From June 2009 we are working in collaberation with Bolton Education Authority to trial Minibridge as a practical step in raising the levels of maths in Key Stage Two girls.

Funded Staff Training Sessions have already taken place with staff from the three schools taking part in the project:

• St Mathews Primary
• St Johns Primary
• Brownlow Fold Primary
  

We will be working with pupils from St Johns Primary to support the Staff Trainings and hope to have a favourable independent report some time in 2010.

Fairway Primary School have invited Mr Minibridge back to re-instruct Years 4, 5 and 6, all of whom have new staff who would like to incorporate Minibridge into Golden Time activity for all the class.

Year 3 were also instructed in Minibridge for the first time and seemed to take particularly well to the two sessions despite their tender age. In addition a Parents training session is scheduled to consolidate Minibridge as an activity that brings generations together round the same table.

The prestigious MHSG got to hear about Minibridge and asked us to introduce the game to their Years 4, 5 and 6. The reception was incredible and this influential school now has Minibridge as a regular classroom activity.

Just as with Offerton Primary School, the parents will be introduced to the game in a foprmal session which will allow parents to play at home against their own children.

In the last week of term the famous Manchester Grammar School in Rusholme, Manchester, held a trial day of Minibridge Inductions for five of its classes from years 7 to 10.

The pupils enjoyed a stimulating and fun day of activity and the school have expressed an interest in following up this experiment with a formal Introduction to Bridge Programme during Activities Week in July 2008.

Of course, Manchester Grammar School are no strangers to Bridge. They already use Bridge as an Enrichment Option for their Sixth Formers.

On Monday 29 March 2004 a momentous event took place at Manchester Bridge Club.

Four Primary schools from the Didsbury, Withington and Cheadle areas fielded between them 35 players in a unique inter-schools challenge of a type that had never been seen or held before.

Pictured above are the winning team St Pauls C.E Primary, receiving their trophy from the former Lancashire cricketer and Indian test captain Farokh Engineer, himself a keen Bridge player.

Chloe Pantelli (Captain)
Patrick Ohlenschlager
Hugh Smyth
Robin Cunningham
Kane Richards
Kardo Ishmail
Bilal Akram
Alexander Welbourne
Anna Krippa
Danny Rushton
Jahmel Mcfarlane
Zak Pantelli
Dalia Kamali
Ricardo Castillo

Sam Simkins(Capt)
Rebecca Waterton
Jack Donnelly
Christopher Thom
Hannan Ullah
Junaid Aamir
Miriam Rigby
Mathew Chadwick

Lauren Storey(Capt)
Sharelle Murray
Robert Cunliffe
Shannon Lenehan
Sean Stenson
James Hyland
Mark Killilea
Michael Diment

Ben Morris(Capt)
Maurice Sameli
Sophie Ellenbogen
Janine Rothburn
Gabi Abrahams

On Sunday July 4 2004 many of the above players boarded a coach from Manchester and travelled across country to Harrogate Bridge Club to play in a special Minibridge Challenge against players of a similar age from the Harrogate area.

The event was run on a pairs basis and there were notable successes for some of the Manchester players, in particular:

Emma Brennan and Dalia Kamali

Winners of a trophy for one of the top placed pairs

Sean Stenson and Shannon Lenehan

Winners of consolation medals



Pictured below are Sean (facing) and Shannon playing against two girls from Harrogate with Sean as Declarer and the girls as Defenders

And pictured below are the stars of our team. Trophy winners Emma (facing) and Dalia (back to camera) giving two more Harrogate girls some tough competition

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Manchester
M9 8EY
England. UK.

Tel: 0161 795 6560 or 07956 448615