Children and Young People News – November 2024
Primary Age
Primary PE & Physical Activity Conference 2025
SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday 26 March 2025
Our annual Primary PE & Physical Activity Conference will be taking place on Wednesday 26 March 2025 at The Kent Event Centre, Detling.
This popular, full day, face to face conference provides a chance for primary school teachers, sports deliverers and activity providers across Kent and Medway to hear from leading experts and take away ideas to implement in schools.
Keep an eye out for further announcements in the New Year but if you have any questions about the conference, please contact us at activekent@kent.gov.uk and one of the team will be in touch.
Everyday Active Schools
Everyday Active Schools is designed to increase children’s physical activity levels by taking a whole school approach to embedding physical activity across the school day. Our free workshop has been delivered to 25 primary schools across the county so far, with more workshops booked for this term.
- “Expanding our clubs offer has seen an improvement in the school’s relationship with parents.” An Everyday Active School
We love hearing how schools are now integrating physical activity across the school day and the positive impact it’s having on students, staff, parents and carers. If you’d like your school to become an Everyday Active School, register your interest or contact Charlie Sharp at charlie.sharp@kent.gov.uk to book your free workshop.
Follow this link to book your Everyday Active Schools Workshop
The Daily Mile Santa Run
The holiday season is upon us and The Daily Mile are super excited to announce that their first ever Daily Mile Santa Run is happening on Friday 6 December 2024.
They are encouraging all schools to run, wheel or walk their Daily Mile at any time on Friday 6th. To make your Santa Run extra merry, they’ve created some free festive resources that are packed with fun activities – including a letter from Santa!
These resources will help you make the day even more magical for your children. Let’s make this first ever Daily Mile Santa Run a day filled with smiles, movement, and festive spirit.
Follow this link to access the Santa Run resources
Disney Inspired Shooting Stars SEND
Disney inspired Shooting Stars SEND is a programme that has been designed for schools to inspire young people with SEND to engage in their active minutes through football. The programme provides a suite of resource cards that include ready-made session plans which include fun, inclusive activities for pupils encouraging the development of their fundamental movement skills.
Virtual training sessions have been created to demonstrate how SEND Shooting Stars can be implemented within your school through bringing the resource to life. Once the training has been completed, the resources will be sent to you directly.
Follow this link to access the programme and book a training session
Secondary Age
Impact of Physical Activity on Young People's Mental Health
Sport England recently published a report that shows there is “strong and consistent evidence that sport and physical activity interventions had positive effects on the diagnosed mental health problems of children and young people”.
The ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Physical Activity’ report has been produced by Edge Hill University. Previous research has shown the positive impact of being active on children’s general wellbeing, but there had been little documented evidence on the role of sport and physical activity in the treatment of diagnosed mental health conditions in children and young people.
Follow this link to view the Sport England report
Supporting Young People's Mental Health - A School's Story
Active Kent & Medway has been working with a number of schools across the county who were keen to deliver mental wellbeing pilot projects using physical activity sessions to support young people’s mental health.
We collated the impact and learning from these sessions. We also visited The Victory Academy in Medway to find out more about their Yoga Club targeting girls who were identified as needing further support around their mental health and wellbeing.
“Once students saw for themselves that they were benefiting and enjoying the sessions, they became more active and more willing to partake.” Teacher
Mental Health Support and Resources
Given the local and national evidence of the importance of physical activity on mental wellbeing, Mind, the mental health charity, has developed helpful resources, videos and courses for sports coaches, instructors and physical activity providers who play a key role in supporting people with mental health problems to become active.
Their e-learning course: Mental Health Awareness for Sport and Physical Activity, will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to better understand and support people living with mental health problems, with new content on young people, healthy relationships with physical activity and self-care.
Follow this link to access the MIND resources and training courses
Rugby Football League 'We're on the Same Team'
The Rugby Football League’s ‘We’re On the Same Team’ programme has been created to be delivered by schools and clubs using their free resources to support the effort in tackling bullying and discrimination.
The programme develops positive attitudes and behaviours in students; shapes a positive culture in schools; enables schools, students and clubs to inspire their communities.
The programme supports young people to reflect on bullying and discrimination in all its forms, supporting them to become kinder, more compassionate, and to have inclusive attitudes.
Other News & Announcements
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you
If there’s anything in this newsletter you’d like to discuss, then just get in touch and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible. Please email: activekent@kent.gov.uk
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