Building character through tennis

Background Information

As an SGO hub site we needed improve  our advocacy for and positioning of the delivery of the CMO daily active minutes for children within the partnership, particularly within an area which has an ethnically diverse community, high deprivation and high levels of children with a first language other than English.

All local schools have pupils located in IMD and IDACI scores of 1 

We felt that  many children in the local area had barriers to sports which may traditionally not have been as accessible to them and did not receive regular high-quality coaching.  Families were also not often involved in regular physical activity with their children.

We had a relatively small number of relationships with community providers, to delivery regular physical activity sessions, in a sustainable manner.

We also had a small  number of schools who were not engaging in School Games in a meaningful way. 

What was the aim of work?

We needed to enhance the provision of regular physical activity within local schools who had identified this as a need.  As an SGO, I wanted to develop closer relationships with the schools included in the project and improve the School Games experience for pupils and families.

Schools had reported that many children had barriers to taking part in certain sports and that their own staff's coaching ability in these sports meant that the children were not always receiving high quality coaching. 

We wanted to develop a link between PE and School Sport and mental health and wellbeing, particularly the characteristics needed to take part in sport

Which outcome(s) did it focus on?

• 1. To advocate and position the delivery of the CMO daily active minutes for all young people, as a universal offer to maintain and grow school engagement
• 4. To support the personal development of targeted young people through youth engagement and leadership
• 5. To advocate and engage key stakeholders on the value of School Games to support local provision and improve the experience for young people and their families

Which expectation(s) did it meet?

• Using the national tool to complete and deliver a development plan covering the current academic year, updated once each term.
• Using the development plan to show how community connections will be made for young people to continue their participation.
• Using local insight and youth engagement to identify young people and schools that would most benefit from a targeted School Games offer.
• Developing a case study to show where you have made the most impact against local priorities, and through effective storytelling share your learning locally and nationally.
• Collaborating with key partners to inform the local and county offer to tackle inequalities and ensuring inclusive and safe practice.
• Work with schools to maintain and grow their active engagement in School Games.
• Identify schools that are not engaged and developing strategies to improve this.
• Develop a communication plan to boost the profile of the host site and demonstrates the value of school sport to other schools in the area.
• Planning for and increasing delivery of 60 active minutes for every child.
• Work intensively with a minimum of two low engagement schools to improve their understanding, engagement and access of the School Games offer.
• Co-design and deliver a broad and balanced School Games offer that is informed by insight and youth engagement and embeds positive experiences. It is expected that an SGO will facilitate a minimum of 12 targeted inter competitions/events/festivals with clear intent.
• New SGOs are required to attend a national virtual and face-to-face induction during your first year of being appointed (ideally within your first term) and engage with your Development Coach.

Community links

• Community sports clubs
• Headteacher group
• Leisure providers

Overview

1. We intended to engage hundreds of children in regular physical activity each week, in a sport that they may not traditionally have had a positive relationship with, in order to improve their relationship with sport and PE.
2. Many of the children in this community do not have a positive relationship with tennis and view it as a sport 'not for them', despite the good work of the LTA in this regard.  This may be due to resources, accessibility of courts and other issues related to deprivation.
3. As an SGO hub site we needed to develop better relationships with community providers to develop new pathways for children and improve the level of coaching.
4. Using the YSTs knowledge bank and the insight of our provider, Sport for Life International, we identified schools with pupils with high levels of deprivation using IMD and IDACI among other indicators.
5. Schools we encouraged to identify particular cohorts within the school to receive the training. 

Target group

• Ethnically Diverse Communities
• Mixed
• Asian or Asian British
• Black or Black British
• Free School Meals
• Primary Schools
• Pupil Premium
• Specific Year Group
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Targeted Groups of Young People

Aligns to Schools Games Intents of:

• Develop confidence and competence within physical activity/sport skills
• Increase regular participation and motivation
• Build social skills and connections (i.e. sense of belonging)
• Engage new/target groups of young people (tackling inequalities)
• Develop leadership, character, life skills
• To engage/influence wider stakeholders
• Create positive experiences

Top tips

1. Get out there and make relationships, particularly with those organisations with common goals.
2. Use programmes like this to show how transformative School Games can be.
3. Include celebrations and festivals and invite families to watch.
4. Access SEND support at NGOs and local clubs.

Related sport/s

• Tennis