The Alex Zone
Playing for Success is a Department for Education and Skills (Dfes) initiative to establish out of school hours study support centres at football clubs and other sporting venues. The centres use the environment of sport as motivational tools, and focus on raising literacy, numeracy and ICT standards among Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils who need a bit of help to reach their true potential.
The first Playing for Success (PfS) centre in Cheshire is at Crewe Alexandra Football Club. The centre, known as "The Alex Zone" is situated in a purpose built room at the railway end of the stadium. Having opened its doors in January 2007, The Alex Zone welcomes children from 9 to 13 years of age. The young people attend the Alex Zone for two hours, one night a week for a period of eight weeks. The activities undertaken are varied and life at the Alex Zone is never dull.
Playing For Success Triumph With National Award.
Despite only being open for 10 months, the Playing for Success Study Support Centre at Crewe Alexandra Football Club has been awarded a national award for Quality in Study Support (QiSS).
The award was given following the completion of a portfolio of evidence and a rigorous scrutiny of the study support provision at the centre. The Alex Zone, through it's programme of study support, aims to assist local schools in raising achievement by motivating pupils to become more effective learners. Using activities which improve the core skills of numeracy, literacy and ICT, the Centre will also develop the pupil's self esteem, confidence and independent study skills. "In short the ethos of the Alex Zone is to foster a positive attitude to learning" said centre manager Joy Bratherton. "To receive this award now is amazing, coming at the end of what has been a real whirlwind of a year. The centre only opened in January and has already welcomed over 300 children from Crewe and Nantwich schools. We can now look to the future and building on the centre's success".
The Alex Challenge?
Imagine what life would be like if you were a millionaire and you could buy Crewe Alexandra Football Club. If money was no object what would you change? A new stadium perhaps, a new team: Ronaldo? Gerrard? John Terry? Well, we can dream can't we? A recent group attending the Alex Zone had just those choices to make as they undertook the Alex Challenge. At the end of the eight weeks the team with the highest score was the winner and the creators of the team were awarded trophies.
Bring Out Your Mums and Dads?
The Alex Zone can be a great experience for all ages as a group of parents found out when they attended the centre with their children recently. The parents all joined in the quiz and used the computers, but the biggest hit was the Nintendo Wii !!!!!
The Inter Union Cup July 2007?
If you had to organise a European Tour for a professional football team where would you start? That was the task set the most recent group of children and young people attending the Alex Zone.
Gerrard, Ronaldhino and Rooney sign for the Alex!!!
Dario was quoted in the press recently as being interested in signing Fernando Torres. He might have been joking, but imagine how he would have felt seeing all these Steven Gerrards', Wayne Rooneys' and Ronaldhinos' in the family stand.
A group of children recently attended a Playing for Success session at the Alex Zone and created these wonderful masks.
CUP STACKING LEAGUE
Give a child 12 plastic cups, a stop watch and a plastic mat and they will create a new sport. Yes cup stacking is a recognised sporting event in the USA and the Alex Zone is not to be left behind. Speed Stacking is believed to help stimulate brain activity and improve concentration.
Students from four senior schools in Crewe are taking part in a league competition in September and October. The winner will be the student who stacks the 12 cups and then dismantles them in the fastest time. There are strict rules however, which they have to follow when stacking, but once mastered the speeds they reach is quite amazing.
TABLES CHALLENGE.
Using a computer programme children from four local primary schools are taking part in a times table challenge. Their weekly scores are being collected and the student showing the most improvement over the 8 weekly Playing for Success sessions will receive some super prizes.
CONTACT
Joy Bratherton
Centre Manager
The Alex Zone
The Alexandra Stadium
Gresty Road
Crewe
CW2 6EB
Tel: 01270 254551
