Sports Visits

Tirlebrook provides a range of opportunities for children to experience elite live professional sporting events. It is our intention to inspire and encourage children to participate in and engage with a range of sports by having the chance to visit some iconic venues and to watch sport at the highest level. We have had the privilege of watching a number of high profile teams including the England men's and women's football and cricket teams, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Gloucester Rugby, Worcester Warriors, the Bristol Flyers and the Severn Stars, as well as enjoying a trip to watch eventual runners-up Australia at the Rugby World Cup in 2015. Sporting venues such as Old Trafford, the Principality Millennium Stadium, Edgbaston, Sixways and Wembley have all been frequented over the past five years, some on more than one occasion. We are hoping to continue to offer these experiences and expand the range of sports and venues on offer.

World Indoor Athletics Championships @ Arena Birmingham - Friday, 2nd March 2018

It was planned to take 28 children to the World Indoor Athletics Championships, our first international athletics event, at Arena Birmingham. Unfortunately, due to unprecedented weather conditions making travel to and from Birmingham impossibly unsafe, this visit had to be cancelled at the last minute. This was very disappointing for everyone conmcerned.

Severn Stars v Team Bath - Vitality Super League Netball @ University of Worcester Arena - Monday, 26th February 2018

A number of children and staff enjoyed the fantastic opportunity of going to watch the Vitality Super League Netball match between Severn Stars and Team Bath at the University of Worcester Arena. On arrival, the children were greeted by Sirius, the Severn Stars mascot, before joining in with the pre-match activities: some had their faces painted, some purchased programmes, merchandise and souvenirs, and some headed for the activities, such as testing reaction speeds and how high you can leap. Some children did all three! Once seated just four rows back from court side, the first of four quarters of highly entertaining and high quality netball began. Team Bath, boasting experienced England internationals like Kadeen Corbin and Eboni Beckford-Chambers, took an early lead, before the Severn Stars began to dominate. Indeed, the Stars led throughout the second and third quarters, with England international Eleanor Cardwell shooting consistently well and some impressive deflections, blocks and interceptions being made by the defensive pair of Phumza Maweni and Sam Cook. This continued to be the case until a frantic final quarter when the lead changed several times. Heart-breakingly for the Stars, Team Bath took the lead in the final minute and converted the winning shot with just five seconds remaining on the clock to close out a hard-fought 48-47 victory, the second time this season that the Stars have been narrowly defeated, having lost their season opener against Manchester Thunder by exactly the same score line. Despite their disappointment, the Stars players spent time signing autographs and having photos with the children - inspiring the next generation of young netballers and making many young fans incredibly happy. Two of these aspiring netballers, Tirlebrook Netball Club members Ava and Eleanor, seized the opportunity to shoot on court for thirty seconds in one of the intervals between quarters when given the chance and did so very successfully. Overall, it was another super Tirlebrook sports visit.

Birmingham City Ladies v Manchester City Women - Wednesday, 21st February 2018

What a super opportunity some of our children in Key Stage Two took advantage of as we headed up to Birmingham to watch the FA Women's Super League match between Birmingham City Ladies and high-flying Manchester City Women. It was a very cold evening, and, making sure we were wrapped up warm, we took our seats at the AutoTech Stadium in Solihull to watch some of the best female footballers competing at the highest level. It was a highly anticipated match, with Manchester City having narrowly beaten Birmingham in the Women's FA Cup just four days earlier, and there were a number of international star players taking to the pitch, including Manchester City's Karen Bardsley, Jill Scott, Izzy Christiansen, Demi Stokes and Nikita Parris, and Birmingham City's top scoring England striker Ellen White. The Blues took the lead when Ellen White latched onto a loose ball and fired it in the back of the net. She then doubled the lead after the break, stabbing in Emma Follis' cross. The visitors could have reduced the deficit in stoppage time, but Jill Scott's powerful header came back off the bar, ensuring that Birmingham City kept a clean sheet and went away with a superb 2-0 victory. Title-chasing Manchester City fell to second in the table after their first defeat of the season, their first in any competition since May 2017, ending a run of 23 games without loss, of which they had won a remarkable 22. In between the action, scarves were purchased and hot dogs, burgers and cups of tea consumed. And we were all treated to some fantastic chanting from the Manchester City supporters in particular: 'She's big, she's blue, she's coming after you, Jill Scott', 'Izzy, Izzy (Christiansen), let's get busy', 'Esme, Esme, Esme, Esme, Esme, Esme, Esme Morgan (to the tune of No Limit)', 'She's big, she's blue, she's drinking Irn Bru, Jen Beattie,' and 'She's one of our own, Keira Walsh'. However, the real treat came at the end of the match as the children were able to grab a quick chat with some of the players, collecting autographs in their programmes and photographs along the way. Jill Scott, Karen Bardsley and Ellen White, with a total of 247 caps for England combined, were all happy to make the end to a great visit very special indeed.

