GOVERNMENT Minister Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, visited a Warrington school to see its innovative out of hours facility first hand.
Mr Balls visited Sir Thomas Boteler CofE School in Latchford at the invitation of Warrington South MP Helen Southworth.
The School recently launched its own on-site youth club called the Boiler Room, an out-of-hours facility open to all its pupils offering a wide range of activities from homework and revision clubs to hairdressing and beauty lessons and even street dance and music workshops. As well as giving kids a safe place to go at the end of the school day, the Boiler Room is aimed at encouraging more pupils to get involved in school activities and to offer a different approach to learning opportunities.
As part of the visit, Ed Balls and Helen had the chance to meet with members of the School Council and hear their thoughts on education and encouraging participation in learning, and joined the school band in a rendition of Rivers of Babylon on the steel drums. They also met with the Norma Cadwallader, Director of Children’s Services at Warrington Borough Council and the Chair of the School Governors.
Helen said: “I am delighted that Ed was able to come to my constituency to see first-hand the innovative approach to learning being taken at Sir Thomas Boteler. The School’s Head, and all its teachers, have worked extremely hard over the last few years to offer pupils a new way to learn and have fun, and I know Ed was really impressed by what he saw.”
Pictures show school council members Will Judge, Laura
Britton and Megan Booth with Helen and Ed and Mr Balls on the drums in the Boiler Room.
