This week’s School of the Week showcases the impact of the Premier League Inspires programme in the school.
- The Deanery High School named this week’s School of the Week
- Staff from the Trust have been delivering the PL Inspires programme in the school
- “The students have really gained in confidence in school. They’ve improved their attendance and they’ve taken a more active role around the school community as well.” – Assistant Headteacher, Mr Tobin.
Wigan Athletic Community Trust has named The Deanery Church of England High School as this week’s School of the Week!
At the school, Community Trust staff have been delivering the PL Inspires programme, which works with pupils who might be at risk of not reaching their full potential at school, with the aim of building their resilience and confidence.
Currently, pupils at the school are working on a social action project idea for the PL Inspires challenge, with this year’s theme for the challenge being mental health. So far, a group of students have come up with the idea for a flower garden to be built in their school, which would be a place for pupils to go and relax, away from the pressures of school work or anything that might be weighing on their mind.
The group will then have the potential to progress further in the challenge, presenting their idea alongside other schools, with one school winning the challenge overall and being able to bring their idea to life.
Inclusion Officer at the Trust, Chloe Lawless, has been working with the pupils on their idea and says she has noticed a positive change in them. She said:
“One of the biggest impacts is confidence. Being able to create an idea, put it in a presentation, and then being able to speak, even if it’s just in front of their other peers, is massive.
“And to be able to plan out different creative ways on how they can positively impact the mental health of the school is great, and it’s something that they can take ownership of as well and leave a legacy at their school behind once they’ve carried it through.”
Mr. Tobin is the Assistant Headteacher at the Deanery and agrees that there has already been a positive change within the pupils. Speaking to him during one of our school visits, he said:
“It gives the students an opportunity to look at real world issues, have their say and have a real input into that themselves.
“It’s been really, really effective. The students that we’ve selected within the different year groups in Year 7,8 and 9 have really gained in confidence in school. They’ve managed to improve their attendance and they’ve taken more of an active role around the school community as well.”
For more information on our work with secondary schools, please contact Secondary Schools Manager, Joe Rose, by emailing j.rose@wiganathletic.com or call our Community Trust offices on 01942 318090.