Tottenham Hotspur v. Manchester United - FA Premier League @ Wembley Stadium - Wednesday, 31st January 2018

A group of fifteen children were lucky enough to head to London for one of the highest profile FA Premier League fixtures of the season as Tottenham Hotspur took on Manchester United at Wembley Stadium. The children soaked up the atmosphere along Wembley Way and had their photograph taken in front of the Bobby Moore statue before taking their seats for this highly anticipated match-up. There was a wonderful array of talent on both sides including Paul Pogba, Harry Kane, David De Gea, Hugo Lloris, Romelu Lukaku and Dele Alli, and it was also the Premier League debut for former Barcelona and Arsenal front man Alexis Sanchez. In front of a Premier League record attendance of nearly 82,000 fans, Christian Eriksen sent Spurs on their way with the third fastest ever goal in the Premier League era, scoring after just 10.5 seconds as Tottenham took the lead directly from the kick-off. It was a great goal scored right in front of Tirlebrook's fantastic sixth and seventh row top tier Wembley seats. In a game in which Manchester United never really reached their potential, Tottenham went on to score a second through a Phil Jones own goal before seeing out the game comfortably. There was a mixed reaction from the Tirlebrook supporters, at least half of whom were rooting for Manchester United, including Mr. Tomkins, while several were supporting the home team, including Mr. Lockley. The children represented the school impeccably and we hope that it is an experience that they will have appreciated and will not quickly forget, whatever the result. Lots of sleeping on the minibus ensured a quiet return journey before pulling up back at school just after half-past midnight.

Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion @ Wembley Stadium - FA Premier League - Wednesday, 13th December 2017

Despite the snow and incredibly cold conditions, a brave group of fifteen children headed to the national stadium in London to visit the temporary home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as Spurs took on Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Premier League. A strong Spurs squad included many high-profile footballing superstars, including Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier, the ever-popular Heung-Min Son and prospective England captain Harry Kane. It was also great to see newly-promoted Brighton’s team performing, including their talismanic highly-rated winger Anthony Knockaert. Tottenham predictably dominated possession in front of a 55,000 strong Wembley crowd, and ended up winning 2-0, with goals at the end of each half from Serge Aurier (a wonderful effort from an impossible angle) and the vibrant and ‘full of endeavour’ Son. The long trip to London and back was more than worth it for the children, many of whom were visiting Wembley Stadium for the first time, having sat in wonderful fourth row top tier seats to watch an FA Premier League game, again for many, for the very first time. Merchandise and programmes purchased, and a few hot chocolates consumed along the way, it was another special experience for Tirlebrook.

England v Brazil @ Wembley Stadium - Tuesday, 14th November 2017

A group of fifteen children visited Wembley Stadium to watch England take on Brazil in an international friendly match. For many, it was their first ever visit to the national stadium, and what an occasion it was, with over 85,000 other people also in attendance. The Brazilian fans were in good voice and their samba-style drumming throughout added to the great atmosphere created by the predominantly England-supporting crowd, who waved flags and sang their familiar chants. Some of the best players in the world were on the field of play and it was a real privilege to see wonderful players such as Phillipe Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus, Dani Alves, Marcelo, Casimero, Marcus Rashford, Kyle Walker and Eric Dier up close and personal from our second row seats in the top tier. What a view! And a special opportunity it was indeed to witness the most expensive player on the planet in Neymar Jr. whose sublime touch and exquisite vision and passing was on display throughout the ninety minutes. The 0-0 score line did not reflect the excitement of the match, and although England were under strength and the Brazilians probably not at their free-flowing flamboyant very best, the football was entertaining and the whole experience was one to remember. Our children can be very proud of the way they represented Tirlebrook throughout the visit and they were all rewarded with a nice snooze on the minibus on the way home.

