24/25 24/25
5809 total participants (+44%)
2439 boy participants (+59%)
902 send participants (+88%)
80 teachers trained
1535 PP/FSM Participants (+102%)
3354 girl participants (+34%)
56 events held (+19%)
94 leaders trained
*% increase from spring term 23/2024 compared to this year
The start of 2025 has been a busy one, with plenty of projects being delivered across our Super School Network. We kicked off with our Utilita EFL U11s Kids Cup Final at Moor Farm Training Centre. Willington Primary School were the winners who represented Derby County at the regional round in March. We also hosted our Premier League Primary Stars Under-11 girls Football Tournament qualifiers in January with 20 Derby schools competing to take part in the Midlands regional round hosted by DCCT at Derby Racecourse. Mickleover Primary School won the qualifiers and the chance to represent Derby County. They then went on to beat 10 other teams representing Football Club Charities to progress to the national finals in June.
Alongside our competitive football opportunities, we also engaged new female players to the beautiful game with our Biggest Ever Girls Football Session on Friday 7th March at Derby Racecourse. Game On Leaders from Chellaston Academy co-delivered the girls football festival for players as part of a national campaign day to promote girls football in schools. The event was attended by local MP’s and Ewie the Derby County mascot.
We continue to provide education interventions in our Enhanced Affiliated schools, on World Book Day, DCCT delivered books to 300 students alongside running literacy education activations.
Indoor Athletics season was quick off the mark in January, with the events team delivering the highest number of Sports Hall Athletics events ever, with 8 events running in spring term. From Year 1 to Year 11, a range of festivals, competition and inclusive events took place over the two months. 1489 students took part in the events, with multiple schools progressing to represent DCCT at county level.
Whilst the Super Bowl took place in the USA, in February we delivered our first NFL Flag football event for our primary schools in collaboration with Rural Derbyshire SSP & South Derbyshire ASP.
Whilst our Easter Holiday camps are due to start next week, in February half term we continued to support families with our Ram’s Family Support sessions, which provided hot meals and activity sessions for young people from the city. 42 students attended these sessions, which ran alongside our other commercial Holiday Coaching offer, which provided 352 young people with the chance to stay active over the school holidays.
This report shines a light on the highlights of spring term 2025. We hope you enjoy the selection of case studies highlighting how DCCT is helping to create healthier and more active communities.
Thank you again to all our partner schools who continue to make our work possible, we look forward to working with you in summer term.
Jack Southwart, PE & Schools Lead
On Tuesday 14th January we hosted the Premier League Primary Stars Under-11 Girls Football Tournament local qualifying round. 20 of our partner schools were invited to take part in a 6-a-side football competition, with the winning school getting the chance to be DCCT representative at the regional finals.
The day saw 160 girls take part in games that displayed an increased standard of play from last year’s competition. Mickleover Primary School beat Oakwood Junior School in the final to win the chance to represent DCCT at the regional rounds in March. Mickleover were presented with their winner’s trophy and certificates by Derby County Women’s Helena Meadows and Paris Dalton.
“There weren’t any girls teams at primary school, so l to had to play at boys’ team, so it’s really cool to see so many girl’s teams today from around the city I grew up in, and how much the game has grown over the last 10 years.” - Paris Dalton, Derby County Women
You can see more from Helena & Paris and the local event here
DCCT was again honoured to host the regional round which saw teams from Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Leicester City, Mansfield Town, Burton Albion, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Chesterfield travel to Derby Racecourse. Alongside the football, players also had opportunities to have photos with the Premier League Trophy and take part in a workshop delivered by Lionesses Performance Analyst, Joe Sullivan.
DCCT’s Mickleover, Rotherham, Mansfield, and Notts County progressed from the group stage to the semi-finals.
Mickleover Primary School went on to win the tournament and will now compete against the best school teams from across the country at the national finals in June. We wish them the best of luck!
You can see the highlights from the regional round here
“We all had a fantastic day; the girls loved it and was made even better with us qualifying to the next round. The day was organised and well presented, with additions like the DJ and the PL Trophy making the day one to remember.” - Ryan Green, Schools and Sport Participation Coordinator, Rotherham United Community Trust
GIRLS FOOTBALL IN SCHOOLS CASE STUDY
Over the past decade, the landscape of girls’ football in schools across the UK has undergone significant transformation. In the past, football offered limited opportunities for girls to play football in school. However, through the Barclay’s Girls Football in Schools Partnership, grassroots initiatives, and the success of the Lionesses, girls’ football has gained momentum in schools.
This academic year, the Derby County Community Trust events team has been part of this momentum, by providing opportunities for girls’ football in both primary and secondary schools. The Secondary Girls Football League, Premier League Primary Stars Under-11s Girls’ Football Tournament and the Biggest Ever Girls Football Session are good examples of the work we are doing with schools and the impact these have on the participants.
