Sport Premium
At North Thoresby Primary Academy we aim to use sport as a means to build character, embed values of fairness and respect, and give all children the opportunities they need to be fit and healthy, both physically and mentally.
The vision of the government is that all pupils leaving primary school should be ‘physically literate and with the knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to equip them for a healthy, active lifestyle and lifelong participation in physical activity and sport’.
Our approach to sport is to increase the level of skills children have in all areas, to increase their level of fitness and also their enjoyment of sporting activities. Importantly, we also help children understand key elements of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both in terms of physical and mental health. To do this we focus on 4 key areas:
1. Having Fun
Young people are often looking for experiences to be fun. For many, sport is last seen as fun in primary school; by secondary school, valuing sport for its own sake gets lost as it is perceived to be a more serious pursuit. However, fun can mean different things to different young people. As an example, under-represented young people often state that excessive competition is off-putting to them as it's divisive, setting them up to be either winners or losers. Therefore we create on-going opportunities for pupils to compete and learn to succeed and fail in a safe environment.
2. Right Environment
The right environment for young people is made up of several different elements such as cost (affordability of activity), activity (greater choice, diverse activities), people (who else is taking part), location (accessibility of activity) and awareness (of local provision and sports opportunities). We work hard to create the right environment for sport to deliver the most benefits it can.
3. Being with Friends
Young people’s lifestyles are structured around experiences with friends and family which are then magnified through social media. Young people are committed to their social group and will rarely do something that risks jarring with them. Engagement with sport is therefore led by what their social group is into and how sport/activity are seen as fitting in with this. We therefore work hard to include all pupils in as many different sporting events as possible.
4. Looking and Feeling Good
With the pressure of life in the 21st century, the contribution of physical activity to the physical and mental wellbeing of young people is becoming ever more important. However, poor body image and a lack of confidence also represent significant barriers to young people taking part in sport and physical activity. Therefore we include a range of positive pastoral opportunities for all our children, promoting both a healthy body and healthy mind.
Competitive Sport
Competitive sport has many benefits, but can also have a negative impact if delivered in an incorrect way. We therefore follow the principles of SMILES for all our competitive sport.
· Safe – participants feel physically and emotionally safe
· Maximum Participation – participants are fully involved all of the time, i.e. not hanging around
· Inclusive – all participants can take part; activities are designed to suit and develop their abilities
· Learning – participants develop personal, social, creative, thinking and/or physical skills
· Enjoyment – activities recognise individuals’ personal needs and interests
· Success – participants feel they are making progress and getting satisfaction
While there isn’t a specific letter for fair play, SMILES only happen for all participants if they feel a sense of fairness. Fairness underpins inclusion, enjoyment and success; it isn’t just about ‘rules’.
Sport Premium
Since 2013 the government has allocated funding to improve Physical Education and Sport in primary schools. The funding has been designed to achieve self-sustaining improvement in the quality of PE and sport in primary schools. It is important to emphasise that the focus of spending must lead to long lasting impact that will live on well beyond the Primary PE and Sport Premium funding programme.
Since the Sports Premium funding began, we have provided the children with a range of different sporting opportunities, enhanced the PE curriculum and equipment and support needed to deliver it to a high standard, and trained our school staff to deliver high quality sports lessons. In 2017 the government doubled the amount schools receive. For 2023/24 North Thoresby Primary Academy will receive £16,000, plus £10 per child. This equates to approximately £17,040.
Please see the Sport Premium Strategy for 2023-24 below to see what we are currently focusing on:
