Wednesday 10 January 2007 - 12.00hrs
This week Avon Fire & Rescue Service is running a FireSkills
course for a group of youngsters with learning difficulties at the
nationally acclaimed Youth Development Centre (YDC).
Although children with learning difficulties have been included
on previous courses, this is the first time a course has been run
exclusively for children with special educational needs.
The eight children all come from the Kingsweston School in
Bristol and will be on the course until Friday 12 January.
Paul Smith, Head of Key Stage 4 at Kingsweston School, said:
"All the pupils on this course have learning difficulties, some of
which are severe. Working with Avon Fire & Rescue Service not
only raises the pupils’ interest and self-esteem, it also makes the
teaching staff think again about pupils’ achievement and
progress."
Andy Colgan, AF&RS’s Head of Community Safety said: "It is
our aim to reach as many young people in our area as possible and
we have worked together with Kingsweston School to design this
course specifically for children with learning difficulties. We
will encourage them to take part in all of the activities on the
FireSkills course and to gain as much from the week as possible.
Avon's Youth Development Centre (YDC) was the first dedicated fire
and rescue service centre for youth in the country and we hope to
continue our ground breaking work with this
course."