The Wrekin Old Hall Community Sport Project with local schools
We work to increase the number of sports opportunities for children in the borough by organising events and providing free use of our facilities. We liaise closely with the Telford and Wrekin School Sports Partnership (TWSSP) to achieve this and also with Project Ability whose aim is to do the same for children with special needs. We offer bespoke support to our family of four primary schools. So far this has involved organising family sports events, delivering play leader training, teaching alternative sports, advising where required and supporting school sports days. This relationship is building slowly but positively. Wrekin College Year 10 students have been used to deliver a Key Stage 1 sports festival for the family of schools and this is something we would like to make a termly event.
The Wrekin Old Hall Trust funds a part time school sports co-ordinator (SSCo) who ensures the above happens. She liaises with the TWSSP’s School Games Organisers, staff at the host school and local schools and Wrekin College Leisure Centre staff and facilitates, organises and delivers sporting opportunities and competitions. Effective communication with the relevant staff at The Old Hall and Wrekin College ensures booking out of facilities causes minimal disruption.
Aims
Aims:
To organise, support and facilitate sporting opportunities for young people;
To deliver the above to a range of children including those with special needs and disabilities.
Identified Need:
To assist with provision of appropriate facilities for the above;
To build positive relationships between state and independent schools.
Critical Factors for Success:
Development of mutual respect between The Old Hall School / Wrekin College and the state schools in the borough;
Provision of sporting opportunities for approximately 250 state school children per term.
Beneficiaries:
Local state school children.
Background
The Deputy Head of The Old Hall School suggested a proactive way to build positive relationships with the local primary schools would be to facilitate provision of sporting opportunities for local state school children by opening up the sports facilities belonging to the Wrekin College / Old Hall Trust. The Head approached Governors and they approved the project.
The Telford and Wrekin School Sports Partnership was approached to establish if and how The Old Hall School / Wrekin College could work with them.
The project began in February 2014.
Resources
The Trust funds a school sports co-ordinator (SSCo) one day a week at teacher rate to deliver the project. She liaises closely with the Head and teaching staff at The Old Hall School, PE staff at Wrekin College and the manager at The Wrekin College Sports Hall.
The strong link with the Telford and Wrekin School Sports Partnership is critical. Leisure Centre staff have helped set up events and life-guard at the swimming gala.
The Old Hall PE staff have run a Saturday morning rugby and netball coaching session open to all Year 3/4 children in the borough.
The teacher in charge of Key Stage 1 PE at The Old Hall has helped organise the dance afternoons and worked closely with the SSCo to open up further sporting opportunities for KS1 children at The Old Hall such as taking them to the Local Authority’s Outdoor Pursuit Centre, attending the family multi-sport festival and creating an activity morning for the school’s Reception children.
The Old Hall PE teaching assistant has helped the SSCo run an off-site tag rugby tournament.
The Trust’s sports facilities are used: the sports hall, playing fields, astro-turf and swimming pool.
Impact
The SSCo reports to the Headmaster and governors each term. The report details activity and anecdotal evidence regarding the changing and developing attitudes and perceptions held about the school.
Pupil Involvement
Pupils range from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3 mainly from state schools.
Wrekin College fourth year students have led a KS1 event and we hope to increase their involvement next year.
The majority of participation is from state school children but KS1 Old Hall children have taken part in some of the events.
Frequency
This is an ongoing project. Events organised using the Trust’s facilities over the first 18 months include 4 kwik cricket tournaments, 2 games carousels for children with disabilities and special needs, 2 mass participation dance afternoons, a rounders coaching festival, a swimming gala, a dodgeball competition, a multi-skills circuit, a sports leadership camp, a 5-a-side football tournament for children from special schools, a charity swimming challenge and inspirational talk by a disabled swimmer and a Saturday morning coaching session run by The Old Hall PE staff.
The SSCo has run off-site events including kwik cricket, tag rugby and basketball.
The project will continue as long as the head and governors consider it is achieving its aims.