The Club and Staffordshire University joined forces to host an Able and Talented Day for Haywood Academy students at Vale Park last week.

Around 60 year eight pupils attended the event and took part in workshops provided by the university as well as KMF and Staffordshire Creamware.

The idea behind the activities was to provide innovative and exciting projects for the young people of Stoke-on-Trent, giving them opportunities to learn about the benefits of higher education and employment.

First team full back Adam Yates, who has recently graduated from Staffordshire University with a degree, also attended and took part in the workshops.

“We have got to have an affinity with the schools and especially Staffordshire University and the Football Club,” he told port-vale.co.uk.

“Getting the kids to the Football Club, maybe in the future they can come and attend some of the games.

“People would think that you do a degree and you can only go into that one area for the rest of your life.

“But a degree can open more areas than just the area that you’ve taken the degree in.”

Mr Clamp, High Attainer Coach at Haywood Academy, commented: “All in all I think the students got a great deal from the day. 

“Their behaviour was very good and they both listened and participated with good effort levels. 

“They have had their awareness of employment opportunities with local companies stimulated and been prompted to think about careers they may want to follow and the pathways to achieve this.”

"The main reason for this event is to raise aspirations,” Samantha Nuttall, Staffordshire University’s Development Officer, added.

“To give little taster sessions of things that the children may not have done previously and to give them an idea of what University has to offer."