Sport & PE

All teachers can help boost PE participation

The PE department at Colton Hills Community School needed a reboot. Being smaller than the average-sized secondary school, it was facing many challenges: a high number of English as an Additional Language (EAL) students, a high number of students in receipt of the pupil premium, and a high mobility rate. As a result, it needed the support of staff across the school to supplement its approach towards engaging students and raising participation in PE

Luke Jones, Head of PE at Colton Hills Community School, turned to funding provided by the Sport England-funded Secondary Teacher Training (STT) programme. It has allowed staff to provide the opportunities its students so rightly deserve.

Thinking of ways to raise the profile of PE at the school, Luke turned to social media as a key part of the department’s strategy. Every member of staff uses the department’s Twitter and Instagram accounts to celebrate successes. PE teachers post images, which enables staff from other departments to be involved and to build relationships with individual students. They in turn help promote clubs run by the PE department.

Luke has focused on building a team that is able to teach a broad curriculum so that all students can flourish and excel. Together, the PE department has worked hard to give every child the opportunity to engage in sport. Sport England’s research revealed that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school as easily as their more active peers. The PE department at Colton Hills now ensures students are aware of all the activities available to them. Perhaps a student doesn’t enjoy football. Instead, staff will introduce them to other sports such as swimming, badminton, baseball or basketball.

PE and the wider curriculum Luke encourages schools to see how PE can be woven into the wider curriculum. This can be something as simple as using examples from a sporting context during an English or maths lesson to bring a subject to life. A maths teacher can discuss the angle of a shot or a corner in football. They can also discuss how a player heads the ball – for example, is it better to head the ball with a glance or head it straight?

At Colton Hills, you will overhear a PE teacher talking about geography and a maths teacher discussing PE or science. It is up to all members of staff to collectively work to promote the importance of being active in PE. This can be achieved by ensuring that a science teacher praises an individual for something they had achieved in PE, for example. This simple acknowledgement builds relationships between students and staff across the school. Likewise, talking about finance from the perspective of a particular football club can spark a student’s interest, allowing a relationship to flourish and create a positive role. Using sport as a hook means that all staff are driving the importance of being healthy and active. A whole school approach Historically not seen in this way PE now has a clear connection with the wider school curriculum and is part of a whole school approach at Colton Hills Community School. How? It’s all about the ethos of understanding and participation. With PE, feedback is instant:

you praise a student there and then for something they have done. That in turn helps build great relationships with individual students which allows teachers to develop their understanding of the barriers and motivations of each of their students. According to research conducted by Sheffield Hallam At Colton Hills, all members of staff collectively work to promote the importance of being active in PE University, as part of the programme, found that more active students report an average happiness score of seven out of 10 (compared to just five out of 10 for less active students). Almost three-quarters of students (69 per cent) agreed that being active helps them build resilience. More than half (62 per cent) agreed that it helps them make healthier life choices. More than half (59 per cent) said it improves their mental wellbeing, and nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) said it improves their mood. Today at Colton Hills Community School, students understand how a healthy lifestyle will benefit them as they progress through life. That’s why incorporating PE across the curriculum E

 and constantly reinforcing its importance in daily life can make such a difference. PE really can be the vehicle to ignite change and give students the drive that hey need to seek more in life, and this can be sparked in any subject across the curriculum.

For teachers looking to make PE, school sport and physical activity a more inclusive and enjoyable experience for their students, head to the link below for easyto-implement top tips and advice. L

FURTHER INFORMATION

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Sport England’s research revealed that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school as easily as their more active peers. The PE department at Colton Hills now ensures students are aware of all the activities available to them. Perhaps a student doesn’t enjoy football. Instead, staff will introduce them to other sports

Research shows benefits of an inclusive PE environment

Research from Sport England’s Secondary Teacher Training programme shows how secondary schools can adopt inclusive practices and incorporate student voice to provide a better PE environment.

Inclusivity, increased participation and student voice were the dominating topics brought to life through pupil-focused research. It found that giving young people, especially those who are less active, the chance to shape their PE lessons created a happier environment. It also showed how getting to know and understand students’ motivations and barriers can help encourage enjoyment and engagement. What’s more, it found that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school, as easily as their active peers.

To showcase the findings, Sport England has created five infographics detailing key outputs from the STT programme to be shared far and wide across the teaching community. Teachers can find tips which answer questions about why PE matters and why PE makes a happy school, as well as insight on how to make PE great and accessible for all students.

In addition, Sport England has also developed 10 short films which feature case studies of teachers and students positively impacted by the programme. The films highlight the easy-to-adopt ways secondary school teachers have implemented new approaches having completed the STT programme.

Luke Jones, Head of P.E at Colton Hills Community School