FIVE pupils from Staple Hill Primary School won places to represent Bristol on a trip to its twin city of Bordeaux after excelling during a football tournament.
The school entered a team of five Year 5 pupils earlier this year for the Bristol Together Championships, run by social enterprise Community of Purpose.
The aim of the event was not just to play football but to bring schools from different areas and pupils of different backgrounds together, build their confidence and improve communication skills.
The Staple Hill pupils were ‘twinned’ with youngsters from rural Charfield Primary School, near Thornbury, forming a joint team called the Staplefield Stars.
They trained and had football-themed education sessions together at each school before taking part in a tournament at the University of the West of England during the summer.
The Staplefield Stars won the tournament, which involved teams from 40 schools across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
But it was the attitude, behaviour and values shown by the five Staple Hill pupils, who are now in Year 6, which led to them being chosen along with children from five other schools to represent the city on a four-day trip to Bordeaux during October.
The children’s class teacher Amy Cutler, who is also Staple Hill Primary School’s PE lead, said: “It wasn’t just about picking our best footballers, it was about choosing children who had an interest in the game but were also keen to learn about themselves, meet other people, learn sportsmanship and have fun.
“They were all super-excited to go to Bordeaux – one of the children hadn’t left the country or been on an aeroplane before – and on a trip without their parents.
“Although they won the tournament they’ve been chosen because of the values they’ve shown at the sessions and the wonderful young people they will become – they thoroughly deserve this opportunity.”
Community of Purpose is a non-profit social enterprise which aims to transform the lives and futures of children and young people by giving them support and opportunities to help them fulfil their potential.