E.ON Next champions sports careers by bringing their ‘Kids in Sport’ event series to Birmingham’s Leigh Primary School

The event is part of a nationwide initiative that has been touring the UK for the past three years. Through activities in sports such as football, motorsport, netball and tennis, the programme not only promotes participation but also introduces students to a broader range of career opportunities linked to sport, including roles in the medical, design, media and energy sectors.

61 pupils from Leigh Primary School’s Year 4, 5 & 6 age groups took part in today’s event, with highlights including:

• a media-presenting workshop led by Midlands-based sports presenter Sam Hearst, where literacy and public-speaking skills were practised
• a ‘Sports First Aid’ activity prepared children to deal with minor injuries from the sidelines to life-threatening scenarios where CPR may be required
• a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) role showcase by Enovation Consulting, where children learned about the vital and increasingly popular STEM roles in sport and highlighted the importance of sustainability through a hands-on SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) panel game and SPHERO ball coding session with several football-themed mini-games
• a Batak Reaction Game, used by high-performance athletes as part of their training, the children went head-to-head by turning out a series of lights as quickly as possible
• a Graphic Design Challenge where creativity was put into practise by allowing the children to make their very own sports kit
• a Football workshop where the children participated in a number of football drills and mini-games, designed to improve their speed, dynamic movement and understanding of the game

At the end of the day, prizes were awarded to children who demonstrated the most enthusiasm and engagement for each workshop. All event attendees received an E.ON Next sports kit that included a sports bag, water bottle, sun cap and notebook.

Alan Nevin, Interim Deputy Head Teacher, from Leigh Primary School, said:“It’s been amazing having E.ON Next host this Kids in Sport day for us. It’s given the children such a unique learning opportunity to discover future careers in sport. We’ve had a lot of excitement around the SPHERO coding and football workshops so it was great to seeing them in action. I’m glad we’ve been able to reward our 99-96% attendance students with an experience like this.”

Scott Somerville, Director of External Affairs at E.ON UK, added:“We are pleased to have taken our touring Kids in Sport event series to Birmingham today, giving Leigh Primary School students a truly memorable experience. These special events have immediate impact, turning school halls and playgrounds into places where sport meets curiosity, creativity and possibility. We are very proud of this programme that spotlights careers on the pitch and inspires children with the related roles that enable the creation of sporting magic and memories – including energy engineers, designers, sustainability specialists, communications professionals and technicians.”

This event comes shortly after a successful visit to a primary school in Inverclyde, Scotland where, with the help of Professional Tennis Coach Judy Murray, E.ON Next hosted an engaging tennis-themed day.