ICC Women's World Cup Cricket - England v South Africa @ The County Ground, Bristol - Wednesday, 5th July 2017

A group of 28 children and 4 staff headed off to The County Ground in Bristol to watch England play South Africa in this year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup - and what a fantastic day they had! The standard of cricket on show was simply amazing and it was thrilling to see South Africa get close, but ultimately fall short, in their efforts to overhaul England's very impressive 373 run total. Batting first, England posted their huge total thanks in main to superb centuries from Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor. The South Africans started off well in reply with a 128 run opening stand, but the target eventually proved to be too much for them as they fell short by 68 runs. Laura Wolvaardt (67), Lizelle Lee (72) and Chloe Tryon (54) were the players who crossed the fifty run mark. Danielle Hazell was the pick of the English bowlers with figures of 3/70 while captain Heather Knight also returned impressive figures of 2/52. Anya Shrubsole, Natalie Sciver and Alex Hartley also chipped in with a wicket each as England restricted South Africa to 305/9. So, all in all, Tirlebrook witnessed 14 wickets falling and an amazing 678 runs in 100 overs. Throughout the day there were opportunities to take a break from the glorious sunshine, with visits to the Fan Zone, where there were craft activities and the chance to bowl and bat in the nets, the club shop and the ice cream vendor. Perhaps the biggest thrill, however, was meeting some of the players after the match, getting autographs and photographs and even having the chance to chat with them. It was a very long but terrific day out and we hope that it will live long in the memory of those children who were lucky enough to attend.

Severn Stars v Scottish Sirens - Netball Super League @ University of Worcester Arena - Monday, 27th March 2017

On Monday night, a large group of Tirlebrook pupils and staff set off to Worcester University Arena to watch our first-ever Netball Super League match between the Severn Stars and the Scottish Sirens. With court side seats and the opportunity for some of the children to be ball girls and boys, it was an amazing spectacle. The game was played at a blistering pace and the players were a great inspiration with their speed, agility and teamwork. There were lots of television cameras as the game was being broadcast live on Sky Sports. With four quarters of relentless pressure and some great passing play, the Severn Stars emerged victorious by a score line of 54-45. They were also kind enough to come and chat with the children afterwards and give autographs. It was great to meet various of the players, including England Centre Laura Malcolm and Goal Attack Eleanor Cardwell. What a fantastic opportunity to see top flight athletes at work. Well done everyone!

Manchester United v FC Rostov - Europa League Round of 16 Match @ Old Trafford - Thursday, 16th March 2017

It was great to once more take a group of 15 children from Years 4, 5 and 6 to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play in pursuit of the Europa League Championship. This Round of 16 match against FC Rostov from Russia boasted some of the very best players on the planet, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and the highly impressive Antonio Valencia. Manchester United dominated the match as expected, and we were treated to a wonderful view from our seats, five rows back and just along from the team benches in the spectacular Sir Bobby Charlton South Stand. Despite pressing throughout the first half, Ibrahimovic's wonderful strike hitting the post was the closest United came to taking the lead. After a few hot dogs had been consumed at half time, the children saw United take a deserved lead after Juan Mata scored from Ibrahimovic's magnificent back-heel assist. They then went on to see the game out, despite a free-kick with the last kick of the game needing a spectacular save from Sergio Romero to keep the Russian team out and prevent the tie from going to extra-time. It was a truly brilliant experience, with in excess of 55,000 people in attendance. The children bought scarves, programmes and badges and we hope that these will prove to be a memory of a very special occasion. It was a fairly treacherous journey home, so many thanks to the patient families who collected their very sleepy children at twenty past two in the morning. We are delighted to be able to provide yet another brilliant experience for the children of Tirlebrook. Many thanks to Mr. Tomkins for organising the trip.

