By Admin2 on 11 January, 2012
The Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, of the Department for Culture Media and Sport was at the centre of a new set of announcements about funding for school, youth and community sport. The announcements, which came with 200 days to go to the opening of the Olympic Games, centre on the government’s pledge to create a lasting legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games – especially in relation to young people.
Read the DCMS publication Creating a Sporting Habit for Life
The following links provide wider reading about these announcements:
Sport England press release
Sport England – School Games Funding
Guardian Report on Defence of Olympic Legacy
Labour – School Sport coordinators should be Retained
Funding for School Sports Clubs
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, club links, legacy, Olympic, school games, sport, Sports Club, youth, youth sport |
By Admin2 on 7 January, 2012
Which Government department is responsible for improvements in school sport?
How will improvements in participation and engagement for young people aged 5-19 be measured?
Are there any targets?
What could be the impact of reductions to the capacity of School Sport Partnerships.
Such issues were debated recently in the house of commons. For any analysis and to see videos of aspects of the debate click here
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Children, competition, DCMS, DfE, Education, legacy, PESSYP, School, school games, school sport, sport |
By Admin2 on 22 December, 2011
Warrington School Sport Partnership is hosting a training and celebration event linked to the Young Ambassadors programme on 26th January, 6-8pm at the University of Chester. New Young Ambassadors, School Sport Organising Committee Members and their parents are invited to attend, along with any individuals or representatives from organisations who would like to know more about what activities and events are being planned in Warrington during 2012.
YA 2012 evening poster – individuals and organisations
YA evening students poster – information for new YAs , Adistars and SSOC members
Map to UoC Warrington Campus
Map of Warrington Campus showing Lance Dobson Lecture Theatre
The event will start with a welcome address and speech from Barney Storey, MBE (2 x Paralympic Gold Medallist in track cycling) who will share his experiences as a top athlete with us and explain what it takes to ‘be your best’.
The Young Ambassadors will take part in short workshops at which they will take part in training supporting them to undertake their Young Ambassador or School Sport Organising Committee roles. During this time, the adults (parents, organisation representatives) will enjoy performances from Penketh High School and Warrington Gym Club before working with Barney and supporters of the Young Ambassador programme to discuss how the ambitions of these young people can be supported.
For further information or to request a space at this free event as an organisational representative, please contact Paula Pearson on 07572419478
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, business, leadership, Olympic, olympics, volunteering, voluteer, voluteers, young ambassadors |
By Admin2 on 16 November, 2011
WIN a trip to the Olympic
Stadium next April for
your school!
Are you ready to go for Gold? Get your school involved
in the build up to London 2012 by taking on Olympic
and Paralympic sports to raise funds for vital medical
research into child health.
Challenge your pupils to cover 2012kms by running, walking, cycling,
swimming, kayaking… just choose your sports and commit to raising funds
for Action Medical Research.
Register before the end of November to be in with a chance to take part in
the Gold Challenge Stadium Parade in the Olympic Stadium.
Click onto the link to find out more.
http://familygoldchallenge.org
Posted in Birchwood, Bridgewater, Cardinal Newman, Culcheth, Great Sankey, Lymm, Lysander, News, Penketh, Sir Thomas Boteler, St Gregory's, William Beamont | Tagged Olympic, secondary
By Admin2 on 19 October, 2011
Megan Hopkins, Volleyball Development Coach for Warrington School Sport Partnership and Volleyball England, received fantastic news today when she heard she had been selected on merit as one of only 2 VDCs across the country to take part in the fantastic ‘International Inspiration’ programme as part of the London 2012 legacy.
International Inspiration aims to deliver on the Games’ bid promise to ‘reach young people all over the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games, so they are inspired to choose sport’. Working in countries all over the world, International Inspiration aims to use sport as a positive force to enrich the lives of over 12 million young people.
Megan will be travelling to Tanzania in 3 weeks time to spend time in training local people so that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to run volleyball programmes in their own communities and to inspire people to do something positive through sport.
No doubt Megan will have an amazing time and is sure to get as many people loving the sport in Africa as she has already in Warrington! We wish her all the best and hope she’ll come back with plenty of pictures and information to share with us.
Read more about the International Inspiration project here
Posted in News, Volleyball | Tagged coach, Coaching, international, legacy, Olympic, olympics, volleyball, Warrington |
By admin on 22 October, 2010
Grappenhall Hall joins together with Focus Gymnastics, a local Gym club to improve in performance and knowledge for a group of talented boys.
A group of boys from Grappenhall Hall School have been working with a local Men’s Gymnastics Coach to improve in their talent for free running and the new discipline freestyle Gymnastics.
The Boys along with their teacher are attending the sessions, held at Focus Gym Club, for 10 weeks, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund.
The boys, who all range from 11 to 16 years of age, show a real interest or talent for the sport. They attend the sessions once a week for a two hour block as part of their school day. Giving them the opportunity to work within a purpose built facility and with outside coach has really improved their overall behaviour and social skills. They have responded to the programme really well, with all the boys learning new skills including backward somersaults on the trampoline, back flips on the floor and they have also been introduced to the 6 pieces that all high level gymnasts have to take part in during competitions.
The boys have been given the opportunity to attend classes outside of the school; this will give them the opportunity to be part of a club setting and work towards club grades and competitions.
The Boys’ teacher Graham Chatterley describes how well the sessions are going; “It gives the boys the opportunity to push on from the starting point they have from school. They can use the specialist equipment and coaching to try things they have not been able to before. It also allows me as the teacher to learn new coaching techniques for skills the boys are asking for but I have not had the knowledge for.”
Below are a few quotes from the boys themselves:
“The Coach is great he helps us with our moves and tells us were we need to improve.”
“I have learnt so many new things, it’s been great”
“It’s hard work and the coach really works us hard, but I have learnt loads.”
Posted in Gymnastics | Tagged gymnastics |
By Admin2 on 27 October, 2010
“The government has been accused of betraying the promises made to secure the London 2012 Games by scrapping the school sport programme with less than two years to go until the Olympics.
Baroness Sue Campbell, the chair of the Youth Sports Trust, said the decision to incorporate the £162m ringfenced for a network of 450 school sport co-ordinators and other specialist programmes into the general education budget would “decimate” the gains made in the past decade.
“This is in direct contradiction of the promises Seb [Coe] made,” Campbell said. “The biggest promise we made in Singapore was to bring sport to life for children at home and around the world. We are doing that abroad through the International Inspiration programme while we are decimating it at home a year before the Games. It’s incomprehensible.”
Governing bodies, who must also deal with a severe reduction in the funding reserved for capital projects through Sport England, are understood to be concerned that cuts to the network will hurt their grassroots programmes.
Campbell said: “This doesn’t just affect sport in schools. Over the last 10 years this has become a very important route through which governing bodies deliver their grassroots strategies. That’s particularly true of Olympic sport. The school sports partnerships have become an integral part of sports provision.”
The decision to reallocate the funding and concentrate on encouraging competitive sport in schools through a new national Olympic-style competition was also criticised abroad.
Campbell said the scheme had become the model for others in New Zealand and Australia. Wenda Donaldson, director of community sport at the Australian Sports Commission, said: “I am absolutely devastated to hear of the cuts to the school sport partnership models. I am astounded that such an amazing and world-leading initiative has been lost to the communities it serviced.”
Guardian report
Telegraph Report
BBC Sport video report
Posted in News |
By Admin2 on 1 November, 2010
Following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review on Wednesday 20th October 2010 and the Education Secretary, Michael Gove’s correspondance to the Youth Sport Trust, Baroness Sue Campbell has written a letter in response, highlighting the successes of School Sport Partnerships in raising the quantity and quality of sport for young people.
Baroness Campbell’s letter can be read here.
You may like to express your own views about the total cuts to School Sport Partnership Funding. A Facebook Group has been established and will be used as the basis for a National petition.
You can also find, and email your thoughts to your MP by using the link provided here.
If you would like to find out more, please contact us via this website.
