League spirit lifts school

Former rugby league stars Simon Booth (back left) and Richard Gay with some of their pupils at Sydney Smith

They were once professional rugby league stars on opposite teams.
But now they're on the same side – working as PE teachers at Sydney Smith school.
And they've just helped achieve a winning result – because the school has recently been taken out of 'special measures.' Former full back Richard Gay (Hull FC, Castleford, England) and former second row forward Simon Booth (Leigh, St Helens, Hull FC, Hull KR) have brought sporting spirit to their jobs.
And the PE curriculum was praised in a recent report by inspectors from the Government's schools watchdog OFSTED, who put the school in special measures in October 2005.
The report commented that PE was an area which was aiding the well-being and personal development of pupils.
"Playing sport can give you respectability and confidence in other areas of life," says Simon (36), who is originally from Leigh, and has taught at the school for eight years.
"Many of the pupils have a lot of spirit and desire – but it's about giving them the belief in themselves that they can perform." Richard (38), himself a former pupil at the school, has just qualified as a teacher.
He said: "I've always enjoyed working with young people and when I finished playing rugby I wanted to put something back into the place where I grew up.
We encourage all sports not just rugby." Some of the school's recent sporting achievements include:

• Almost 50 Year-10 pupils receiving sports coaching awards for teaching lessons in local primary schools.
• A number of pupils becoming part-qualified outdoor adventure instructors after undergoing training on caving and climbing holidays, which the school runs twice a year
• Recent Year-11 leavers Steve Lee and Mike Jennings now play for Hull Stingrays and represent England at hammer throwing respectively.

Head teacher Kevin Beaton said the school's recent success in OFSTED was down to the whole school working together.
He said: "We achieved this despite the flood damage - but we all realize there is still a long way to go – and the inspectors have told us that."