Cougar Pride, Keighley Cougar’s independent educational facility, expects to take its first step to acquiring a nationally-recognised kite mark status.

Centre manager Liz Kidman will be travelling to Norfolk on Friday (February 27) to make a presentation to the ‘Playing for Success’ organisation at Carrow Road Stadium, home of soccer club Norwich City, after which she hopes that ‘Cougar Pride’ will emerge with a ‘Quality in Studies Support - Emerged Status’.

This would be the first step towards gaining both the ‘Established’ and then ‘Advanced’ status marks.

Liz said: “My presentation is aimed at demonstrating what we’ve achieved so far and proving that Cougar Pride is worthy of emerged status”.

Since Cougar Pride opened for business 18 months ago more than 500 children from 23 schools have passed through the centre which allies Rugby League with school curriculum study subjects.

Added Liz: “We’ve achieved a great deal involving programmes such as ‘Shakespeare in the Stand’ which introduces children to the Great Bard’s work and ‘The Apprentice’ scheme which has involved in children undertaking a Marketing module that will culminate when they will exhibit their work at the club’s Family Fun Day on Sunday, March 22. We also spend a week doing story telling at East Riddlesden Hall, as well as all the activities based on Cougar Park”.

“During the Year we’re planning to stage our Shakespearean experience once again, run a summer school in conjunction with the University of the First Age and a Playing for Success ‘Extra Maths’ session at Manningham Mills in Bradford.

“If we’re successful with this presentation and gain Emerged status then we will seek Established status next year. It’s all part of us establishing Cougar Pride as a centre for excellence with in the district and its credibility within the district’s educational establishment”.