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, olympics, spending review |
By Admin2 on 4 November, 2010
Sport England have published information about the ‘Olympic Style Sports Competition’ which will be rolled out over the next 3 years in collaboration with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Education, British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association and the Youth Sport Trust. Read the announcement here
Level 1 – Intra-school competition
There will be more competition in every school. From the school year 2010/11, every primary and secondary school will be encouraged to hold an annual Olympic/Paralympic style day every summer.
This will be the culmination within every school of an enlarged programme of intra school competition (for example class or form matches). The first Olympic/Paralympic style days will take place during the summer school term in 2011; with every school being able to take part by the summer school term in 2012.
Level 2 – Inter-school competition
Next there will be more competitions between schools through a rolling programme of leagues and tournaments. The first tournaments and leagues will be trialled in a selection of areas from the autumn 2010; with rolling competitions across the whole country from January 2011.
Level 3 – County festivals of sport
Children and young people will progress from the inter school tournaments/leagues to one of up to 60 new county festivals of sport. These will incorporate the finals of inter school competition in every area, and showcase the best of local competitive sport. There will be nine pilot festivals – one in each of the Government Office regions – during the summer 2011, with England wide coverage in summer 2012.
Each area will establish an organising committee which will be chaired by a head teacher and bring together the local schools, school sport partnerships, the county sports partnerships and other local partners. Whilst we would expect these core groups to be part of every local organising committee we anticipate variations and difference in terms of their overall make up and the other partners. What will be key is that the committees are locally owned and driven.
Level 4 – National event
The country’s most talented young sports people will have the opportunity to take part in a high profile national event to showcase their talents within school sport. The first national event will take place in summer 2012. The schools of the competing athletes will be recognised and rewarded for their participation.
NGBs have an important role to play across all levels of the new competition.
The School Olympics will be open to all children. However, particular attention will be paid to widening participation through the new competitions across the groups who traditionally have under participated in sport – girls, youngsters with special needs or disabilities, those from deprived background or BME heritage.
At present however, thanks to the removal of ring-fenced funding for School Sport Partnerships, it is unclear how these competitions will be organised and delivered on the ground, should the network cease to exist.
Posted in News | Tagged competition, Olympic, olympics, primary, primary competition, secondary, secondary competition, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 4 November, 2010
Five Live report, in which Victoria Derbyshire speaks to Jeremy Hunt (DCMS) and some School Sport Partnership staff, about school sport. Move the slider to the question posed by an SSCO (26 minutes in) and further discussion on the subject with a Competition Manager and PDM (1hr07min).
Take part in a survey regarding the future of School Sport here
Martyn Allison, national adviser culture & sport at Local Government Improvement & Development, offers his advice to the Leisure Inductry, following the Comprehensive Spending Review here.
The College of Education and Human Development in Minnesota share findings to explain why it is important to get girls active early in a video presentation
Posted in News | Tagged girls, physical activity, spending review, sport |
By Admin2 on 12 November, 2010
Steve Redgrave, speaking from the launch of the Matalan ‘Sporting Promise’ programme at Sport City on 12th November (an event at which children from Warrington School Sport Partnership – Grappenhall Hall – were present) said that there ‘had never been a more important time to be increasing sporting opportunities for young people’. Read the full report here.
Other coverage on School Sport:
Gove criticised for ‘vandalism’ of school sport – The Guardian
Crunch Time for School Sport – Yorkshire Post
Campaign to Save School Sports – Journal Live
Save school Sport Campaign – Warrington Worldwide
Cuts to School Sport will Harm Kids – Jarrow and Hebburn Gazette
Posted in Inclusion, News | Tagged 2012, Children, cuts, Inclusion, Olympic, olympics, School, spending review |
By Admin2 on 12 November, 2010
The Government is planning to add meat to the bones of its ‘Schools’ Olympics’ concept next month. The competition structure, which will give elite school athletes a high profile competition.
Sainsbury’s – already sponsors of the UK School Games and Top Activity, programmes which they roll out via the Youth Sport Trust, remain committed to a ‘healthy, active lifestyle strategy’. are waiting to see what the details will be before making a final commitment to being involved, reports ‘Inside the Games’
Uncertainty also persists around the ‘level 1 and 2′ teirs of the Government’s proposals, as these would be delivered by schools, who may find their capacity to do so diminished should the cuts to school sport funding nationally result in the reduction or loss of the ‘School Sport Partnerships’ infrastructure.
Posted in News | Tagged competition, olympics, school sport, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 15 November, 2010
Tessa Jowell, Shadow Olympics Minister, gives her reaction to the coalition government withdrawing the funding for schools sports partnerships that were to have been a key part of Labour’s legacy after the 2012 Olympics. Star sportsmen and women and sport leaders across the UK are now campaigning against the cuts that they believe will damage the fitness of the future generation.
Politics Show North East and Cumbria discusses school sport cuts (35 minutes)
Posted in News | Tagged olympics, spending review, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 16 November, 2010
The move to slash £162m annual school sports funding will harm children’s health and bring new job losses, and breaks pledges made to the Olympics Committee, says the Guardian newspaper on 16th November
Posted in News | Tagged Olympic, olympics, school sport, spending review, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 18 November, 2010
Government cuts hit 2012 Olympic legacy as free swimming is axed
Free swimming for children and pensioners is to be scrapped as part of cost-saving measures.
The scheme for the under-16s and over-60s was launched by the Labour government two years ago amid much fanfare as a London 2012 Olympic legacy initiative. But the Sports and Olympics minister, Hugh Robertson, said that the scheme was “a luxury” that could no longer be afforded and has been axed as part of £73m savings made by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
“This is not a decision that gives me any pleasure,” Robertson said. “However, the research shows that the great majority of free swimmers were swimming already, and would have paid to swim anyway. With a crippling deficit to tackle and tough decisions to take, this has become a luxury we can no longer afford.”
Labour launched the scheme in 2008 as part of a bid to get more people involved in sport by 2012 and claimed their aim was to get England’s swimming pools free to use by the time of the London 2012 Games.
Robertson said new research showed the scheme has not delivered value for money nor significantly increased physical activity.
He added: “Delivering a legacy from 2012 is one of my top priorities. I want people of all ages and abilities to have opportunities to take part in all kinds of sport, and under our plans to reform the Lottery shares we should see an extra £50m a year going on sports facilities by 2012.
“Our plans to deliver a community sports legacy, in partnership with Sport England, are progressing well and we expect to make a full announcement in July.”
Posted in News |
By Admin2 on 18 November, 2010
Posted in News |
By Admin2 on 23 November, 2010
Posted in News | Tagged Children, CSR, cuts, funding, Olympic, olympics, School, school sport, spending, sport, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 27 November, 2010
Follow the link to read Des Kelly’s report on cuts to funding for School Sport Partnerships
Radio Shropshire 2.04 mins in and 2.47 mins - here
School Sport to be debated in Parliament on Tuesday 30th November
National Young Ambassador Talking to Radio 4 on the ‘You and Yours’ show
The NUT adds its online petition to the ‘Save School Sport Partnerships‘ campaign
Channel 4 coverage of the statistics behind the Government’s decision to cut SSP funding
Article from the Press Association
Guardian Article 27 Novemeber
BBC South Today Television Coverage
Posted in News | Tagged Children, competition, cuts, funding, Olympic, olympics, primary, School, secondary, spending review, sport, Warrington, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 29 November, 2010
There has been much written, reported and said on the subject of School Sport Partnerships subject since the Comprehensive Spending Review and Michael Gove’s decision to remove all ringfenced funding, and repeated use has been made of statistics to either demonstrate the efficacy or the inadequacy of the SSP networks.
Unfortunately, many of the statistics used have been taken out of context or misquoted. WaSSP would therefore like to take this opportunity to share with you the progress made by the William Beamont School Sport Partnership in recent years. These statistics are taken from the results of the annual survey we complete, which includes every young person (c. 12,000 from 6 high schools and 35 primary / special schools) in the partnership.
Please note that the questions on this survey (which was first rolled out in 2003-4) developed over time, becoming more demanding as the DCMS / DCFS’s PESSCL / PESSYP strategies evolved. Therefore the results for each question included here refer only to the period in which it was asked for the same age range and in the same wording.
1. Curriculum time for PE has increased from an average of 104 minutes in 2004, to an average of 119 minutes per week for all pupils in 2010. This is testament to the higher profile that PE now has.
