During the February half-term, 56 pupils from 11 Blackpool primary schools attended a two day Gifted and Talented camp held at the home of Blackpool FC, Bloomfield Road.
Pupils in years 5 and 6 who have been identified as being particularly talented within Physical Education were invited to attend the camp to give them the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the National Curriculum. They took part in a variety of activities that allowed them to focus on qualities such as communication, teamwork, leadership and resilience.
“During the first day we had a big focus on teamwork and creating an environment that was fun and accessible for their development, starting with mini challenges. Other activities across the two days varied from individual skills, ball control and team games such as handball to capture the essence of what is needed for sport at a higher level, both technical and social. The camp was enjoyable for participants and coaches, celebrating talent in an exciting way.”
The pupils were mixed together to allow them to meet new people from different schools. Over the two days the pupils showed an eagerness to learn, enthusiasm to join in with new and challenging activities, and most importantly, enjoyed themselves, with some of the pupils commenting;
”It’s been really fun and I’d love to come back again. I’ve loved doing the minute to win it activities”
“This morning has been really fun and challenging, I’m really excited to come back”.
The Gifted and Talented programme, part of the Trust’s Premier League Primary Stars project, is delivered in partnership with Sport Blackpool. The two organisations work together across a number of areas to provide opportunities to the young people of Blackpool. Over the previous 12 months the Gifted and Talented programme has been trialled which has included a number of camps, similar to the one recently delivered, and a festival that had 60 pupils attend. The camp during February had the highest number of pupils attend yet, which has been achievable through this partnership work.
Dave Rohman, Sports Development Officer and School Games Organiser for Sport Blackpool, spoke positively about the partnership work between the two organisations and the success the programme is now having. “It has been great to see so many children from our schools taking part in the Gifted & Talented Camps as it highlights the fantastic ability we have in Blackpool. We have really enjoyed working alongside the coaches from Blackpool FC Community Trust as it has allowed our own coaches to work with fellow sporting professionals with the common goal of celebrating the ability of the children and developing it even further. We hope the partnership continues to grow and we can work together to have a positive impact on the lives of many more Blackpool children.”
Pupils will now be invited to attend a further two camps during the Easter and May half-terms to further develop their skills, culminating in a Gifted and Talented festival in June.
