School Games Newsletter – April 2024
Introduction
Welcome to the first edition of the School Games Newsletter brought to you in collaboration with Active Kent & Medway and the local network of Kent School Games Organisers (SGOs). The Kent School Games is evolving, now focused on engaging the least active students and those most affected by inequalities.
The School Games Newsletter provides the latest guidance, news and opportunities to support schools in ensuring all their students have the opportunity to be physically active. The content relates to the five School Games outcomes: Active 60 Minutes, Transition and Secondary Engagement, Leadership, Creating Positive Competition Experiences, and Key Stakeholder Engagement.
Transition and Secondary Engagement
This Girl Can – Studio You
Studio You is a campaign led by This Girl Can aiming to change the negative PE narrative for girls and inspire the next generation. Breaking the traditional PE mould, Studio You is home to hundreds of free PE lessons that have been designed to be inclusive and accessible.
Lessons include Yoga, Dance, Boxing and Combat and inspire even the least active girls to participate without the pressure of competition.
Teachers simply need to head to the website and sign up FREE for a suite of resources including planning tools focussing on progressing and assessing the impact of lessons against learning, behaviour and knowledge.
Mental Health Training for Secondary PE Teachers
To help ease the transition into secondary school for new students, the SGO network are looking to target schools in their local area, enabling teachers to deliver the AIM Youth Sport Trust Project.
The project involves a group of older secondary school students being trained to help nurture year 7’s struggling to settle into their new school through the use of regular sport/physical activity. Case studies will be published to highlight and share the successes of the programme.
Active 60 Minutes
Playtime Party Leader Training – Gravesham & Dartford Schools
Playtime Party has been created to support the UK’s Chief Medical Officers recommendation of 60 active minutes and engagement of our least active children. Playtime Party thrives on sustainability through trained Playtime Party Leaders who lead safe and enjoyable dance activities during school break times and events.
Playtime Party meets the Government’s Physical Literacy framework enabling:
- Physical Development – develops skill and stamina
- Knowledge and Understanding – pupils learn by doing, feeling and experiencing,
- Enjoyment – fun
- Confidence and Self Esteem – releases inhibitions
- Social Development – encourages social relationships
- Creativity – freedom
- Expression and Communication – supports pupil well-being.
Active 60 Film
The Kent School Games aims to engage those most affected by inequalities and to support the positioning of physical activity across our network of schools. There is now a greater focus on reducing sedentary behaviour both in and out of school by helping all young people to be physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day. This short film demonstrates how the School Games in Kent is contributing towards the national objective of Active 60.
Leadership Skills
Activity Volunteer Award
The School Games team want to be a sustainable workforce, and particularly help young people develop their leadership skills. Therefore, we are offering secondary schools the free opportunity to deliver the Activity Volunteer Award (formally delivered by Sport Leaders UK).
To express your interest in delivering the award please email KentSchoolGames@kent.gov.uk
Further Support and Opportunities
Primary PE & Physical Activity Conference
Bookings are now open for the Active Kent and Medway Primary PE and Physical Activity Conference 2024, taking place on Wednesday 5 June at Kent Event Centre, Detling.
Please book your space using the link below. More information about the content of the day will be released soon.
Schools may use their Sports Premium funding to pay for the event and for a substitute teacher to cover a teacher’s absence.
Book your place at the Primary PE and Physical Activity Conference 2024
Kent School Games Events
Through the School Games programme we are looking to target those students who face the greatest inequalities to being physically active and those who struggle to engage with sport and physical activity on a daily basis.
Please consider this and the Kent School Games ‘ME’ themes when selecting the students you are bringing along to our events.
To view the list of events, please click on the relevant term below.
View the list of the Kent School Games events
Active Lives Survey
If your school is keen to understand how active your students are both in and out of school then look no further than Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People survey.
The survey also includes measures for wellbeing, attitudes towards sport and physical activity and volunteering. Schools taking part will receive a bespoke report in relation to the students’ responses as well as enabling schools to access the DfE’s Healthy Schools rating scheme.
To express your interest in signing up, please email activelives@bubbleandscruff.com
Additional News
Contact Us
We hope you’ve found the latest School Games Newsletter for Kent and Medway of interest. If there’s anything in the newsletter you’d like to discuss further, then please email: activekent@kent.gov.uk or contact your local School Games Organiser.