Project focus: Leadership Academies

With a full events programme planned for the academic year, our School Sport Partnerships (SSPs) aimed to reinvigorate the sports leadership offering at three secondary schools by focusing on year 7 to 8 pupils.

This is a younger age group than the typical year 9 to 10 leadership programme. The objective was to support the transition of the year 7 pupils and help them to develop positive relationships with other pupils, whilst also growing their confidence and competence.

The three schools began their 12week Leadership Academies training from mid-September 2022. At the first half term point the leaders undertook specific workshops around communication, STEP principles of leadership, multi-skills training, inclusion and first aid. After completing the training sessions, all academies led weekly key stage 1 (KS1) athletics festivals during the second half term.

Establishing a Leadership Academy over a sustained period has a positive outcome for the students as well as for the quality of the events. We found the KS1 events were a fantastic platform for developing confidence and interpersonal skills which are so valuable to young people and future leaders.