Riders Junior’s Achievers Take Flight

Sixteen lucky pupils from Riders Junior School had a birds eye view of their neighbourhood and school during a twenty minute flight from Goodwood Airfield in a six seater B3 Squirrel helicopter owned by Elite Helicopters Limited, as part of an achievement award given by the school’s business partners Christie Intruder Alarms Group of Waterlooville.

“Whilst secondary schools have had business partners for many years junior schools generally had not been so fortunate in linking with the business community. This year Riders Junior School became the first junior school in the country to form a business partnership with a major company. Our business partnership is working very successfully. This is demonstrated by the fact this year the school achieved its highest SATS results in our history,” proudly proclaimed headteacher John Dean.

“The day was well received by all the pupils and their parents alike. Barrie Christie, Chairman of the CIA Group gave a final surprise to me and my deputy Simon Harrold when he took us on a flight to see not only the school but we flew over Portsmouth Harbour and had a birds eye view of the latest Portsmouth landmark – the 170 metre high Spinnaker Tower.”

“The partnership with the CIA Group, a national company with headquarters in nearby Waterlooville, was set up initially to celebrate the achievement of pupils with sponsored end of term awards such as books. Our partnership has steadily blossomed and they have demonstrated their commitment when one of their staff offered to become a Governor. Peter Emmonds appointment as a LEA (Local Education Authority) Governor has ensured that the company has an ongoing link with the everyday life of Riders and we are now working much closer together for the benefit of the school and all its pupils.”

“Chairman of the CIA Group, Barrie Christie is an qualified helicopter pilot and when we discussed how we could do something special, which the winners of the end of year awards would remember long after they have left the school, so Barrie offered that his company would sponsor a series of helicopter flights for a boy and girl from each class. Such a flight enabled them to have a bird’s eye view of the South Downs, Portsmouth and the Leigh Park Estate where all of the pupils live, plus they had a view of Riders Junior School from 1000 feet above the school during their twenty-minute helicopter flight from Goodwood.”

CAPTION PHOTO: “All ready for take-off?” Prize winning pupils from Riders Junior School stand in front of the B3 commercial helicopter at Goodwood Aerodrome that would to take them on a sight seeing trip over Portsmouth. Left to right front row Ricki Mellis, Ashley Allen, Brook Pope, Chanice Frampton, David Steere, Orrin Houghton, Holly Collins, and Lucy Yates.

Second row: Ben Stone, Louis Searle, Leah Shepherd, Lauren Harris, Scott Etherington, Connor Fitzwilliam, Hannah Higgs, Hayley Higgs and Amber Bowers.

Back row Chairman of CIA Barrie Christie, Commercial helicopter pilot Glenda Wild and Riders Junior School head teacher John Dean.

Click to see pictures of the High Flyers