Tottenham Hotspur v KAA Gent - UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg @ Wembley Stadium - Thursday, 23rd February 2017

A group of seventeen Tirlebrook children and accompanying teachers headed to Wembley Stadium to watch Tottenham Hotspur play KAA Gent in the second leg of the last 32 round of this season's UEFA Europa League competition. A good journey down, despite the best efforts of Storm Doris, meant that there was time before the match to take in the sights of this iconic stadium, including Wembley Way and the famous Bobby Moore tribute statue, where we were joined by an enthusiastic Belgian supporter for a photograph. Souvenirs including caps, footballs and scarves were purchased and programmes were bought. Once inside the magnificent stadium, we took our seats alongside more than 80,000 other fans for what was going to be a very entertaining match, if frustrating one if you were supporting Spurs. It all started well with Christian Eriksen scoring to level the tie overall, before an unfortunate Harry Kane own-goal meant that Tottenham needed to score twice more to progress. Despite being reduced to ten men before half-time when Dele Alli was sent off for committing an x-rated foul, Spurs dominated much of the play, and took a well-deserved lead when Victor Wanyama struck sweetly home. However, in pushing for that decisive third goal, Gent broke away on a rare attack and scored a second to put Spurs out of Europe and finish the night 2-2 overall. Even though there was great disappointment amongst the children at the result, the whole experience was once again quite magical. A sleepy bus full of children returned to school ahead of schedule at 12:45 a.m. thrilled having had the opportunity to visit Wembley Stadium and to see some of their footballing heroes in front of their very eyes. Well done everyone for a great trip.

Visit to Watch the BBL Premier League - Bristol Flyers v Newcastle Eagles @ SGS WISE Arena, Bristol - Saturday, 26th November 2016

On Saturday evening, Tirlebrook took 15 children to see the Bristol Flyers take on the Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball Premier League at the SGS WISE Arena in Bristol. The size of the court, the height of the players(!), the tactics, the challenge of refereeing, the teamwork, the consistency required to perform well and the speed and competitive nature of the play were all hugely evident in this exciting game of basketball which we got to witness from some fantastic reserved seats. Unfortunately, our local team, the Bristol Flyers, suffered their second successive loss to the visiting league-leading team Newcastle Eagles 67-102. However, the game was always exciting to watch. The children were treated to a half-time on-court shoot-out experience and they each got to shoot a few hoops in front of the 600-strong crowd. Mr. Tomkins and Mr. Lockley were also selected from the crowd to participate in the Subway sponsored shoot-off and had two minutes to score as many hoops as possible. This was not as easy as it sounds! Subway sandwich mascots were employed to defend the hoop and proved a difficult obstacle to overcome for Mr. Lockley in particular, who ended up losing by a 9-5 score line. The children were very excited to meet the players after the game and took the opportunity to collect many autographs. It is always great to give our children the opportunity to see elite level sport. We endeavour to pounce on these opportunities when they arise - and to do so with a sport where everything is in such close proximity was particularly special. We hope these experiences and positive memories remain with the children for a long time to come.

Visit to Watch Worcester Warriors v Newcastle Falcons @ Sixways Stadium - Sunday, 2nd October 2016

We were delighted to be able to take up a last minute opportunity to visit Worcester Warriors this weekend to watch their Aviva Premiership encounter with Newcastle Falcons at the Sixways Stadium. The lucky group who claimed tickets through our text ballot were looking forward to a great afternoon of rugby, but little were they to know what was in store for them. After a quick visit to the club shop, it was announced that they had actually been selected to be mascots for the match and would be running onto the pitch with a Worcester Warriors first-team player. And to add to the excitement, the match was being broadcast live on BT Sport! The children quickly changed into their mascot tops and were given a quick tour of the amazing facilities that included a large gym and fitness centre, the recovery zone (where players sit in the hot tub, ice baths and even enter a cryotherapy chamber where temperatures fall to -150 degrees!). It was explained that they only stay in there for two minutes at a time and that the process of getting very cold and then warming back up again quickly helps the muscles to recover from the lactic acid build up that takes place when worked so hard. They also told us that your brain slows down in such cold conditions, so the players are given Rubik's cubes to help them to maintain focus and to think! After the excitement of running onto the pitch, we took our seats in the East Stand and saw Worcester grind out an 11-9 victory, where Wynand Olivier's try in the first half gave the Warriors their first win of the season. At the end of the match, the children were allowed to greet players and gather autographs, as well as running and playing on the Sixways pitch. It was a truly memorable experience and is one that hopefully the children will not forget quickly.