SECONDARY GIRLS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The Secondary Girls Football League, hosted at Lees Brook School and John Port School, involves three different age categories: U12s, U14s and U16s. A total of 43 teams from 16 schools have taken part in this year’s competitions. The league has seen 387 participants (a 28% increase from last year) take part, which consists of 3 nights of football, followed by league finals, involving the top 4 teams from each venue.
The Girls Football League has helped to increase the number of girls taking part in extracurricular football. Schools that have taken part in the league have reported an increase of girls taking part in their afterschool clubs, with numbers ranging from 20 - 50 participants. At these after school clubs, on average; 13% of these girls are from an ethnically diverse community, 10% are on free school meals and 6% have SEND.
Our mission is to keep the girls active by providing the opportunity to play against other schools competitively and to maintain that interest in football outside of their school environment. The Girls Football League has helped 15% of the girls involved to continue playing football for local clubs.
“The amount of girls transitioning into community clubs is from moderate to low as girls are already playing outside school.” - Littleover Community School
“We like the league because is girls only and we get more opportunity to play. We like that the league is played over three days, so we get to play more football” –Murray Park U16’s Girls team
“Girls already play for local teams, but new faces have shown at football training at school each week.” - Lees Brook Academy
“Really well organised competition. This includes the organisation of fixtures/results as well as the refereeing of games. Thank you to all those involved” - West Park School
The “Biggest Ever Football Session” is an annual event in England aimed at promoting girls’ participation in football, typically held in March to coincide with International Women’s Day. Schools nationwide are encouraged to organise football activities for girls, emphasizing equal access to sports.
In 2024, the event set a record with over 465,000 girls from 5,000 schools participating, highlighting considerable progress in promoting girls’ football.
The 2025 session occurred on March 7, with the Football Association (FA) and Barclays aiming to surpass the previous record. Derby County Community Trust hosted a football festival at Derby Racecourse Hub, which saw more than 100 participants from 10 Primary schools in Derby attend. This was a 38% increase in participation from last year’s event.
These sessions are part of broader efforts to inspire and empower the next generation of female coaches, fostering inclusivity and leadership through girls’ football. We had the pleasure of co-creating the event with 12 Game On Leaders from Chellaston Academy, which organised and ran the different stations on the day. They served as role models to the girls who took part in the event.
This event was aimed at girls who had little to no prior experience playing football, allowing them to practice some core football skills before playing semi-competitive matches against girls from different schools.
“Being able to be part of organising this event, makes me feel proud and more confident. It feels good that younger girls have someone to look up to” - Chellaston Game on Leaders
“Football is a game for everyone, so it was amazing to see over 100 girls from across Derby taking part in the ‘Biggest Ever Football Session’ at Derby Racecourse football pitches. Not only did the event break records with 5,000 schools taking part nationally, but it broke barriers too - helping to give girls equal opportunities to get involved in a sport that means so much to the country and find joy in being active as part of a healthy lifestyle.” - Catherine Atkinson MP
We asked the girls a few questions pre and post event and here are some of their answers:
Would you like to play girls football outside of school?
• “Yes, because I like football”
• “Yes, because I want to train more”
• “Yes, I would love to give it a go after scoring two goals today.”
Why do you like playing girls football?
How do you feel after taking part in the “Biggest Ever Football Session”?
• “...very happy I took part in today’s event”
• “I feel confident and important”
• “I feel amazing, it was such a good experience”
• “So, I can learn new things, work as a team and because it’s good for you”
• “Because I can feel included to do whatever boys can do”
• “Because it makes me feel me”
• “Because it’s fun and it gives us a chance”
During spring term, we launched a brand-new county competition alongside other areas of Derbyshire called flag football. The sport is a non-contact version of American Football and is growing in popularity around the country. However, the sport was unknown to the county, so we wanted to introduce it for students to get involved in and develop some new skills.
Derby City schools and their pupils took part in two training sessions delivered by DCCT staff. The first session focused on developing technical skills such as snapping and throwing. The second was centred around how the game works and developing attacking/ defending strategies. They understood and grasped the skills and rules quickly, and there was positive feedback from them.
The competition took place at Moorways Sports Village with 12 teams and 96 students battling it out against each other with the prospect of advancing to the next round. Our qualified staff officiated the games, and we had two coaches from the NFL Academy join us to support. There was a fantastic array of footballing talent on display across all teams, and Osmaston C of E Primary School and Lea Primary School (Rural Derbyshire) won their respective groups. They will represent Derbyshire at the East Midlands competition taking place in May, and we wish them the best of luck!
Overall, the project was an enormous success, and we will look to expand the competition next year to allow more schools to try a new sport and get involved in local and county qualifiers. Staff have mentioned their interest in competing in this again.
“We like that it’s a new sport we haven’t done before and the pace of the game when playing” - Student, Meadow Farm Community School
The Sports Hall Athletics events provided a fantastic opportunity for students across different age groups to engage in athletics, whether for fun or competition. The focus on teamwork, skill development, and inclusion made the events a success, with a total of 1489 participants across all SHA events.
