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PLAYING FOR SUCCESS IN BLYTH On 6th November, the brand new Playing for Success Centre at Blyth Spartans Football Club, was officially opened. The event was very well attended, with representatives from the football club, Blyth Valley Council including the Mayor and Mayoress, Northumberland County Council, teaching and extended services colleagues as well as many of the organisations and individuals who have supported the scheme. The capital build has been in development for over four years, so the opening marks the end of a great deal of work from the steering group. The occasion was marked by a release of balloons in the club colours. Elaine O'Connor and Robin Casson of Northumberland County Council Children’s Services Directorate described the evolution of the centre from a proposal on paper to a centre which has massive potential for the community of Blyth and the pupils of Northumberland. The Playing for Success Centre is currently working with four groups of children, each on a 10 week scheme, which uses football related lessons to make aspects of ICT, numeracy and literacy exciting and motivating. The aim for the centre’s staff is to work with over 360 pupils on the 10 week schemes each year, to raise their attainment and self esteem in the core subject areas, as well as offering team building days in schools, and working across Northumberland in engaging young people. Mark Lillico MLillico@northumberland.gov.uk 01670369960 Aiming High for Disabled Children Aiming High for Disabled Children is a major government initiative to improve support for families of children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders and those needing nursing care. One part of the project is to increase the range and type of short breaks for parents from the responsibilities of caring for their children. Every Local Authority in England will receive substantial grants to spend on new services that enable parents to have short breaks. The grant for Northumberland is £350,000 in 2009-10 and over a million pounds the following year. Jeremy Cripps, Head of Partnership, Planning and Participation in the Children’s Services Directorate is leading the project in Northumberland. During the summer parents of disabled children and young people were asked what sort of short breaks they would like. Top of the list were holiday play schemes, weekend clubs and after school activities for over 14 year olds. Parents would also like ‘family helpers’ – people who know their child and family well and who can be trusted to baby sit or accompany children to after-school clubs, sports and other activities. From January 2009 Jeremy will begin discussions with extended services coordinators about ways in which play schemes and after school clubs run in mainstream schools can be more inclusive for children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders. He will also be talking to special school extended service coordinators and third sector organisations about play schemes, after school activities and weekend clubs for those disabled children who require more specialist provision. NEW TEAM MEMBER Building on the very successful third sector locality meetings which were held during the summer term, Northumberland extended services central core team is delighted to welcome Marion Stewart, who has joined their team to further develop this work. Marion was the Acting Head Teacher at Bedlingtonshire High School before joining Trinity Youth Association for a year in 2007. A key focus of Marion’s role is to strengthen links between extended services personnel and voluntary, community and business colleagues. If you wish to follow up the locality networking events, find out more, or indeed just want to contribute to the extended services agenda, she would be delighted to hear from you. Marion can be contacted by email via MAStewart@northumberland.gov.uk or telephone 01670 533578.
Celebration of the opening of Sure Start’s Children’s Centres North in Alnwick Sure Start Children’s Centres North has recently opened their two new Children’s Centres in Alnwick – one on the site of St Michaels C of E School and the other on the site of Alnwick South School (Tic Toc). The Northumberland Digital Learning Awards provides an opportunity to develop the use of ICT tools imaginatively and creatively. Schools are invited to choose their own theme so that it relates to current work or a topic that is of interest to a particular class. So why not promote an extended services activity in your school or partnership? All schools are invited to take part. The groupings are as follows: Foundation, Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2, Upper Key Stage 2, Lower Key Stage 3, Upper Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and 6th Form. We are very grateful to Alnwick Garden, our partners, for supporting this award yet again and there will be a celebration big bash on 18 th June 2009. For further information and to register; visit the NoDis website at : http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ At present there are several drop-ins and groups held in the Centres:- • Parent and Toddler • Baby Buddies • Young Mums • Breastfeeding Workshops • Baby Massage • After School Clubs Through joint working with the Gallery Youth Project, Connexions and the Community Centre, we are looking to provide in the future a Dads’ Group and a Young Woman’s Group (Young Mums who are ‘moving on’). Early in the New Year, learning provision will be offered to parents through both family and adult learning. Examples include: • First Aid (to include babies and toddlers) • Skilled for Health (10 week programme) • Language and Play (6 week programme) • SHARE • Triple ‘P’ • Early Start Work and planning is on-going at present to set up and run pre-school sessions at both sites. Staff are looking at the feasibility of visiting all children at some stage in their first year. This has been proven in the past to be the most effective way of ensuring all local families know of the existence of the Children’s Centre and the support it can offer. Further work is now planned with our health colleagues to ensure each new child receives a visit at the optimum time, fitting in with the new Child Health Programme. Staff also aim to undertake more work to ensure a good level of outreach is provided to our more rural communities in the Alnwick area. If further information is required on any of the above, please contact:- Jacqui Gibb Children’s Centre Co-ordinator Tel:- 01665 600896
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