Visit to Watch Manchester United v Zorya Luhansk @ Old Trafford - Thursday, 29th September 2016

Tirlebrook were delighted to be able to provide one of our now seasonal visits to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play in the Europa League. Their encounter with FC Zorya Luhansk of the Ukraine, was the first international club match that the school has witnessed live. After a long and at times frustrating journey to Manchester, it was exciting to take our seats in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, located just five rows back from pitch side. From here a great view of the game was beheld, which Manchester United went on to win 1-0 thanks to a goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He was one of many stars on show, including Juan Mata, England starlet Marcus Rashford and world-record transfer fee international midfielder Paul Pogba. It was also fantastic to be sat close to where the substitutes were warming up, with a close-up view of Ashley Young, Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney, and a few children even managed to 'High-5' the United mascot, the Red Devil. It was a tremendous experience, and after a quick visit to one of the merchandise stalls after the game, the journey home was far kinder, and in under two and a half hours we had returned to Tirlebrook to meet parents at the relatively unheard of time of 1:20 a.m.!!

Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Wednesday, 20th April 2016

What a tremendous opportunity once more for 15 members of the Tirlebrook School community as they ventured to Old Trafford to watch the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. After a long and slow journey to Manchester, it was great to take in the sights and sounds of a Premier League football match. After a moment of panic, when one ticket appeared to have been lost, the group entered the newly christened Sir Bobby Charlton South Stand and took up some amazing seats to view the match. It was great to see Tirlebrook welcomed on the big screen inside the stadium. An enjoyable game was even more enjoyable for Manchester United fans as goals in each half (an own-goal by Delaney and a superb strike by Matteo Darmian) ensured a 2-0 victory. It was great to see Wayne Rooney returning to form and although it wasn't apparent then, the match on view was to be a preview of this year's FA Cup Final. Following the match, a few souvenirs were bought before many slept on a long journey home. It was another great experience of elite sport for the pupils of Tirlebrook.

Worcester Warriors v Gloucester Rugby - Aviva Premiership Match - Saturday, 12th March 2016

Fifteen pupils and two members of staff travelled to Sixways Stadium in Worcester to watch the eagerly anticipated Aviva Premiership local derby between Worcester Warriors and Gloucester Rugby. After entering the stadium, we were delighted to have the opportunity to have our photograph taken with the Aviva Premiership trophy that was on display at the stadium. Following this, purchases were made in the club shop before meeting Maximus, the Warriors' mascot. Once sat in our excellent seats in the North Stand, we were treated to a highly entertaining and intense match-up between fierce rivals. We saw two terrific tries close up, one each for both teams. After being welcomed over the tannoy at half-time, and a visit to some of the food outlets, we saw Gloucester desperately trying to get back into the match in the second half, but they eventually went on to lose by a scoreline of 28-20. We were extremely lucky to also meet and have our photograph taken with Warriors' Georgian loose-head prop Val Rapava Ruskin. It was a great day.

Manchester United v Stoke City Premier League Match - Tuesday, 2nd February 2016

What a fantastic opportunity for 16 members of the Tirlebrook School community as we visited Old Trafford, home of arguably the most famous football club in the world, for the third time in three years, for the Premier League match between Manchester United and Stoke City. We thoroughly enjoyed taking in the sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere of an elite football match, alongside 70,000 others. It was brilliant to see the players in action from our excellent seats in the East Stand, including Wayne Rooney, David De Gea, Bojan and Anthony Martial, to name just a few. Manchester United dominated the game, creating numerous chances on their way to a 3-0 victory. Mr. Tomkins was especially happy! The long journey home and getting to bed at 1:30 a.m. was all worth it. Thank you to the children for being so sensible and well behaved on the trip. For many, it will be the only time that they visit Old Trafford in their lives, and we hope that it will be an experience that always stays with them. Glory, glory, Man. United!