2. The percentage of young people taking part in 2 hours PE per week increased from 51% in 2004 to 95% in 2008 (the last time this question was specifically asked in the annual PESSYP survey)
3. The percentage of young people taking part in 3 hours School Sport per week (which can include after school activity, competition, sports leadership etc, as well as curriculum PE lessons) rose from 44% in 2009 (the first time the this question was posed) to 62% in 2010 – an 18% increase in one year
4. The percentage of young people competing against others from their own school (not including sports days) rose from 70% in 2006 to 90% in 2010
5. The percentage of young people in Y3-Y13 regularly (3 times per year for primary, 12 times for secondary pupils) competing against others from their own school (not including sports days) rose from 27% in 2009 (the first time the ‘regularity’ question was posed) to 55% in 2010 – a 28% increase in one year
6. The percentage of young people Y1-11 competing against peers from OTHER schools rose from 47% in 2007 to 62% in 2010
7. The percentage of young people in Y3-Y13 regularly (3 times per year for primary, 9 times for secondary pupils) competing against peers from OTHER schools rose from 17% in 2009 (the first time the regularity question was posed) to 26% in 2010 – a 9% increase in one year
8. The number of different activities on offer rose from an average of 13.6 in 2004 to 20.3 in 2010, showing the increasing breadth of opportunity available to young people.
9. The average number of community sports clubs with links to schools rose from 3.7 in 2004 to 9.1 in 2010
10. The percentage of young people (Y2-11) attending community sports clubs with links to the school rose from 11% in 2004 to 24% in 2010
11. The percentage of young people involved in leadership and volunteering (Y10-13) rose from 24% (2004) to 31.25% (2010)
12. The percentage of young people involved in leadership and volunteering (Y1-13) rose from 16% (2007) to 38% (2010)
Readers can draw their own conclusions as to whether these results can be considered successful, however colleagues and partners in Warrington remain convinced that SSPs are effective mechanisms for raising participation in any aspect of school and school to community sport, that they offer value for money and that they are not a ‘centralised government blueprint’, but rather an effective mechanism for reaching every child and every community through their contribution to:
· Giving every child the best start in life
· Enabling Children and Young People to maximise their capabilities
· Supporting healthy standards of living and healthy behaviours
· Creating sustainable and healthy communities
· Strengthening prevention measures to ill health
As well as maximising the power of sport to inspire young people.
Posted in News | Tagged Children, Olympic, olympics, School, spending review, sport, volunteering, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 30 November, 2010
Posted in News | Tagged cuts, funding, health, Olympic, olympics, School, school sport, spending review, sport, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 1 December, 2010
December 2010
Well done to all the brilliant young players who competed at the Centre Parcs National Schools Badminton Championships (Warrington Final) held at Penketh HS (cheers) and thanks to the PE staff who supported it so professionally. You were stars!
Run by Warrington Schools Sports Partnership (WaSSP), both the girls and boys competitions were played with much gusto, commitment and no mean skill. The young players were a credit to their schools.
After an intense, fast-paced competition the U14 results were as follows:
· GIRLS Winners - Birchwood
· GIRLS Runners-Up – Great Sankey
· BOYS Winners – Great Sankey
· BOYS Runners-Up – Lymm
All of the above teams will now have the honour of representing Warrington in the Cheshire County finals to be held on Thursday 3rd February at Rudheath High School, Northwich.
Finally, well done to the tournaments Most Valuable Players – Megan B (Beamont) and Alistair H (Penketh) who both received a quality badminton racket and, also, to the other competing school teams who gallantly played their part at the comp: Penketh, William Beamont.
Roll on next weeks U16’s comp at Broomfields Leisure Centre!
David Quartermain
Competition Manager
Posted in Birchwood, Great Sankey, Lymm, News, Penketh, William Beamont | Tagged badminton, cheshire, Children, competition, School, school sport, secondary, secondary competition, sport, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 9 December, 2010
PRESS RELEASE – 7th December 2010
Warrington School Sport Partnership in Funding Cuts Protest
A petition with over 620 thousand signatures was handed in at Downing Street today in an attempt to reverse the Coalition Governments decision to cut funding for school sport.
The national campaign to ‘save our school sport’ has been supported locally by William Beamont and Lymm School Sport Partnerships (SSPs) who gathered over 3000 signatures from Warrington residents in just a two week period. Paula Pearson, Partnership Development Manager for William Beamont SSP, travelled to London and joined hundreds of young people, school sport partnership staff and British Olympic Champions including Denise Lewis and Darren Campbell, as they gathered outside the Houses of Parliament to highlight their opposition to the cuts. During the day several MPs, including Andy Burnham, took time out to meet with the young people protesting, and state their support. A contingency of young people led by Debbie Foote, the National Young Ambassador, then delivered the 620,000+ signatures to Downing Street.
Since the government announced the funding cut to SSPs as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review there has been an outcry across the country from all kinds of people, but particularly from young people themselves. The ‘save our school sport’ campaign started in November by the Young Ambassadors, but momentum has continued to gather and in the last 10 days an Opposition Debate was held in the Commons, following which Prime Minister David Cameron instructed Education Secretary Michael Gove to look again at the school sport decision.
Paula Pearson commented “It is fantastic that the government has acknowledged the importance of school sport and there is now some hope that there may be some funding available to support this infrastructure and the work it does. However, this decision needs to be made quickly so that SSPs can begin working with schools to plan programmes, and before the amazing staff currently in place are lost to redundancy.”
She went on to add, “It is gratifying to know that the impact of the School Sport Partnerships has not gone unnoticed in Warrington, and that head teachers, young people, parents, councillors and partner agencies from across the town have all voiced their support.
Whatever the outcome of the Government’s review of the wholesale cuts to School Sport Partnership funding, which has allowed us to provide so many additional participation and competitive sport opportunities across the town, we need to work collectively to find a way forward so that Warrington’s children and young people do not lose out.”
Photos from the Day
Cheshire and Warrington Plea to Save SSPs
Posted in News | Tagged Olympic, olympics, Parliament, protest, School, school sport, sport, Westminster, young ambassadors, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 20 December, 2010
December 20th
School Sport Partnerships have today been given a small lifeline by the Government in its decision to continue to fund the national programme to the end of the academic year, and then to provide a reduced rate of funding until 2013.
This decision, which comes after 2 months of campaigning following the decision to remove the £162 million annual grant, just 1 1/2 years before the Olympics and Paralympic Games, should enable the SSPs some breathing space; time in which to work in a more considered (rather than reactionary) way in conjunction with their local partners in an effort to create a sustainable infrastructure.
Below are some links to national reportage on the subject.
Inside the Games
Youth Sport Trust
Telegraph
Children and Young People Now
The Guardian
The Independent
Sky News
More Than The Games
Mike Baker
The Labour Party
BBC Politics
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Children, CSR, cuts, funding, Gove, Olympic, olympics, School, school sport, spending review, sport |
By Admin2 on 23 December, 2010
Some of the funding for the School Sports Partnership will be spared from cuts, Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced.
Ministers had previously branded the programme, which co-ordinates action at different levels of the schools system, to encourage more participation in sport, wasteful and a “complete failure”.
But a concerted campaign on behalf of the partnership from athletes and local groups appears to have moved the government to back down – at least partially.
Mr Gove announced that £47 million of the £162 million central government funding for school sports partnerships will in fact be spared from cuts, to the relief of several thousand employees of the partnership.
The money will be found from the existing education budget, but will only keep the scheme in operation until the summer.
A further £65 million of funding will be provided until 2013 to give one PE teacher per school one day a week to encourage competitive sport.
Mr Gove said: “It’s time to ensure what was best in school sport partnerships around the country is fully embedded and move forward to a system where schools and parents are delivering on sports with competition at the heart.
“This will take some time and I’m pleased to be able to confirm some funding for school sports partnerships during this transition. But I’m looking to PE teachers to embed sport and put more emphasis on competitions for more pupils in their own schools, and to continue to help the teachers in local primary schools do the same.”
The funding will be phased out after the Schools Olympics, prompting Labour to claim the ‘u-turn’ was more “about saving face and will not go far enough”.
