Back To School in Ealing For Footie Stars

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Brentford players at Ealing Fields for European Day of languages

Children at Ealing Fields School enjoyed a rather different day this week when they were 'taught' by players from Brentford football team.

Spanish winger Sergi Canós and French defender Yoann Barbet took part in a unique coaching session.

To the delight and awe of the pupils, the duo ran the football session entirely in French and Spanish, showcasing their talents as they taught their pupils both new football and language skills.

The event was held to mark European Day of Languages, which celebrates the 200 languages spoken in Europe.

The children enjoyed their unusual lessons and were thrilled to make starring appearances on BBC London news later that day.

Commenting on the pupils’ language skills, Sergi Canos said, “I was very impressed with the level of Spanish spoken today; when I was that age I could speak hardly any English.”

Yoann Barbet agreed, he said, “We are here to show young people the importance of learning another language. It has certainly helped me in my football career and it can help these pupils in the wider world.”

The pupils were also put through their paces as they learnt key football phrases such as ‘red card’ and ‘free kick’ in French and Spanish.

 13-year-old Hawa, who took part in the session, felt that learning a foreign language had an important purpose, she said:

“If you go to a foreign country and if you have basic level of French and Spanish it can make such a difference to your visit.”

Ben Bird, Head of Modern Languages at Ealing Fields, said, “We are delighted that Yoann and Sergi were able to visit us as part of our European Day of Languages celebrations. It is exciting that our students are able to see how foreign languages can really play an integral part in their futures.

“It is often difficult to get students motivated by foreign languages, but an event like this can really inspire pupils.”

The event was part of the wider community work of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust – helping thousands of school children become active and live healthier lifestyles.

Lee Doyle, Chief Executive of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, said, “The session at Ealing Fields High School is an example of how we try and be innovative both on and off the field. It was delivered by Trust’s coaches and Brentford players – combining physical activity with languages. Today, we certainly inspired young people to enjoy sport and reach higher levels of educational attainment.”

September 26 2018