The Warriors Study Centre recently gained national recognition for its work since opening in March 2007 by achieving QISS (Quality in Study Support) Emerged status for its Playing for Success programme.
Centre Manager, Glynn Lodge, presented at the Nottingham Forest FC Study Centre and the Centre’s portfolio of evidence was scrutinised and questioned before Glynn received confirmation of the success from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Over the past 10 years study support has formed an integral part of the Government’s raising standards agenda. ‘Playing for Success’ has grown nationally and has proven to be at the forefront of the DCSF’s strategies. There has been solid evidence from the National Foundation for Educational Research of the impact of over 20 hours of intervention on pupil’s motivation and achievement in literacy and numeracy. The friendly ethos and the opportunity to learn in a sporting environment via sporting themes are key factors in the approach to personalised learning.
The Study Support Code of Practice embodies the quality criteria and the principles of self-evaluation by which the Warriors Study Centre has operated since its launch last year. The key indicators of providing activities that have a purpose; understanding the need for a user-friendly environment; getting the best from resources; involving young people; publicising study support; and identifying suitable tutors were all assessed as areas of effective practice.
Warriors Study Centre was judged to have areas of particular strengths in the processes by which young learners are identified, recruited and admitted to the Centre; the methods by which the Centre informs schools and the community of its work with young learners; the process by which the Centre identifies, recruits and develops its staff and volunteers; and its working relationship with Worcester Warriors.
The Centre’s development plan to provide daytime and holiday support for schools and their pupils; a rigorous programme of continuing professional development for its staff; the efforts currently being made to measure the impact of provision upon pupil achievement and tracking pupil progress, were all seen as further evidence of the developing quality of its provision.
Community Manager Tom Ryder said: “QISS is an award which measures the ‘Quality’ of provision in study support and Glynn and his team at the Warriors Study centre have demonstrated exactly that. The award will be the first of a 3 step process which will see the Warriors Study Centre grow its operations and services to the young people in Worcestershire. The award is a significant achievement for the centre which is still in just its second full year of operations.”
Hannah Needham (Extended Schools Manager, Worcestershire County Council) who sits on the Centre’s Strategic Management Board, re-iterated Tom’s acknowledgement.
“Emerged status is the first of three levels of the Quality in Study Support award and the Warriors Study Centre has done extremely well to achieve this in such a short space of time. It demonstrates what a fantastic job Glynn Lodge and his team have done in developing the Centre and the positive impact it is having on children and young people.
“I hope Local Authority colleagues will join me in congratulating Glynn and all his team on this accomplishment and thanking Tom Ryder and colleagues at WRFC for their ongoing support to the Study Centre.”
The Centre hopes to achieve Established status within the next 18 months by expanding its provision for schools and the community with daytime courses. To assist the development Glynn is pleased to announce a new addition to the Centre’s team following the appointment of Matt Warne as Centre Teacher. Matt is currently teaching in a Malvern Primary School and will join up with his new colleagues in January 2009.