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham added: “This package from the Conservative-led Government, after weeks of scrabbling round for funding to save something it branded a ‘complete failure’, only raises one cheer at best.
“So today, in conceding the success of Labour’s School Sports Partnerships, the Government has nevertheless failed to put in place a proper funding package that will allow us to capitalise on the excitement of the 2012 Games.
“We are still looking at the prospect of fewer children playing sport in the run up to the Olympics, and no answer on what will happen to school sport following the Games.”
The original plans would have seen the scheme scrapped entirely. Today’s about face has raised suggestions that Cabinet ministers including sports secretary Jeremy Hunt had exerted their influence on behalf of the programme.
The issue has been the subject of heated clashes between Ed Miliband and David Cameron, with the Prime Minister insisting that participation in school sports hadn’t been affected nearly enough to justify the expense of the partnership.
Prominent athletes had pleaded with Mr Cameron in a letter to reverse the government’s position, arguing that the plans threatened the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, cuts, funding, Olympic, olympics, School, school sport, spending review, sport |
By Admin2 on 11 January, 2011
Below are links to some of the most recent updates on the government’s decision to reduce school sport funding.
There are still concerns that a valuable and successful National infrastructure will be dismantled, leaving PE and School Sport back where it was 10 years ago. With even the Queen’s Christmas message focusing on the power of sport to change lives, it is no wonder that this situation is still being debated across the country.
In Warrington, the various posts making up the School Sport Partnership network are at risk of redundancy, and despite much support from schools, it is still unclear whether a solution which will maintain the current posts or capacity will be found.
Warrington School Sport Partnership would like to thank the many schools and organisations who have shown their support at this difficult time and would like to assure them that we are still fully committed to ensuring Warrington has a solution which will continue to impact on children and young people across the town, both IN and THROUGH PE and School Sport.
Inside the Games – Steve Grainger of the YST
Youth Sport Trust – Review of the Year
Inside the Games
BBC News – No Frills Schools?
Warrington Guardian – Scrapping Sports Funding will Risk Children’s Future
Government Spending Review settlement – Q181-Q185
Australian World News – School Sport and the Queen’s Christmas Speech
Youth Sport Trust – Dec 20th
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, funding, Olympic, olympics, queen, School, spending, spending review, sport, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 21 January, 2011
Eleanor Oldroyd presenter of Thursday night’s 5 live sports, will be focusing on London’s 2012 Olympic Games both on air and on her blog. She is hoping that the Summer Olympics will inspire children to make sport a part of their lives, for the rest of their lives. Eleanor says that although not everyone is going to have a particular talent or dedication for sport, it is still important that there is somewhere for them to go and for someone to teach them if they so wish.
How do we deliver the legacy of inspiration? At the moment, no-one seems entirely sure, but it does seems logical to assume that schools should play a central part in helping our children to get active.
This week for 5 Live Sport, Eleanor is visiting a school in Worcestershire to find out how a thriving SSP actually works.
Caroline Siddell who was named PE teacher of the year in 2009 by the Sunday Times newspaper, said that the outcry created by the threat to disband the SSP’s was a clear indication of how highly valued they actually are.
In December, the Department for Education announced that the SSP programme will continue unchanged until the end of this school year, then on a reduced scale until the summer of 2013.
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Active, Children, Olympic Games, olympics, School, sport, SSP, Summer, Sunday Times Newspaper, Threat |
By Admin2 on 21 January, 2011
If you’re looking for a new challenge this year why not take on the Gold Challenge? Not only will you try some new Olympic and Paralympic sports and increase your level of fitness – but you will also be raising money for charity.
It’s also part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games official mass participation legacy. So by taking up the challenge you’ll be part of the excitement in the run up to them.
To register log on to:
http://connect.kitecommunication.com/t/r/l/wkjuuy/urlrktjij/j
http://connect.kitecommunication.com/t/r/l/wkjuuy/urlrktjij/t
This month it’s Judo January! And to celebrate this fact the Gold Challenge, in partnership with British Judo, is offering an opportunity for two people to attend the British Judo Performance Institute to see where our London 2012 hopefuls train. The first 100 Challengers to complete three hours of judo coaching will be in with a chance of winning. Keep an eye on our Judo January page to find out more details soon!
January also sees the launch of our brand new Gold Challenge Blog. It’s here that we will chronicle what’s going on in the Gold Challenge world, feature guest entries from super stars in the sporting world, as well as much more. Along with Facebook and Twitter, it will be a great way for you to keep up to date with all our news, and find out a little bit more about the Gold Challenge and the people & organisations behind us.
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Blog, British Judo, Challenge, charity, Facebook, fitness, Gold Challenge, January, judo, London, official, olympics, Paralympic sports, Sporting world, Super stars |
By Admin2 on 4 February, 2011
The beginning of February saw the delivery of the first ever School Sport Partnership U15 Boys and Girls Cheshire County Volleyball Final at Birchwood High School in Warrington, organised and co-ordinated by Warrington’s Volleyball Development Coach, Megan Hopkins, on behalf of the School Sport Partnership and Volleyball England.
It was a terrific event attended not only by 16 teams from across Cheshire but also the Mayor and Mayoress of Warrington, Audrey Cooper (GB Women’s Coach), Bridgewater Diamonds Volleyball Club & Wolfie, the Warrington Wolves mascot. A finer set of dignitaries you will be hard pushed to beat!
Massive thanks go to Megan for overseeing an excellent event, supported by magnificent sports leaders from Birchwood and Priestley College, and David Quartermain from the Competition Managers Team. A big thanks as well to all the Competition Managers and SSP staff who were instrumental in ensuring local level rounds were planned and delivered in each School Sport Partnership across Cheshire, to provide us with today’s great spectacle in a ‘new’ priority sport.
Results:
U15 Boys:
Group A: 1st: Shavington (Sandbach SSP); 2nd: Fallibroome (Macc); 3rd: Weaverham A (VR); 4th: Birchwood B (W’ton)
Group B: 1st: Birchwood A (W’ton); 2nd: Upton High (Chester); 3rd: Whitby (E Port); 4th: Weaverham B (VR)
Semi Finals: Shavington beat Upton High and Fallibroome beat Birchwood A
FINAL: SHAVINGTON beat Fallibroome.
Play Offs: 3rd/4th: Birchwood A were 3rd, beating Upton. 5th/6th: Weaverham A beat Whitby. 7th/8th: Birchwood B were 7th, beating Weaverham B
U15 Girls:
Group A: 1st: Macclesfield High (Macc); 2nd: Birchwood B (W’ton); 3rd: Whitbu (E Port); 4th: Sandbach A (Sandbach)
Group B: 1st: Birchwood A (W’ton); 2nd: Blacon (Chester); 3rd: Weaverham (VR); 4th: Sandbach B (Sandbach)
Semi Finals: Macclesfield High beat Blacon and Birchwood A beat Birchwood B
FINAL: BIRCHWOOD A beat Macclesfield High
Play Offs: 3rd/4th: Birchwood B were 3rd, beating Blacon. 5th/6th: Weaverham beat Whitby. 7th/8th: Sand A beat Sand B
CONGRATULATIONS TO: SHAVINGTON (U15 CHESHIRE COUNTY CHAMPS 2011) & BIRCHWOOD (U15 GIRLS CHESHIRE COUNTY CHAMPS 2011)
The boys & girls Winners & Runners Up both now progress to represent the County at the Regional Finals to be held towards the end of February. Megan will inform the relevant schools directly.
GO BIRCHWOOD!!!! MAKE WARRINGTON PROUD!!!
Birchwood's Successful Volleyball Teams
Posted in News | Tagged Birchwood, Children, Club, competition, final, Finals, mayor, school sport, secondary, secondary competition, sport, Sports Club, Sports Leaders, volleyball, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 4 February, 2011
As part of Sport England’s London 2012 mass participation legacy plan, “Places People Play”, Sportivate aims to capture the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games by providing sustainable sporting opportunities for teenagers and young adults. The 4 year £32million national programme aims to inspire 14-25 year olds, who aren’t already doing sport in their own time, to complete 6 week taster sessions in a sport of their choice and guide them into regular participation within their own community. Sport England has commissioned County Sport Partnerships across England to implement Sportivate; the Cheshire and Warrington Sport Partnership is currently shaping this programme following discussions with partners. We look forward to being able to access some of this funding to deliver fantastic opportunities for youth across Warrington.
