Onbo ard A
ny body of water can be a mysterious thing. For today’s crew of trepidatious young sailors – a group of nine- and ten-year-olds trying sailing for the first time – the east London water they trek towards is a particular
source of uncertainty. ‘There are creatures in it!’ Ibrahim cries, ‘Sharks! Or a squid! A giant squid! No, an average-size squid that’ll spray ink all over your body and in your eyes.’ ‘I’m nervous of falling in,’ Ethan explains, ‘because
the water involves everything we do our business in.’ When someone hopefully suggests that the water may be clean, Ethan, with assured Year 5 authority, replies: ‘The River Thames is never clean.’ As the children make their way from Tollgate
Primary School in Newham to the Royal Docks, just five minutes away, their emotions ping-pong from anxiety to excitement. They worry about getting wet or cold. Fortunately, throughout the journey the sun shines like a warm welcome. But soon after reaching the water, the wind howls. Rain lashes down. Everyone runs for cover to escape the downpour. Considering the deluge, now seems as good a time as any for buoyancy aids…
SAILING FOR ALL
‘Some of these kids have never been on a boat, even though they live near the docks,’ says Emma O’Connor, Tollgate’s headteacher. The school first got involved in the RYA’s OnBoard scheme last year. OnBoard gives young people the opportunity to try sailing and windsurfing, hopefully leading to a love of watersports but also enabling them to develop skills that will help them in their daily lives. Since the scheme launched in 2005, it’s been estimated that over 900,000 young people have taken part.
The children learn their way around a dinghy before getting onto the water.
“at first i was a bit nervous and wobbly but then i was okay” amani
‘At Tollgate we want to provide our most disadvantaged children with new and exciting learning opportunities beyond the classroom that will give them the skills to compete globally,’ says Emma. The timing of this year’s course, with everyone still living under Covid-related restrictions, has been helpful, says Emma. ‘The resilience the programme develops is particularly important in this day and age. Most of our children have been locked down for months, and it’s had an effect on their mental health. This will build them back up again and get them outside – for some of the children coming outside their house was a struggle for them. And now they’re getting out onto a boat with their friends so they can sail!’ The session today at Royal Docks
is the first of four taking place over the next few weeks. Today’s chief concern is familiarisation, getting comfortable with the boats and the water. And so, when the rain passes, the kids speed off to their RS Zests. However unfamiliar with boating they may be, they’re soon laughing at the water’s edge. They learn how to tell their rudder from their daggerboard, their mast from their boom. And when the wind catches in the sails, which flap wildly and loudly, the kids whoop with laughter, and before long the tension has dissipated, the anxiety’s gone. ‘That was amazing!’ Radhia exclaims. ‘We built a boat!’ shouts Caelan. ‘I could probably do it myself next time,’ adds Yahya. ‘I was nervous at first,’ Abbi admits with a smile, ‘but
now I’m not.’ The turnaround in the children’s attitudes gives us a small glimpse into what’s possible through OnBoard. A landmark study published by UCL’s Institute of Education last year has shown the positive impact
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