Montsaye on tour at Rushden and Diamonds Football Club

On Friday 29^th February, Year 9 “Double Club” students from Montsaye Community College,  Rothwell visited Rushden and Diamonds Football Club and the Diamonds Study Centre. This visit is part of the Double Club programme, based on a model created at Arsenal FC, which has been running at the school where disengaged students receive study support sessions in order to improve their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills through sport. These classes also aim to boost self-confidence and self esteem. Usually, Double Club teacher from the Northants Study Centres Anna Letts visits the school for one day each week but this week the class are on the move.

Thirteen students, along with their Montsaye teacher Mr Brotherstone, spent the day at the Nene Park Stadium and undertook a range of educational and practical activities, led by Study Centre manager Rob Jones. First they made a name badge using their ICT skills and the Diamonds Study Centre’s brand new computers to incorporate digital photos, backgrounds and RDFC logos. Then they used PowerPoint and their Internet research skills to construct two player profiles of well-known footballers. One was from the current RDFC squad and one was their favourite player who plays in the same position from a team of their choice, usually from a Premiership team. Students used the RDFC website as well as wikipedia and football sites to write a short biography and summary of the players’ careers. This enabled students to learn more about RDFC players and the club.

Meanwhile, outside the Sports Centre where the Study Centre is housed, on the two training pitches nearby, the Rushden and Diamonds first team and reserve team were practising with their coaches. Rob told the group who all the players were and gave some information about them and pointed out a few famous faces. The reserve team and academy players often use the ICT equipment in the study centre as well as the tactics board and with their players’ restaurant next door, it was great for the students to see what the players do when they are not playing matches.   

Rushden and Diamonds community coach Gary Lant took the students for a practical football session on the Astroturf where the emphasis was on shooting skills. This follows a series of sessions held at Montsaye each week by Diamonds coach Mark Smith, making the Double Club project a ‘Double Experience’, both practical and educational. The game was certainly competitive with the students showing an aptitude for the sport as well as good teamwork, communication and co-operation skills. They encouraged each other to join in and the lads got the girls to play an equal part in the game, some of them taking on a starring shooting role. 

After lunch, Rob led a stadium tour around Nene Park where the Montsaye students saw behind the scenes of this ‘no-expense spared’ sporting complex. They visited the Kimberley Conference Suite, the players’ dressing rooms and photo-covered wall of fame, the players tunnel, four stands, home and away dugouts, press room and directors box. Many photos showed the students ‘in action’ as fans, coaches, managers, players and stewards.

Back in the study centre, the pupils completed a stadium tour postcard using photos taken on the tour, accompanied by some information they had learnt. This could be facts and figures about the stadium, what certain aspects/rooms were used for and what they thought of it. They used text boxes and speech bubbles as well as experimenting with backgrounds, formats and humorous commentary.   

A great day was had by all and the students told staff how much they had enjoyed the day. They realised they had been learning all the time despite enjoying themselves and didn’t class these activities as ‘real schoolwork’. However, now they know different! It’s about getting the right ‘hook’ to interest pupils and then harnessing this motivation for learning. Their behaviour was excellent and they worked hard. It was great to see the students in a different environment and they all got something out of the day. These pastoral aspects will transfer back into school when the final Double Club lessons are held this week using the stadium visit as a stimulus for learning 

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