SONY Pencoed opened its doors to year five pupils from Pencoed Primary School this month as part of its work with the Ospreys on the region's new Schools Programme that has been designed to promote Oracy, Literacy and Numeracy among pupils.
An innovative new scheme aimed at Key Stage 2 students in the ‘Ospreylia’ area, the Schools Programme sees participating primary school pupils put through a weekly educational programme that has been developed with education departments at the three unitary authorities in the region to ensure it satisfies National Curriculum objectives and assists in the development of key skills.
Part of the programme offers them the opportunity to visit the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium, and for some to visit SONY UK Technology centre in Pencoed. This gives an opportunity to experience different working environments in the local community. They record the experience in workbooks during there visits.
Pencoed Primary pupils visited the SONY factory to experience the manufacturing industry in Wales in a real-life context. Sixty four children, three grandparents and three teachers arrived at 09:30am and by 10:15am, after brief SONY history and safety presentations, were prepared to begin the activities!
In the Reception area, pupils interviewed Ospreys and Wales players Aaron Jarvis and Ashley Beck, using SONY cameras and recording equipment. After the interviews, the children spilt into four groups and visited the following trail stops within the Pencoed factory:
The Camera Manufacturing Area
Here the children were greeted by Senior Engineering manager Mark Wells, who showed them cameras, and how different components functioned to capture an image by splitting white light into Red, Green and Blue light and recording the three separate colour images. He also told them how SONY cameras are used to capture lots of things they watch on TV.
The Team Players entrance
SONY staff then explained to Pencoed Primary pupils how they are all Team Players at SONY UK Tec relying on each other’s different skills to get the job done, and showed them the Team Photo Wall that staff see when they come into work every day. When asked how the children thought it must feel to walk into work and see your picture on the wall each day they replied ‘epic’.
The Values and Behaviours corridor
Children then visited the Values and Behaviours corridor to see some of the values Sony expect their Team Players to hold, and that by demonstrating these Values and Behaviours the company can continue to be successful.
The Communication area
At the communication area, children had the opportunity to ‘star in a Harry Potter scene’ by experiencing green screen technology to replicate Harry’s invisibility cloak!
The Education Media room
Nabila Elias demonstrated ‘classroom capture’ to Pencoed Primary School and the children thought it was a great use of technology that had many uses!
The 4K Cinema room
In the 4K cinema room, Children watched two short movies on a 4K cinema projector and also got to experience some exciting SONY technology such as 3D TVs, a personal viewer headset, PS3s, PSPs and Blue ray players.
All schools participating in the Ospreys Schools Programme will get the chance to enjoy a visit to the SONY UK Technology Centre.
If you are a teacher or a teaching assistant at a primary school and would like to find out more about the Ospreys Schools Programme please contact Keith Collins, Schools Co-ordinator at the Ospreys, via email at keith.collins@ospreysrugby.com or call 01792 616500.