Lewis Miley and Sean Longstaff are students for the day with Newcastle United Foundation

Newcastle United homegrown talents Sean Longstaff and Lewis Miley made it a school day to remember for students learning to unlock their potential with Newcastle United Foundation.

Pupils at Jesmond Park Academy were told two new students would be joining their group and were delighted when Miley and Longstaff – an ambassador for the Foundation – arrived to take part in their lesson led Foundation staff.

The pair got to work in helping students with problem-solving and communication tasks, encouraging the group to work as a team before sharing their personal journeys in football and answering questions on topics ranging from discipline and resilience to ambition and mental wellbeing.

As one of Newcastle United Foundation’s Partner Schools, the Newcastle academy benefits from a Foundation staff member embedded within the school during term-time, providing tailored support for students who may be at risk of disengaging from education or who face barriers to achieving their goals.

Andy Foster, Director of Programmes and Impact at Newcastle United Foundation, said: “Visits from role models like Sean Longstaff and Lewis Miley who have also grown up in the same area allows students to see that with commitment and hard work, they can achieve their full potential.

“As a Foundation we are proud to support each young person on their journey to finding and realising their goals by starting with targeted interventions for more than 750 pupils every year in our Partner Schools.

“Whether this is achieved through mentoring, careers guidance or resilience-building sessions delivered by our team, our ambition is to improve outcomes in education and boost long-term prospects for young people across the North East.”

The Foundation’s Partner Schools programme is delivered within a network of secondary schools in the region, supporting the next generation to potential through education, mentorship, and employability training.

The initiative is supported by the Harrison Foundation with the two charities working together to create positive change and provide meaningful opportunities through more than 1,600 sessions delivered in Partner Schools every year.

Harrison Foundation trustee Daniel Harrison said: “It was a great experience to visit Jesmond Park Academy and see the enthusiasm students have for their sessions with Newcastle United Foundation first-hand.

“Sean and Lewis made a huge impression – it’s not every day young people get to hear directly from Premier League players about overcoming challenges and setting goals.

“At the Harrison Foundation, we’re committed to giving young people the tools and opportunities to build brighter futures, and we’re proud to support a programme that is achieving just that.”

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