 The ambitious Sixways-based Playing for Success Centre will ensure that every child who walks through its doors will enjoy themselves, be healthy and learn from making a positive contribution to its success and be healthy. After a six-week transformation, the centre was handed over to Community Development Manager Dan Zaltzman just before Christmas. The occasion was marked by the handing over of a £25,000 cheque by the Wooden Spoon for the latest hardware and software. The Centre – which will be managed by Glyn Lodge – has clearly-defined links with Worcestershire’s Education Development Plan and will work to firmly-set priorities, starting with raising achievement in Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 levels, promoting inclusion, narrowing the achievement gap, and broadening perspectives.
 It’s housed in self-contained premises leased by Worcester Rugby from Worcestershire County Council at the rear of the South Stand at Sixways Stadium. The interior refurbishment has produced a superb corporate-style state-of-the-art learning environment that looks and feels as little like a classroom as possible. It boasts a secure reception area, an administration office, a partitioned ICT suite and teaching area, a multi-purpose room that acts as a soft working area, library, teaching room overspill area, and a student chill-out room. The whole project has been put together with the help of the youngsters who’ll be using it, following a two-day student workshop involving 15 students from four local primary and two secondary schools.
To support PfS students, Manager Glyn Lodge will call on a pool of volunteer mentors being recruited from the University of Worcester, Worcester Sixth Form College, two local secondary school sixth forms, local businesses and the community. Staff, supporters and Academy players of the club will also be involved. “This was one of the first projects I took on when I started the role in 2004,” says Warriors’ Community Development Manager Dan Zaltzman, who is a member of the steering committee overseeing the exciting project. “A lot of hard work has been carried out by a number of people from a number of different organisations to make this project become a reality. It’s the most exciting new addition to development of the club.” Among other things, students in Year 5 to 9 will be selected by the schools to help them improve literacy and numeracy, as well as build their interest in learning, or their confidence, self esteem and social skills.
PfS will support up to eight schools a term, meaning that around 120 students per term and 360 students annually will benefit. Initially, each group of 16 will be offered a 20-hour programme delivered in two-hour sessions over a 10-week period. “The main focus of the programmes will be activity-based learning through creativity and publication, largely around the theme of rugby and other sports,” says Glyn. “All students will receive a stadium tour as part of the programme and it’s intended that Warriors players and staff will be involved in some capacity that’s relevant to the students’ learning.”
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