England v Bosnia & Herzegovina - UEFA Euro 17 Women's Qualifier - Sunday, 29th November 2015

What a fantastic opportunity for some of our pupils in Y4, Y5 and Y6 to visit Ashton Gate in Bristol, the home of Bristol City Football Club, to watch the England Women's football team, also known as the Lionesses, compete. On arrival, the children were able to spend a few minutes exploring the FanZONE where many different activity stations had been set up, including football skills, reaction skills, refereeing skills and even 'Beat the Goalie'. Some players from the Bristol Women's Academy were also on hand to talk to the children about their experiences of playing at such a high standard. We even had the chance to meet the England Lionesses mascot! The atmosphere inside the stadium was great as over 13,000 people had turned up to support the Lionesses in their first home match since returning in a triumphant third-place from the World Cup. England went on to win the game 1-0 with a goal being thundered in by substitute Jill Scott. It was a great day!

Australia v Fiji - Rugby World Cup @ The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - Wednesday, 23rd September 2015

What an amazing opportunity for Tirlebrook Primary School pupils as they joined 68,000 others in Cardiff to watch the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Fiji. After a reasonable journey to Wales, the children were able to soak up the atmosphere in Cardiff city centre prior to the match. Many bought scarves and flags at one of the many merchandising stalls and some even had their faces painted with the Australian or Fijian rugby team's emblems. A quick visit to Cardiff Castle proved interesting as a giant rugby ball appeared to have crashed through its walls, before the party headed through the crowds of supporters to the impressive Millennium Stadium. Once inside, better seats could not have been asked for, positioned in the front row of the Upper Tier provided a perfect view of the action. The friendship between rugby supporters was evident with Australian and Fijian fans mixing with the many neutrals. A really enjoyable encounter ended 28-13 in favour of the Wallabies, who must continue to fight it out with England and Wales to qualify from Pool A, also dubbed 'the group of death'. A walk through the atmospheric centre back to the minibus was enjoyable - the excruciatingly long journey home was less so. Overall, an amazing opportunity and a fantastic occasion was enjoyed by all.

Rugby World Cup FanZONE Visit - Scotland v Japan - Wednesday, 23rd September 2015

Many of our Y4 and Y5 children took up the fantastic opportunity to visit the FanZONE at Gloucester Quays for the Rugby World Cup Pool B Scotland v Japan match day. Tirlebrook joined five other primary schools from Tewkesbury and headed over to Gloucester to take in the atmosphere of this terrific World Cup. The children were involved in a range of activities in the morning, including searching for Gloucester's famous Scrumpties around the docks area. They were also able to test the speed and accuracy of their rugby passing, with some proving to be so accurate that wristbands and rugby balls were secured as prizes! The children even managed to play a few rounds of crazy golf in the Family Zone before heading to the official Rugby World Cup merchandising outlet. Following lunch, the children settled down to watch the highly anticipated Scotland v Japan match on the enormous screen in Orchard Square - and they were even treated to free drinks of Coke! Following Scotland's nervy-to-begin-with-but-all-too-impressive-victory over the 'Cherry Blossoms' by 45 points to 10, the children had one last chance to explore the FanZONE and reflect on just what an amazing day they had been part of. Many thanks to Pete Healey of Tewkesbury Rugby Club and to Jo Leggett of Twyning Primary School for organising the visit on behalf of the Tewkesbury primary schools. We loved it!

England v Switzerland @ Wembley Stadium - Tuesday, 8th September 2015

What an amazing experience for fourteen pupils and three members of staff as Tirlebrook ventured to the nation's capital to watch the England football team play in their Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley Stadium. After a reasonable journey, the group enjoyed walking around the outside of the stadium with thousands of other very excited fans. We posed for a group photo in front of the stadium and next to the famous statue of Bobby Moore. It was incredible climbing to the seventh tier via huge escalators and what a moment as we walked out into the seating area for the first time, seeing the pitch and the enormity of Wembley in all its glory. The match itself saw England win 2-0 with second-half goals from Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. It was fantastic to be some of the 75,000 people who witnessed Wayne Rooney make history and become England's all-time top-scorer with his late penalty. It was a long night, but amazing!