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, funding, Olympic, olympics, School, school sport, secondary, sport, Sport England, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 10 February, 2011
The Warrington School Sport Partnership’s Sportshall Athletics Final was held at Birchwood Leisure and Tennis Centre (sports hall) on Wednesday 9th February 2011. This was a high energy, non stop event in which teams of Y5/6 pupils took part in a number of indoor track and field disciplines, individual and relay running events, jumping, throwing, balancing and speed bouncing.
The event was organised by Competition Manager, David Quartermain and the cluster schools involved were:
Cluster Participant Schools
Cardinal Newman St Peters
Penketh Penketh Community
Lysander Christchurch
Bridgewater Stockton Heath / St Matthews
Lymm Statham / Ravenbank
Great Sankey Barrow Hall
Woolston Bruche
Culcheth St Helens / Croft
Interest in Sportshall athletics has grown over the last few years, thanks to the repeated staging of the Y5/6 event. A year 7 / 8 event is also due to run, which will be useful for secondary schools looking to identify talented athletes in the run up to the summer season.
More details regarding the Warrington School Sport Partnership’s Sportshall Athletics Final is to follow shortly.
Posted in Bridgewater, Cardinal Newman, Culcheth, Great Sankey, Lymm, Lysander, News, Penketh, Woolston | Tagged athletics, Balancing, Birchwood Leisure and Tennis Centre, competition, Field, Indoor Track, Jumping, Relay, Running Events, School, school sport, secondary, Speed Bouncing, sport, Summer, Talented, Throwing |
By Admin2 on 21 February, 2011
Wednesday 9 February 2011
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, has today confirmed the Government’s commitment to a new strand of school sport funding to support the delivery of the nationwide School Games initiative. This announcement formed part of a keynote speech in which the Secretary of State outlined the government’s vision for school sport to delegates including headteachers, directors of specialism and other education and sport professionals at the Youth Sport Trust Sports Colleges Conference in Telford.
As previously announced in June 2010, funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery has been allocated to establish a nationwide School Games tournament to boost the numbers of young people taking part in competitive sport across the country. In today’s fresh announcement, the Secretary of State pledged further funding support from his Department and the Department of Health to pay for 450 new roles to work three days a week as School Games Organisers.
Schools will have the option to add to this funding and potentially increase the days worked by the School Games Organisers. The role of the new School Games Organisers will be to establish the School Games in their areas, supporting as many schools as possible to set up intra- and inter-school competitions and link schools to clubs.
It is hoped that many existing Competition Managers and Partnership Development Managers will apply for or transition into these roles, building on already established work. The Secretary of State recognised that recent months have been challenging and paid tribute to the ‘extraordinary commitment and dedication’ of those working within school sport.
Mr Hunt has pledged to provide further information as soon as possible on today’s announcement.
This is Cheshire
Posted in News | Tagged competition, CSR, cuts, DCMS, Olympic, olympics, pdm, School, school games, school sport, spending, spending review, sport, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 3 March, 2011
A grant obtained by Thomas Boteler High School, The Sport For All Centre and Warrington School Sports Parnership has enabled three full size volleyball courts to be installed at the Sport For all Centre in Latchford.
For the past two years, due to the hard work of Bridgewater Diamonds Volleyball Club at the Centre, Bridgewater Diamonds, Wigan Volleyball Club and the young leaders and coaches who work with Megan Hopkins on the Junior programme, it has given Volleyball the foundations of opportunity for growth of all age groups.
The addition of the three new Volleyball courts will give the opportunity for adults, as well as children, who are new to sport to give it a try and also play competively for the North West region if they wish too.
For more information regarding The Bridgewater Diamonds Volleyball Club, please contact Paul Bedworth ~ 07966-476-808
For more information regarding the Junior Programme with the schools and colleges, please contact Megan Hopkins ~ 07932-078-745
Posted in Club Forums, News, Sir Thomas Boteler, Volleyball | Tagged Adult Volleyball, Bridgewater Diamonds Volleyball Club, Junior's Volleyball, Secondary Schools, sport for all centre, Tournament, volleyball, Warrington School Sports Partnership |
By Admin2 on 4 March, 2011
The Northgate Arena in Chester was the venue for the County Primary Schools Sports Hall Athletics Final, held on Thursday 3rd March 2011.
It was a fantastic event enjoyed by all, with the following results shown below:
- 1st place - Barrowhall (Warrington) with 266pts
- 2nd place - Leighton (Crewe) with 242pts
- 3rd place goes to both Charles Darwin (Vale Royal) and Stockton Heath (Warrington) with 234pts
- 5th place - Bickerton (Chester) with 232pts
- 6th place - Ashdene (Macclesfield) with 206pts
- 7th place - Black Firs (Sandbach) with 190pts
- 8th place - Meadow (Ellesmere Port) 150
Well done to all the competition teams and a big congratulations to the County Final winners; Barrowhall Primary School.
Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their help and support during the competition, without which these events could not take place:
- West Cheshire College – For providing a wonderful group of students and staff to assist and oversee the various events
- Kevin Hill and colleagues at Sports Hall - For co0ordinating another great Sports Hall final
- West Cheshire Athletics Club - For their members help and support
- Artie and members of the Cheshire & Warrington CMT - Who attended and helped out
Roll on next week and the High School’s final!
Posted in Great Sankey, News | Tagged Barrowhall Primary School, Chester, County Championships, County Primary Schools, Northgate Arena, primary competition, Primary Schools, School, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 4 March, 2011
The under 14′s Boys Basketball County Final took place a Birchwood High School in Warrington.
Seven schools took part from seven SSP’s across Cheshire and Warrington, which will hopefully be a firm base on which the County can build on for the next school year; given that it is one of the Competition Manager’s priority competitions.
The results below are as follows:
- 1st place – Alsager High (Sandbach SSP)
- 2nd place – Great Sankey (Warrington)
Group Semi-Finalists:
Group Participants:
- Fallibroome
- St Thomas More More
- Hartford A & B
I would like to also take this opportunity to thank the following people for their help and support throughout the competition, without which these events would not be able to take place:
- Chris Donnelley - For co-ordinating the event
- The Sports Leaders from Warrington Collegiate and Priestley College - For their absolutely fantastic job of Refereeing, Scoring and Timekeeping
- Dave Quatermain – For his organisation on the day
- Birchwood High School – For hosting the event
Once again, well done to Alsager High School (Sandbach School Sports Partnership) who are the Cheshire Champions and so will now be automatically entered into the Regional Rounds.
Posted in Basketball, News | Tagged basketball, Birchwood High School, Children, competition, County Final, final, secondary |
By Admin2 on 17 March, 2011
Orford Park Olympic Day – school pupils awarded prizes by Mayor
An exciting event took place on Tuesday March 15, 2011 to involve children in the Orford Park project which is a key Olympic legacy scheme.
The event, held at William Beamont High School on behalf of the Orford Park Project Team, local primary schools and Galliford Try marked the 500 day countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Throughout the day around 180 children from 6 local primary schools took part in a range of writing, problem solving, design and sporting activities.
The schools participating were:
Beamont Community Primary, Meadowside Community Primary and Nursery, St Margaret’s CofE Primary, Dallam Primary, St Ann’s CofE Primary and St Andrew’s CofE Primary.
Each of the tasks were based around the three Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence and the four Paralympic values of determination, courage, equality and inspiration.
The work produced throughout the day was judged in a prize-giving ceremony, with the best going forward to be placed in time capsules which each school will bury on site in 2012.
The Mayor of Warrington, Councillor John Joyce, said on the day:
“It’s nice to see the children participating in these practical lessons, building models and using lateral thinking. All the different activities provide them with interesting challenges and it’s great to see the children enjoying themselves.”
Dave Gore, Project Manager, Galliford Try, said:
“Galliford Try are keen to invest in all aspects of community engagement and this is just one of the ways we are able to bring a project to the local schoolchildren, whilst teaching them about the Olympic values at the start of the 500 day countdown to London 2012.”
