Sharing of good practice: St.Joseph’s sports leaders

2014/15 academic year

“Being a sports leader means a lot to us. We love how we can help throughout the school by promoting sport and competitions. As part of our duties we help set up the right equipment for each competition, keep track of scores, and take action photos for the schools noticeboard; we help referee, help to prepare the teams, and write reports for the school newsletter; we help set up for PE lessons and support the teachers during the lessons; and we lead sports activities during lunchtimes. It’s great to be part of the team that help organise the School Games competitions for St.Joseph’s.”

Natasha Rickard (Year 6), age 11, Sports Leader.

The Bronze Ambassadors were trained at The Grange School, where they went for a days training on how to be a sports leader and how to promote sport in general. At St. Joseph’s we didn’t just select pupils that were keen on sport but also those that we knew had good organisational skills.

At first we used the sports leaders to help with setting up their own PE lessons and assisting with warm-ups and cool-downs. However, since St.Joseph’s was accredited with the School Games bronze Mark, their roles have increased substantially. They now form the S.S.O.C. (School Sports Organising Crew) and assist in the organising the school's intra-sport competitions. So far this year they have helped run competitions in football, netball, rounders and tennis. We still have Tri-Golf to come and then our School Games Day on the 7th July when the finals of all our competitions will be held.

Their roles have further developed with the introduction of lunchtime sports activities which they lead. We have a rota where two Sports Leaders are available each lunchtime and they organise activities based on what they have learnt is successful and popular.

As well as setting up and helping with their own PE lessons, the sports leaders are now assisting other classes where their help has been extremely useful, particularly in Key Stage 1 classes where pupils need a lot more help in certain sports and the sports leaders are seen as role models to the younger children. 

When they were first trained we set up a system to monitor the sports leaders' achievement levels. When they have reached each stage our SGO is invited to a school assembly to present them with an award to reward them for their efforts and hopefully inspire younger pupils to want become our sports leaders of the future! 

2015/16 academic year

During the past year our sports leaders have increased their roles further by helping in the wider community. Two of our sports leaders went with our headteacher to the Sovereign Housing Association to ask for a donation for the funding of a new play-trail as the old one needed replacing. They explained to the committee the benefits of the play-trail in ensuring children are active during playtime. They were successful and received a donation of £2,000.

At Easter, when our new play-trail was ready, we had a grand opening where the sports leaders welcomed some special guests to St.Joseph’s. The picture below shows them with Matt Ritchie and Adam Federici, both players with AFC Bournemouth, just before they explained how to use the play-trail and how it would benefit the children of St.Joseph’s. 

Sports leaders have been assisting after school clubs on a voluntary basis. This has included helping Christchurch Tennis setting up their events, helping with PTA fundraising events, and helping a sponsored London Marathon event in April. Giving children these types of responsibilities in primary school provides them with confidence and maturity.

Natasha, now in her first year of secondary school, is continuing to exemplify these values. Her current PE teacher told us: "Natasha adopts an excellent approach to PE and participates fully in every aspect of the subject. She always arrives to lessons fully prepared and eager to participate. She has shown genuine leadership qualities when working with others. Natasha is an able student who has been able to lead warm ups and skills drills to the rest of the class."