Tackling inactivity and sharing sports facilities

Sporting partnerships are key to helping young people to get active, stay fit and healthy, and form new friendships, and these initiatives have become even more important in the wake of school closures and widespread disruption to education. Recognising this as a key priority, schools have stepped up to organise sporting events and activities, while others have shared their facilities with their wider communities.

In June of this year, Godolphin and Latymer School launched Step Up to Sport, a primary school partnership initiative designed to give local pupils the opportunity to try different sports. The scheme was established by two lower sixth students at the school, Millie and Jess, and is supported by a team of 18 student volunteers. As part of its inaugural event, 31 Year 5 pupils from West London Free School engaged in netball, cricket and football programmes.

Last autumn saw the renewal of Monkton Combe School’s rowing partnership with Combe Down Primary School. The programme, which takes place over the course of six weeks, gives 60 local Year 6 pupils the opportunity to experience rowing on the river Avon. Every week, groups of children are transported by minibus to the Monkton boathouse, where they participate in a rowing taster session. Trained staff members from Monkton Combe School lead the sessions, while two members of staff from Combe Down Primary accompany the pupils to supervise the visit.

Wells Cathedral School shares its sporting facilities for local sporting tournaments, which involve pupils from partner primary schools. During these events, senior sports scholars from the school take part as coaches. This summer, Wells Cathedral School has shared its swimming pool for family swim sessions, providing lifeguarding courses for senior pupils and recent leavers who are trained to cover these swim sessions alongside staff members.

In addition to supporting a number of local sports clubs and teams through sharing hockey, badminton, netball, fencing and athletics facilities, Badminton School has begun working with Bristol Penguin Olympic Swimming Club to help deliver a swim programme for children unable to swim 25m. With many children having missed out on valuable school and community swimming lessons due to the challenges presented by COVID, this partnership has already enabled many young people to go from nonswimmers to being able to swim 20m or 25m unaided within five lessons. And, those still unable to swim those distances after the course are offered free additional lessons.

The Bolton Sports Alliance finds solutions for local primary schools ’ PE and sporting needs. It is a partnership between Bolton School (Boys’and Girls’Divisions), Bolton Wanderers FC Community Trust, the Lancashire Outdoor Activities Initiative, Bolton Lads and Girls Club and the University of Bolton. Its work includes coordinating schools ’ entire PE programmes, delivering short courses in a range of sports and setting up in-school clubs focused on specific activities. The Alliance also coordinates some hugely popular mass participation events such as football festivals, and offers CPD for PE teachers.

“Sport to us is the most valuable thing we have been introduced to, and so we are passionate about sharing this love.We strongly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the benefits and with the introduction of Step Up to Sport, we hope to inspire the next generation of athletes. ”

Millie, a co-founder of Step Up to Sport