One-Day International Cricket Match - England v New Zealand @ Edgbaston - Tuesday, 9th June 2015

We have witnessed history being made! What a fantastic afternoon and evening out our Y6 children enjoyed as they had the opportunity to watch another elite sporting event. It was exciting to have the opportunity to visit Edgbaston in Birmingham and watch England play in their first ODI match in the current series against New Zealand. World-class players were on view, including World Cup Runners-Up Brendan McCullum, Martin Guptill, Trent Boult and Ross Taylor. The atmosphere was vibrant from the off with loud music and large screens fully in action as the players prepared and warmed up. This was added to when the match started itself, with chanting from the crowd and much waving of flags, banners and 4/6 signs. A fairly young and new-look England team were put into bat first and scored a mighty 408 runs in their fifty overs. What an amazing sight! We saw the most ever sixes hit in a ODI innings by an England team, we saw the highest ever ODI total made by England and we saw the first ever score of over 400 by any team in ODIs in England. Breathtaking! The atmosphere was terrific and everyone entered into the spirit of the match. The New Zealanders contributed a huge amount and it was a privilege to view such a wonderful spectacle. New Zealand could not match the England batting despite a positive start, and were eventually dismissed for just shy of 200 runs. It was amazing to see 19 wickets in the day, some bowled, some through magnificent catches, some run out, some lbw. We also saw over 600 runs scored and a huge number of boundaries. It was an inspiring match and our young cricket enthusiasts can say, 'I was there on that day ...' Brilliant!

Manchester United v Burnley - Premier League Match - Wednesday, 11th February 2015

What a fantastic opportunity for 32 members of the Tirlebrook School community as we visited Old Trafford, home of arguably the most famous football club in the world, for the Premier League match between Manchester United and Burnley. After a tortuous journey to Manchester, we thoroughly enjoyed taking in the sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere of an elite football match, alongside 70,000 others. One of the gang even got up close and personal with the friendly Greater Manchester police! For many, it will be the only time that they visit Old Trafford in their lives, and we hope that it will be an experience that always stays with them. Millions of pounds worth of talent was on display including Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Robin Van Persie, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and David De Gea, to name just a few. Following Manchester United's 3-1 victory, which we saw in its entirety from our magnificent seats in the East Stand, the long and arduous journey home began. I finally reached my bed at 2:30 a.m. Oh well, it's back to school in just over four hours!!

Match Updates:
We're here! Fought the traffic and sat down having missed the first two minutes of the game. Amazing seats and an amazing experience. Currently 1-1 (Smalling opened the scoring having come on as an early substitute only for Ings to smash in an equaliser) but it is all Burnley at the moment!

United deliver a sucker punch just before half time. Burnley have been the better team, but it is United who lead 2-1 thanks once more to Chris Smalling. Half time: Manchester United 2 Burnley 1.

Manchester United are comfortable in this second half although they certainly are not at their fluent best. Di Maria has been the stand out performer on the night for United. You can't help but feel sorry for Burnley who have played brilliantly as a whole team!

PENALTY to United. Van Persie knocks it in and surely it is all over now.

FULL TIME - Manchester United 3 Burnley 1. Over and out!

Manchester United v Swansea City - The FA Cup Third Round - Sunday, 5th January 2014

It was a great privilege to take 26 excited youngsters to Old Trafford to watch the FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Swansea City. On the Sunday before returning to school after the Christmas break, two minibuses meandered their way along the M5 and M6 for this all Premier League clash. For the many Manchester United supporters it was a dream come true to visit the iconic stadium and watch one of the most famous and well supported football teams in the world. However, it was their hopes that would be dashed as Manchester United's FA Cup dreams were ended as Wilfried Bony's late goal handed Swansea a 2-1 win. Swansea took the lead early on when Wayne Routledge broke free to lob Anders Lindegaard from the edge of the box. United replied instantly, however, with Javier Hernandez touching the ball home from close-range after a fine cross from Alex Buttner. Neither side dominated the second half as they both searched for a winner, but Fabio's red card after just two minutes on the pitch turned the tide in Swansea's favour. And Bony ensured it would be a miserable day for the Reds and their fans as he headed home Routledge's cross for the winner in the dying moments. Despite cries of despair from several of the Tirlebrook faithful, the group headed home exhausted but exhilarated having experienced the great atmosphere at Old Trafford and having had the chance to watch their heroes.