Craig Milburn, Director of Specialism, William Beamont High School, said:
“It was a fantastic opportunity at William Beamont to not only raise awareness of the Olympic Games and its values, but also to discover how the new Orford Park building & facilities are being constructed. It gave pupils a real insight into what is going to be available for them right on their doorstop when the Orford Park Project is completed. The day was a huge success.”
Prizes were presented by the Mayor of Warrington to over 70 children from the participating schools. For a full list of prizewinners, see below or go to Warrington Borough Council website.
Posted in William Beamont | Tagged 2012, Activities, London, olympics, Orford Park Project, Paralympic, primary, primary competition, School |
By Admin2 on 24 March, 2011
Congratulations to the School Sports Partnership Hi 5 Final winners – Twiss Green and runners up – Broomfields. After competing in the finals in Warrington, on Wednesday March 16th, they will now represent Warrington in the County competition. Well done!
Also, congratulation to those other schools who competed fantastically in the Hi 5 Final competition – St Barnabus, Sycamore Lane and Cinnamon Brow.
Many thanks goes to our Competition Organiser, Justine, Netball Development Officer at the, “Warrington Sports for all centre” and our fantastic Sports Leaders from Bridgewater High School - Abbie and Sam, who did a brilliant job of scoring on the day.
If you require any further information regarding Netball opportunities in Warrington, please contact Justine on: justine@sportforallcentres.co.uk
Posted in Bridgewater, News | Tagged competition, County Competition, County Final, Hi Five, leaders, netball, primary, Primay Schools, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 24 March, 2011
Tue 15th March 2011, saw the start of the 500 day countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
To mark such a special occasion, 180 children from five local primary schools were invited to spend the day at William Beamont High School, in order to learn more about Warrington’s own Olympic legacy – Orford Park. During the day, Galliford Try also held tutorials on how the project was being built and what it would look like when finished.
There is a huge structure taking shape at Orford Park and council leader Ian Marks herelded Tuesday as a, “symbolic day”. He is hoping that when the site is completed, more will people will be encouraged to use it.
The event was held by Craig Milburn, director of Specialism at William Beamont High School; his aim has been to raise the profile and values of the 2012 Olympic Games.
For further information: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/8912288.Children_mark_500_countdown_to_London_2012/?ref=rss&utm_medium=twitter
Posted in News, William Beamont | Tagged 2012, Council Leader, Galliford Try, London, Olympic Games, Primary Schools, swimming, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 25 March, 2011
Today sees the launch of the government’s new website; Your School Games! In the run up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, log onto their website for more information on how to register your school and so creating a year round calendar of competitions for all your students.
The School Games will officially start in September 2011, where a number of competitive sports will involve young children from year 3 to 13 taking part.
It will consist of 4 levels:
- Intra school competitions
- Regular local interschool competitions
- Annual area/county multi sports school games festivals
- National multi sport events.
Posted in Birchwood, Bridgewater, Cardinal Newman, Culcheth, Great Sankey, Inclusion, Lymm, Lysander, News, Penketh, Priestley College, Sir Thomas Boteler, St Gregory's, Warrington Collegiate, William Beamont, Woolston | Tagged 2012, Children, competition, games, government, multi sports, Olympic, Paralympic, primary, primary competition, School, secondary, website |
By Admin2 on 1 April, 2011
A new badminton club has commenced in Warrington for children between the ages of 10 to 16.
It is held every Monday evening at William Beamont High School, which is situated on Long Lane; the club runs from 7pm until 8pm. Pop along and give it a go! We’re sure you’ll just love it!
Posted in News | Tagged badminton, junior, Senior |
By Admin2 on 21 April, 2011
The Mersey Forest is celebrating Risley Moss as an official London 2012 , “Inspire”, site where you can run or stroll in the woods. Running rings event at Risley Moss Nature Reserve is free and fun to do! It is to be held on Sat 21st May 9:30am – 11:30am.
Just turn up on the day, as events run from 9:30am to 11:30am. You can walk or run anything from a couple of hundred meters to a mile! A time and certificate willl be given to you on completion of the event.
For more information click (www.discoverthemerseyforest.co.uk) and also click here (http://www.mylondon2012.com/inspireprogramme/friends/i/2852673/)
Posted in Club Forums, News | Tagged 2012, Events, Mersey Forest, Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve, Run, Running Rings, Walk |
By Admin2 on 21 April, 2011
Sainsbury’s is an official partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Games and wants to help 1 million school children try a Paralympic sport.
To get you started, they are offering a free sports kit to those schools who register on line. The kit will arrive in Sept 11 and will give you the chance to play some of the following Paralympic sports: Goalball, Sitting Volleyball and Blind Football.
To register your school go on line to: click (www.sainsbury’s.co.uk/1millionkids)
Posted in Birchwood, Bridgewater, Cardinal Newman, Club Forums, Culcheth, Great Sankey, Lymm, Lysander, News, Penketh, Priestley College, Sir Thomas Boteler, St Gregory's, Warrington Collegiate, William Beamont, Woolston | Tagged 2012, Active Kids, London, Paralympics, Sainsburys |
By Admin2 on 21 April, 2011
Brian Bentham is a 5th Dan of the Ryu Do Martial Arts Academy and is offering classes to suit all ages.
See below for more details.
Posted in News | Tagged martial arts |
By Admin2 on 28 April, 2011
Inclusive boxing sessions run every Wednesday from 5pm until 6pm at Phoenix Fire ABC Gym at Warrington Fire Station and the cost is just £2.
BBC North West are due to film 17 yr old boxing coach Brad Gleave, (who is the first wheelchair user in the country to earn a boxing leaders award), delivering a session at the Phoenix Fire ABC’s Gym to include on the show. Also, the Amateur Boxing Association will be filming a session and talking to Tom and Matt with regards to include the information given from them in their coach education resource, making the sport of Amateur boxing more inclusive. This type of session is the first of its type in this country and is proving to be very successful.
To be forwarded onto the BBC North West website click here
Posted in Inclusion, News | Tagged boxing |
By admin on 5 May, 2011
The ‘Pulse’ Push or Walk Event is a fundraising opportunity that is held at Walton Hall on Disability Awareness Day (DAD). The funding raised may be donated to a local charity or organisation or even establishments such as schools / colleges.
Please see leaflet attached for more details about this fantastic opportunity!
Please get in contact with Rachael Johnston on 01925 240064 if you wish to get involved.
Posted in News |
By Admin2 on 6 May, 2011
2011 is the 50th year of the British Heart Foundation and they would like schools to take part in one of three exciting events this year. They will provide free resources in which to organise the fun event and in turn raise funds for their charity; with 20% of the proceeds going to the school.
The three activities on offer to show how much fun it is to keep fit and healthy are:
Jump Rope For Heart (5-13years old)
Encourages children to learn skipping skills, either individually, in pairs, or in groups. You are given a free kit worth £100, which comprises 30 skipping ropes, teaching resources, skipping skills dvd and an organiser’s guide.
Ultimate Dodgeball (7-16years old)
All you need to do is choose your teams, have fun and get active. There is a free kit given worth £30, which comprises of three dodgeballs, teaching resources and an organiser’s guide.
Artie’s Olympics (8years and under)
This involves a number of games and activities, great for nursery and infant children. There is also a free kit given, which includes an organiser’s guide, gold medal stickers, laurel crowns, balloons and posters.
For more information on how to register your school and details on the three events taking place, please go to www.bhf.org.uk and then follow the following sub headings:
(Get involved/events/schools and youth groups)
Posted in News | Tagged Active, charity, Children, competition, Dodgeball, Events, Foundation, Heart, olympics, primary competition, secondary |
By Admin2 on 12 May, 2011
Lysander Community High School’s cheerleading squad had much to celebrate this week when they gained third place at the National Cheerleading Association’s annual competition in Telford. ‘Lysander Beez’ has only been established since September 2010 and this was their first major event. Since it started in response to requests from students, the squad has gone from strength to strength. Coach and PE teacher at Lysander, Rachel Taylor said ‘I am so proud of the girls’ achievement. They have been rewarded for the hard work they put in. Without exception, they gave up most of their Easter holiday to train and polish their routine, as well as every night after school. The training paid off when they came to perform at the sports arena, as they did it better than ever. Nerves didn’t affect them at all until awards time. The squad were sat together on the floor, along with other squads; it was so tense. Fourth place was read out and it wasn’t us, and then third was read out. The roar from the girls and the smile on their faces was fantastic to see. A special thanks should also go to Clare Haven, a student teacher from Liverpool John Moores University, who added her expertise in cheerleading in order to prepare the girls’.
