West Wiltshire Dance Festival


Caroline ‘The Dance Lady’ tells us about this year’s event.


“It is great to see how much planning, preparation and rehearsals time that the schools put into the West Wilts Dance Festival. It really shows and the inclusiveness of the event is wonderful to see. Any child regardless of age, ability or confidence can dance on that stage. Teachers & parents comment on how the festival has effected certain pupils and even entire classes. Children who are not very confident suddenly find an inner confidence when performing. It really teaches the children life skills, for me that’s what its all about.


‘Dare to Dream’ was this years theme. Dance styles ranged from disco, street, contemporary to basically just movement to music. Choreography influence comes from the children’s ideas, books, films, Disney and cultural influences . 2017 saw participation from over 1200 children from Key Stage 1-3. 45 Schools attended bringing 10 to 30 children! Attracting an audience of over 2000 family & friends.”


Thank you to: Teachers, parents, Caroline The Dance Lady and Selwyn Widger from the West Wilts School Sports Partnership. Dance Festival Crew from Kingdown School. Audio visual support by Ed Williamson ( Kingdown


Chippenham Sports Partnership Dance Festival


Over 170 primary and 100 secondary children performed in front of a sold out assembly hall at Abbeyfield School. It featured pupils 6 – 11 yrs old along with some Secondary Schools performances. The theme was “Movie Night” which allowed the children to get creative and incorporate all kinds of movies. There was a real buzz of anticipation in the air as the audience arrived, they soon got behind the performers. Sam Goring and Harvey Austin who compered the event were quick


witted and entertaining too, adding to the atmosphere of the festival and helping it flow.


Thank you to; Caroline - The Dance Lady who has run the CPD Dance Workshop and worked alongside the SSCOs to help make the first ever Chippenham Sports Partnership, Dance Festival a reality. Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) organised some CPD, which was run by specialist dance training company iMovesdance.


Wiltshire and Swindon PE and School Sport Framework


Over the last year, a multi-disciplinary group have been working to establish a PE and School Sport Framework for all schools in Wiltshire and Swindon. The work, in part, has been shaped by the growing recognition nationally of the importance of a high quality PE and School Sport.


'PE and school sport is central to developing skills, building confidence and reinforcing messages concerning the health benefits of an active lifestyle. PE and school sport also has enormous potential to deliver on wider benefits to the young person as well as improvements to the whole school.' Public Health England - the link between pupil health and well-being and attainment 2014


The Vision for the Group is: ‘To provide a strategic lead to ensure improved educational achievements and physical and emotional well-being for every young person in Wiltshire and Swindon through high quality Physical Education, competition and school sport that will


lead to greater aspirations, lifelong participation in sport and physical activity and contribute to active, healthy lifestyles’


The work is also influenced by, and is in response to a changing landscape that increasingly acknowledges the value of a coordinated multi-agency approach. At a national level, government departments responsible for Health, Education, Culture, Media and Sport are aligning their work in this area through various agencies including Sport England, Ofsted, County Sports Partnership Network and the Youth Sport Trust. This is now being mirrored at a local level where schools are being encouraged to extend their school sport offer, build local clusters and work closely with local providers in both the public and private sector.


The Framework developed by the Group seeks to provide clear leadership within PE & School Sport to enable effective partnership working, communication and delivery of actions linked to


Wiltshire and Swindon Relay 5


clear ambitions. These include: PE & Curriculum Delivery, Leadership, Coaching & Volunteering, Competitions, Inclusivity, Health & Well-being and Community Links.


To support the achievement of the Framework ambitions the group will bring together existing resources, be a forum for sharing best practice and where appropriate develop new opportunities. More information on the Framework will be published over the coming months and schools and PE professionals will be encouraged to contribute to the work of the group.


school ) & audio the young technicians! Wiltshire and Swindon Sport support which ensures the Festival can evolve. Rik Grover, from WASP who is our Sound Technician for the event and Abi and Gemma from ‘Apple a Day’ .


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