HEALTHY SCHOOLS
Motivation through sport
In our final article marking the 10th
impact on girls’ attitude to learning, with a structure to the opportunity to further develop their interests and
the course that has enabled these girls to grow through stretch their confidence in a safe environment, plus it
anniversary of the Healthy Schools
mixing with different social groups outside their usual has also led to them helping at our school dance club
class setting. and auditioning for competitions.”
One teacher, from cowley language college, Overall this approach, developed through close
Programme, David Taylor visits St Helens,
explained: “Two girls in particular struggled with health and education partnerships in st helens, has been
their form groups and lacked confidence due to past successful in encouraging disenfranchised children to
where work is being done to promote the link
experiences of bullying. One of them hardly spoke, get involved in alternative sports-based activities.
even when spoken to, and they would never join Using the Motivation through sport framework is
between physical and emotional wellbeing
an extra-curricular club. The street dance sessions showing that physical activity can positively impact
really developed their personal confidence and social upon a child’s behaviour, concentration and achievement
interaction and the residential weekend away proved in school and that children learn better when they are
how far they’d come, when they performed a dance being actively engaged in their own learning. SecEd
nspIrIng chIldren and young people To date, 525 young men have participated in the routine for the rest of the group.
I
to improve their behaviour, concentration one-day-a-week course for five weeks in total and rob “We found out later that they often rehearsed
Further information
and achievement is a key challenge for Vaughan, also part of the team behind the course, says dance routines at home, so the she course provided www.healthyschools.gov.uk
schools, but one initiative in st helens is there has been a really positive impact on individuals.
using physical activities such as boxercise, he explained: “One participant, for example, who
climbing, and outdoor pursuits to help get was quite overweight and previously refused to join in
vulnerable students back on track. any school pe lessons, became so motivated through
The Motivation through sport programme is the initiative that he now takes part in all pe lessons, as
building physical fitness and self-confidence, but is well as after-school sports activities. It has also helped
also overcoming challenging behaviour and creating him to lose a noticeable amount of weight.
opportunities for learning about healthy lifestyles, and “We were also delighted to learn that one of our
sex and relationships. participants who came from a special needs school
Motivation through sport aligns closely with enjoyed it so much that he has now started volunteering
healthy schools, the joint initiative of the department as an assistant coach at his local rugby club and is
of health and department for children, schools and considering a career in professional coaching.
Families, which aims to promote the link between “The opportunity to meet players from the saints
health, behaviour and educational achievement. team is a real ‘wow’ factor and inspires the lads to join
st helens achieved Beacon council status for in the sports sessions. It’s also a great honour at the
its involvement in the programme and, together end of the course when they present the Junior rugby
with the saints rugby league community Team, league Organisers Award on the final day before
is promoting the intrinsic link between physical and inviting them onto the pitch. partnering with them has
emotional wellbeing and fostering a more positive really encouraged attendance and made the most of the
attitude towards school life. opportunity the course gives them.”
Barbara constantine, healthy schools pshe and headteacher at penkford school, dave King, has
citizenship consultant in st helens, explained: “We also seen the successes first-hand. One student, who
have some areas of high social deprivation and there is a had previously been expelled from several schools and
strong feeling that too many boys are not reaching their was seriously underachieving due to his aggressive
full potential and are at risk of disengaging from school. behaviour, lack of self-esteem and long periods
“Working with healthy schools, we developed a of absence from school, has really benefited from
very successful five-week course based around sports the course quickly becoming a role model as he
activities, initially aimed towards some of our most enthusiastically joined in with the activities.
vulnerable key stage 3 boys. This course removes them At the end, he was honoured with the opportunity
from school for a day each week to work on various to speak at a presentation event alongside local sports
aspects of their physical fitness, behaviour and self- heroes at saints rugby league club.
esteem, while also challenging their personal goals to Mr King said: “he has since overcome significant
raise their aspirations and attainment.” personal obstacles, and went on to become a member of
Initially, the st helens healthy schools team worked st helens Youth council who he represented on a visit
with students from five target schools, including a to the european parliament in Brussels. despite every
number of boys with learning difficulties and severe past barrier to learning, he has successfully gained six
emotional and behavioural problems, particularly gcses and like many others on the course, found it
those displaying the desire to participate and change to be a major turning point on the journey to healthier
positively. living and learning.”
Activities ranged from fitness classes such as The programme has also more recently been
boxercise to water-based sports such as rope-walking extended to girls aged 14 to 15-years-old who showed
across a river, canoeing and raft-building, all with the they wanted to “get back on track”, but were perceived
objective of encouraging teamwork and supportive by staff as struggling with social interaction.
group communication. These girls were chosen to take part in a 20-week
Ms constantine continued: “Alongside the fitness course, which was called she (sport, health and
regime, the healthy schools team also delivered a education) and offered alternative physical activities
number of important sessions on issues such as sex and such as boxercise, gym and street dance, alongside
relationships and drugs education. specialist sessions for personal skills such as hair and
“At school these boys tend to be the ones to shy beauty.
away from such talks and not ask questions, but here we cooks from the award-winning restaurant at st
were able to provide a comfortable atmosphere where helens college also taught them how to cook and
they felt free to ask anything they wanted to – and they prepare a quick healthy meal. Already, over 500 girls
really did!” have taken part and teachers have seen significant Teenage kicks: Students pictured on the Motivation through Sport scheme in St Helens
14 SecEd • October 1 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20