Posted in Lysander, News | Tagged cheerleading, Children, competition, School, secondary, Telford |
By Admin2 on 12 May, 2011
In April 2011, Rosie achieved oustanding marks on her moderation day after she completed the Volleyball Young Referees course; she was introduced to this in February 2011 as part of her GCSE PE practical. Previous to this, she completed her Sports Leaders Level 1 in year 10 and became a fantastic sports leader.
Rosie now referees on a weekly basis for the Junior League, Sport 4 All Centre and was also recently selected to be part of a Super Star programme for Volleyball England, in which she travelled to Kettering and was part of a referee’s team for the Inter Regional Championships. Over the weekend Rosie refereed the girls under 14 final and was presented with a medal for her outstanding achievement. With all of her fantastic achievements to date, this now puts her in a good position to be selected as part of the UK School Games Referee team.
Very well done Rosie!
Posted in News, Volleyball | Tagged Championships, competition, Medal, Referees, Sports Leaders, volleyball |
By Admin2 on 13 May, 2011
Since the removal of funding for School Sport Partnerships during the October spending review, there has been continued uncertainty for School Sport Partnerships across the country. In February, Jeremy Hunt announced an amount of new funding to support the Government’s School Games Strategy, but although funding for 450 School Games Organisers has been offered to Sports Colleges (3/5 of current funding), there is still no word on the amount or requirements linked to the ’1 day a week’ release funding for PE Teachers of secondary aged students (an expected 50% reduction on current funding).
Time is now running out to secure the retention of the excellent SSP staff currently supporting schools and community partners across Warrington, as they are due to receive their notices of redundancy on 31st May. These staff include 2 Partnership Development Managers, a School-Club Links Officer, Sports Coordination for Inclusion (Disability and Health), Leadership Activity Coordinator and a number of School Sport Coaches.
Clearly there is not enough funding to maintain the network in its current format, even with the support of schools, council and community partners to source additional funding. Finding a way forward, which preserves the best of current practice, is becoming increasingly difficult due to a lack of clarity from government regarding funding, and the depth of discussions needed locally to decide how best to employ and where to host the School Games Organisers for which funding has been confirmed.
Warrington’s situation is replicated across the country, as Gareth Davies explains in the Telegraph this week (13th May).
We hope that the next month will provide some clarity, but with the capacity of school sport dwindling with its infrastructure there are genuine concerns that ultimately, it will be the children that miss out.
Posted in News |
By Admin2 on 19 May, 2011
Longford Community Sports Club at Poole Park, are inviting children from the ages of 7 – 14yrs old to attend the all new free Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Volleyball and Games sessions, which are to be held every Tuesday for an hour, from 5:30pm until 6:30pm. The first session starts on Tuesday 24th May.
Come along and join in the fun!
For more information contact Paul on 444069
Email pflannery@warrington.gov.uk
Posted in News | Tagged Children, Free, hockey, netball, primary, rugby, School, secondary, tennis, volleyball |
By Admin2 on 19 May, 2011
Danny Cook, Joe Price and James Little from Lysander High were three of the contingent of young people from Warrington who took part in this year’s Step into Sport Volunteering Camp in Loughborough, run by the Youth Sport Trust. Taking part in the media team during the 3 day experience, they helped to create this video
Also have a look at the photos the team took here
All the young people who took part in this National event came back thrilled with their experiences and keen to get as involved in sports leadership as possible. They will be working with Warrington School Sport Partnership and the University of Chester to create a similar experience for the local area, to be run next year by the University’s Foundation degree Coaching Students
Posted in News | Tagged national, School, Sport Camp, Students, volunteering, Youth Sport Trust |
By Admin2 on 26 May, 2011
Click onto the link to view the May Newsletter.
Positive futures newsletter May 2011 2
Posted in News | Tagged sport |
By Admin2 on 26 May, 2011
We have recently received news of a successful bid of £10,000 for school from the Big Lottery Awards for All Scheme.
Miss S Jones, who wrote the bid said that the money will be spent on improving fitness levels of Penketh High School students and those attending our local primary schools through the purchase of Dance Mats for the Physical Education Dept.
As you may have seen previously on our website, the school took part in a pilot Dance Mat event organized through the Warrington School Sports Partnership & Zig Zag Fitness last year to raise awareness of this fun way to keep fit. As a result of this, a set of mats owned by Warrington Wolves have been in use at the school over the last year to gauge interest amongst students and their effectiveness in encouraging those who do not like participating in traditional sports.
This proved to be a tremendous success so it was decided to put a bid together in order to keep this going and extend the programme into the community. Having our own mats will mean we can be more flexible in their use and encourage a wider range of people to take part.
Posted in News | Tagged dance, Dance Mat, fitness, Lottery, School, secondary, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 14 June, 2011
Open to anyone aged 7+
Adults only admitted when accompanying a young person
Free Entry
For More Information contact:
pflannery@warrington.gov.uk
Or call 07740075798
Click here for more information.
Posted in News | Tagged Children, Club, Family, primary, School, secondary, sport, table tennis |
By Admin2 on 17 June, 2011
The WaSSP Business Games is a fantastic low cost opportunity for businesses to team build, have fun and network with other companies.
Our next Business Games is on 22 July at William Beamont CHS (arrivals 2.30pm, events 3-5pm, networking 5-6pm).
Click here to view the flyer.
For this event we are planning a collection of fun games and challenges for teams representing businesses to take part in, which will be accessible to all participants. Teams will rotate around 5 stations, scoring points for performance and attitude as they go – remember to demonstrate the Olympic Values of Respect, Excellence and Friendship, and the Paralympic Values of Determination, Inspiration, Courage and Equity! At the end of the rotations, the points will be totted up, and the winning team will receive a number of fantastic prizes relevant to the business itself, worth in excess of £500!
Following our prize giving ceremony, business representatives will be served nibbles, and given the opportunity to network with each other.
Teams must contain a minimum of 4 people, not all of whom need be from the same business. Friends and family are also welcome to participate. The cost for this event is £10 per participant. Teams will also have the opportunity to purchase a team t-shirt, for an additional £5 a piece.
Entries are made via the Business Games link on our home page. If you have any queries, concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to contact us via the contact form on our home page, via twitter (@WarringtonSSP) or ‘like’ our Facebook page.
We look forward to meeting you and helping your business connect!
Posted in News | Tagged attitude, business, connect, games, networking, prizes, sport, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 1 July, 2011
All schools in Warrington were invited to a Gifted and Talented in PE and Sport Day during National School Sports Week. 15 pupils from each school were selected to represent their school within this event, which was held at Chester University, Padgate Campus.
The day was a huge success. It was supported by the Warrington Wolves Foundation and involved Ben Lazenby Player Performance Coach for Warrington Wolves coming in to speak to the pupils about what it takes to make it to elite level. Professional Rugby player Matthew Blythe also made an appearance and spoke to the pupils about his experiences. The day also involved a sports scientist from the University conducting elite fitness testing using speed gates and a sports injury specialist talking to the pupils. There were also elite coaches delivering rugby, handball, dance and boxing sessions. This was a fantastic event allowing our Gifted and Talented pupils from Warrington to help recognise their talents, encourage them to achieve their potential and meet other Gifted and Talented pupils from across Warrington.
Posted in News | Tagged boxing, dance, fitness, handball, rugby, sport, talent, university |
By Admin2 on 9 July, 2011
A Taekwon-Do Academy class is to be held at William Beamont Community High School every Wednesday evening at 6pm for an hour. The first class is FREE! See the flyer below for more information.
