South London school collaborates with Premier League Primary Stars

Turnham Academy is proud to have partnered with Premier League Primary Stars to create an inspiring project focused on building self-esteem among young people.

The initiative, which highlights the voices of the pupils of Turnham Academy, which is part of the successful STEP Academy Trust, showcases the importance of confidence and personal growth in education.

Premier League Primary Stars is a free, national curriculum-linked education programme that uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children aged 5-11 to be active, learn, and develop important life skills, both in and out of the classroom.

As part of the collaboration, Premier League Primary Stars visited Turnham Academy, located in Lewisham, to produce a special feature on self-esteem, capturing the thoughts and experiences of the school’s pupils. In the video, pupils discuss how they build their self-esteem and boost their confidence, as they play football on the school’s ‘Rocky and Wrighty’ pitch, dedicated to former Turnham Academy pupils and professional Arsenal and England football players, Ian Wright and David Rocastle.

The video, now available on our website and social media channels, shines a spotlight on their incredible perspectives and the positive impact of self-belief in school and beyond. Naomi Newell, a pupil at the academy, spoke about how she boosts her self-esteem, saying she will “Focus more on the positive things instead of the negative, so instead of focusing on what you don’t have you focus on what you do have. And I think that’s a brilliant skill to have in life and it would make you really positive in life.”

This collaboration is part of the school’s longstanding commitment to utilising its sporting connections to enhance its provision and provide pupils with a wide range of extra-curricular activities. As a special reward for their participation, Turnham Academy will soon welcome an exciting guest – the iconic Premier League trophy, which will be visiting the school in the coming months. This unique experience will be a fantastic opportunity for pupils and staff to celebrate their achievements.

Watch the video here.

Frank Harrowell, Head Teacher at Turnham Academy, said: “I would like to thank Premier League Primary Stars for collaborating with Turnham Academy to provide our pupils with such a valuable platform to explore self-esteem. The pupils who took part are fantastic representatives of our school and express our values of positivity and aspiration very eloquently. As a school, we are committed to nurturing confident, resilient learners.”