During spring term, we hosted a series of Sports Hall Athletics (SHA) events, focusing on providing students with opportunities to try new activities, engage in exciting relay races, and tackle challenging field events, all while maintaining a sense of teamwork, inclusivity, and school spirit. The event formats catered to all levels of ability, from the non-competitive and fun-focused PLUS and INSPIRE festivals to the more structured and competitive ACHIEVE competitions for year 3 to year 8 students. The focus of the events ranged from inspiring participation in KS1 to achieving athletic potential in Years 3-8.
“The energetic atmosphere, team spirit, and sense of achievement made these events a memorable experience for all involved!”Alex
Brennan, Event Organiser
The goal for the KS1 ACHIEVE competition and INSPIRE festivals was to introduce younger athletes to sports hall athletics in a fun and non-competitive environment. This event focused on exploration, skill development, and enjoyment in a ‘festival format,’ with 354 students rotating around a series of stations. The emphasis on fun and exploration allowed even the youngest students to feel comfortable participating. Through a variety of activities, children developed key motor skills like balance, coordination, and agility.
The ACHIEVE competitions for Year 3 & 4 and Year 5 & 6 enabled the students to achieve their full athletic potential. These events introduced an element of competition, where a total of 637 students competed as part of a team across various track and field events. Schools were encouraged to prepare students prior to the event by running trials during PE lessons or extracurricular clubs, allowing them to select the best team for the competition.
“I feel nervous yet excited to represent my school! I am most looking forward to sprinting as it helps me burn of my hyper energy!” - Lilly, St Clare’s School
“My motivation to take part, is that I enjoy running and I want to win!” - Year 6 Student, Silverhill Primary School
Each student could participate in up to 2 field events, 1 race, and 1 relay, ensuring a balanced experience for all students. Both Cavendish Close Junior Academy and Walter Evans placed top of the leaderboard and progressed onto the SHA County Finals.
The ACHIEVE competition for Year 7 & 8 students aimed to provide a competitive platform where a total of 448 students represented their school and showcased their individual and team-based athletic abilities. This event was more focused on performance, with students competing across various track and field events to earn points for their team, with 5 Derby City schools progressing onto the SHA County Finals.
The KS2 and KS3/4 SHA PLUS events were designed to offer students with physical disabilities an inclusive and supportive environment where they can participate in a range of athletics activities. The event also allowed schools to highlight the talents and capabilities of students with disabilities. This fostered a greater sense of empathy, understanding, and acceptance among all
“My motivation to take part is that I want to get more active and fit!” - Adrian, Landau Forte Academy Moorhead
the 136 SEND students that participated. Both events also highlighted the importance of diversity in sports, showing that physical disabilities should not be a barrier to participation. Both Kingsmead and St. Clare’s progressed onto the Secondary Sports hall Plus County Finals.
Throughout the SHA events, we had the help of both Noel Baker and Woodlands Year 10 & 11 ‘Sports Leaders’. As Sports Leaders, the students are given the responsibility of managing and assisting in various event tasks, such as setting up equipment, explaining rules, and overseeing the smooth flow of activities. During the events, Sport Leaders gathered feedback through youth voice where participants shared their thoughts on the event, including what went well and where improvements could be made. The contributions of the Sport Leaders are always appreciated, as they allow the event to run smoothly whilst offering a supportive environment for the young athletes.
“I enjoy sports leadership because it boosts your confidence and you get lots of opportunity to help people understand better” - Sarah, Woodlands Sports Leader
This year we introduced our competitive KS2 Panathlon PLUS event which is adapted for pupils falling into set categories ranging from wheelchair users, sight or hearing impairment and special educational needs.
Our Panathlon event is a multi-sports competition that gives participants the opportunity to represent their school in sporting competition that they are so often otherwise denied.
45 pupils from 5 schools attended our Panathlon competition including: St Georges, Markeaton, Ashwood Spencer, Ravensdale, and St Giles. Schools had to take part in 6 stations/activities to earn points.
A student from St Georges said: “I really enjoyed today, representing my school with my friends.” - Student, St. George’s Catholic Voluntary Academy
Each pupil took part in bowling, boccia, basketball, new age kurling, target throw and bean bag balance. Teams had to work together to get the highest average from each activity to earn points for an overall score.
Once the scores were collected and totalled the winners for the day were St Georges and runners up were Markeaton. Both schools will now progress to represent DCCT at the county competition in summer term.
“I felt nervous coming today and trying new sports but I’m glad I did come as I enjoyed myself competing against other schools.”
- Student, St Giles Spencer Academy
Wednesday 7th may
Y3 & 4 School Games Mega Fest
Tuesday 3rd june
KS2 Swimming Gala
Monday 9th june
School Games Mark Workshop
Monday 16th june
School Affiliation Briefing 25/26
Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th June
Celebration of Dance
Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd May
Yr 5 & 6 Cricket Competition
wednesday 4th june
Mini Leaders Festival
Wednesday 11th june
Y5 & 6 School Games Festival
Wednesday 18th june
Primary Track & field Festival
Tuesday 1st july
County forest Games