Trident TKD Academy Warrington flyer
Posted in News | Tagged Children, Confidence, fitness, fun, Martial Art, Self-Defence, Taekwo-Do Academy, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 29 July, 2011
So many talented athletes from across the globe will come together to test their stamina and compete to achieve their goal. So what will YOU be doing to push yourself to the limits over the next twelve months to mark this once-in-a-lifetime event?
www.Legacypledge.org is a fun, interactive site that encourages Cheshire and Warrington residents to do something different to mark the year of the Games. Whether its learning to drive, changing your career, losing weight or simply a promise to have more fun Legacypledge.org will publish and celebrate your video pledge and help you to connect with organisations that can support you to achieve your goal. You can share your pledge with friends, support other pledgers and even post your videopledge on your facebook or twitter account to share with the world!
Launched under the ‘Embrace the Games’ programme of activities in Cheshire and Warrington and supported by Sport Cheshire the site will also offer a range of exciting rewards and incentives to help you to keep on track and can connect you to local Embrace the Games’ events. So why not be amongst the first to make your pledge today; simply record your ambition and upload your video clip at www.legacypledge.org . For more information contact anne@bigsocietyworks.com
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, games, olympics, pledge |
By Admin2 on 15 September, 2011
Warrington Sports Awards Seeks Nominations
This year’s Warrington Sports Awards is set to take place on the 19th October 2011 and nominees for the following categories are sought; Club of the Year, Coach of the Year, Special Recognition, Disabled Sports Achiever, Young Volunteer and Volunteer of Year. Nomination is open to Warrington based clubs and residents. An overview of each reward is below.
The Awards this year will take place at Warrington Parr Hall and the event will serve to highlight some of the excellent achievements in sport locally. The Warrington awards also act as a precursor to the Cheshire and Warrington Sports Awards and the winner of each of the above categories will automatically be put forward to represent Warrington at this event on the 16th November.
The awards are a perfect opportunity to recognise sporting achievement and highlight some of the talent and dedication of our local athletes, clubs and volunteers so please don’t hesitate to nominate!
To make a nomination please go to http://www.warrington.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/sport_activities/aset/ to download a nomination form and return it using the details on the form.
The Categories are:
Club of the Year
A community club marked (or equivalent) club that has excelled whether that is through gaining the Club mark, success with performance or gaining a new facility.
Coach of the Year
A coach who has shown commitment to a wide range of individuals at grass roots or elite level.
Disabled Sports Achiever
A person who has competed in a sport at a local/regional/national level
Special Recognition
To recognise a person, club or association that has made an outstanding and exceptional contribution to sport in some way
Young Volunteer of the Year (Under 18)
A young volunteer (under 18) who has shown a high level of commitment within a sport setting.
Volunteer of the Year
A volunteer who has shown a high level of commitment, particularly within a sport setting.
Posted in News | Tagged award, celebration, Club, coach, disability, sport, volunteer |
By Admin2 on 28 September, 2011
Toby Helm, the Observer’s Political Editor, comments on the Government’s School Games
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Children, competition, disability, Olympic, olympics, primary, School, school games, school sport, secondary, spending review, talent, Warrington, Youth Olympics |
By Admin2 on 6 October, 2011
Warrington SSP and William Beamont Community High School have been successful in their bid to become a ‘Project Ability’ school.
Project Ability aims to establish a national network of 50 of the most successful mainstream and special schools at providing opportunities for young disabled pupils to take part in sport. These schools will receive funding and resources to:
- Help other schools improve their offer to young disabled pupils
- Work with School Games Organisers to establish and lead new leagues and competitions for young disabled pupils
- Find innovative and practical ways to signpost and support young disabled pupils into wider sporting pathways.
Project Ability is a bespoke project within the School Games to help drive and increase opportunities for young disabled people to take part in competitive sport. Project Ability is focused on building capacity within the school workforce to ensure opportunities for young people are progressive, competitive and shared across groups of local schools.
Schools delivering Project Ability will use the School Games as a vehicle to increase the depth and breadth of PE and school sport opportunities for all young disabled people.
The Project Ability Schools will:
Increase the quality and quantity of competitions for young people with a disability by working with a minimum of 10 local schools to commit to, adopt and promote the School Games and its values:
- Support partner schools to develop inclusive or discrete Intra School (L1) competitive opportunities for their SEN pupils that feed inter school competitions (L2).
- Support the School Games L3 Local Organising Committee (LOC) chair to identify suitable disability experts to sit on the LOC.
Build capacity in the workforce to support this focus on inclusion:
- Deliver sessions across the year (one per half term) for local secondary and primary school specialists to improve knowledge, skills and understanding around the inclusion of young disabled people in sport.
- Work with local sport networks to ensure any coach education programmes address inclusion requirements needed to deliver schools games.
Share effective practice and collaboration at a local level to maximise opportunities:
- Deliver a local County / SGO conference on the development and delivery of disability sport.
- Host an annual leadership conference which is either disability specific or inclusion focused.
This is an exciting opportunity to build on some already great work being done in developing inclusive sport opportunities for young people, and we are excited to get started!
Posted in Inclusion, News, William Beamont | Tagged 2012, cheshire, Children, competition, disability, Inclusion, Olympic, olympics, primary, primary competition, School, school games, secondary, sport, talent, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 6 October, 2011
Follow the link to read the telegraph article outlining a feared reduction in school sport opportunities across the country following the Comprehensive Spending Review:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8807140/London-2012-Olympics-fears-over-future-of-schools-sports-cast-doubts-over-Games-legacy-claims.html
Posted in News | Tagged 2012, Children, olympics, spending review, sport, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 24 January, 2012
Partnership Manager (People) c£28,000 – £33,000 plus pension
Sport Cheshire are looking for an individual who is passionate about people development? Do you relish the opportunity to lead engagement with a wide range of partners so that we have the very best coaches, volunteers and club representatives to make sport across Cheshire flourish? If so, we need to hear from you!
You will need to be an excellent project manager, who has experience of hitting challenging targets, so that we can deliver the national Sport Makers scheme locally. You will also play a pivotal role in developing a world-leading coaching system in England, putting your mark on the development of our local Coaching Support Network to support coaches at a community level across Cheshire & Warrington. You will be a first class communicator, able to get the very best from your talented staff team, and can effortlessly maintain relationships with a wide range of partners. For more details on this vacancy please visit this link.
Posted in News | Tagged cheshire, vacancy, Warrington |
By Admin2 on 20 December, 2011
Posted in Uncategorized |
By Admin2 on 23 November, 2011
Tessa Jowell, Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Olympics, gives her thoughts on whether there will be an Olympic Legacy which inspires young people to choose sport
Read full Article here
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2012, competition, lagacy, olypic, School, school games, school sport, Schools, sport
By Admin2 on 22 November, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15774788
Writing in this week’s Scrubbing Up column, leading sports medicine specialist Dr Andy Franklyn-Miller warns that the physical competence of future generations is being put at risk because of a failure to give PE the same priority as other subjects in the school curriculum.
He contrasts the support that is available for children who struggle in maths or English with the approach to physical development, cardiovascular fitness and co-ordination – elements of what he calls “physical literacy”.
“Let us achieve future success now by building in a PE curriculum that embraces push, pull, squat, brace, rotate, accelerate and change of direction.”
Dr Franklyn-Miller argues that there should be compulsory tests for these skills at each of the key stages as children progress through school.
“Let it be competitive and let us test our children against each other and identify those who need support from the network of physicians trained in sport and exercise medicine as an existing Olympic legacy.”
Start to Move
The call coincides with an announcement by the Youth Sport Trust that it will train thousands of primary school teachers across England in specialist PE skills.
The charity’s new Start to Move programme, funded by private medical firm Bupa, offers free training and support – focusing on the same principles of physical literacy rather than particular sports. The aim is to reach all primary schools in England in the next three years.
But its chief executive, Baroness Sue Campbell, is against the idea of testing.
“Whilst I’m all for assessment, all for challenge, all for encouraging the best to develop and supporting the less capable to catch up, I think if you introduced very rigorous testing in the way that’s being described, I think that could have quite a negative impact on some children.”
Posted in News | Tagged assessment, Children, curriculum, health, literacy, PE, physical, physical activity, physical literacy, School, Schools |
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