecturer Duane Sanders, who devised the sessions in partnership with the school’s English department, incorporated a competition for the pupils to write a letter about meeting a premiership football player.

“We wanted to link football with writing to show the boys that communication is absolutely vital in everything we do in life,” says Alysha Rumbelow, Head of English at Pentrehafod. “That's why we came up with this programme - to improve literacy through the things our pupils love. Nationally, there is a gap in literacy attainment between boys and girls and, at Pentrehafod, we strive to close that gap at every opportunity. The boys excelled themselves and I'm so proud of their work and the way they conducted themselves at the stadium.”

Among the pupils selected to tour the Liberty Stadium was Brad Israel, who said:

“This competition was to boost our motivation to write confidently in our English exams. I enjoyed the whole experience of the tour, sitting in the players’ changing room and walking through the tunnel onto the pitch. This has inspired me to aim high in everything I do and I feel more prepared for my upcoming exams.”

The South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership aims to increase participation in higher education by people from under-represented groups and communities, with a specific focus on Communities First areas, looked after children and care leavers.