Launceston College Hosts Super Saturday Sessions for Primary Pupils

A virtual trek to the summit of the world’s tallest mountain is not how most children would choose to spend a Saturday morning. For a group of local primary pupils, that was rather the point.

Launceston College, part of Athena Learning Trust, has welcomed year 5 and 6 pupils from surrounding primary schools for a set of Super Saturday food and fitness sessions. The morning formed part of the school’s transition programme, which is aimed at helping younger children get ready for the move up to secondary school.

Apple crumbles and practical skills

In the kitchen, pupils got stuck into the food side of the day. The sessions were led by Steven Pidgeon, Head of Hospitality and Catering, alongside Claire Cole. Together they guided the children through making apple crumbles, with the focus on building practical cooking skills.

A team climb to the top

Over in the fitness sessions, Deeannah Hart set the group a team challenge themed around climbing Everest. Repetitions and distances clocked up by the pupils counted towards a virtual climb to the summit, turning a workout into a shared goal.

The activities were put together to do more than fill a Saturday. They were designed to support pupils through the transition to secondary school while building teamwork, resilience and practical life skills along the way.

Launceston College says it is committed to working with partner schools to offer enrichment opportunities that help pupils build confidence and get a positive start to the next stage of their education.

Matthew Thompson, Principal at Launceston College, said: “It was a joy to see our Super Saturday sessions in action and how pupils enjoyed themselves throughout. They fully embraced both the cooking and fitness activities, supported each other really well, and left with a real sense of pride in what they had achieved. We can’t wait to welcome them back as Launceston College students.”