Carol HawmanFreelance writer/ trainer; author of A Guide to the Whole School Games

A Guide to the Whole School Games

Using the School Games to raise achievement across the curriculum

Today’s session will focus on:•Using the School Games to inspire learning•National School Games curriculum competitions•Level 1 and 2 curriculum competitions

Using the School Games to inspire learning

A Guide to the Whole School Games covers:

•Stimulus/ context for learning in other curriculum areas or through cross-curricular projects•Opportunity to explore the values that underpin attitudes to learning, e.g. self-belief, respect•Opportunity to develop learners’ wider skills by taking on different roles, e.g. announcer, reporter, match analyst

Learning in other curriculum areas

Starter ideas from the guide:

•English – writing and speaking: write and present an athletes’ oath•Maths – space and measures: measure and draw a plan of a venue•MFL – vocabulary: produce signs in different languages•Cross-curricular: develop a proposal to attract funding for next year’s event

TASK 1

Mix and match the cards on your table to create starter ideas for schools to use the School Games as a stimulus or context for learning.

•School Games element•Curriculum area•Age group•Before/ during/ after the event labels

EXAMPLE

The Berkshire School Games local organising committee produced a booklet of values-related challenges to inspire cross-curricular learning in local primary and secondary schools. A number of these were directly related to the Berkshire School Games. For example, learners were challenged to design stickers, a logo and a mascot, with the winning designs produced for use at the level 3 Games. Using the Olympic truce as a basis, learners also wrote a School Games truce, which was read at the opening ceremony. The booklet included other ideas for subject-specific challenges.

National School Games curriculum competitions

•Three strands:• Reporting and creative media, e.g. sports reports,

photo journalism, commentary• Music, visual and performing arts, e.g. dance,

song, sculpture• Sports analysis and technology, e.g. match report

including statistics, kit, equipment•Two categories for each strand: KS2-3 and KS4-5•Weighting for focus on School Games events/ values•Make Waves website: www.makewav.es/schoolgames •National entries submitted by 31st March 2013

TASK 2

Use the level 1 and 2 curriculum competitions starter ideas from the guide as a base. Discuss how you might:

•Adapt the ideas to suit your local schools•Advocate and promote the competitions to your schools•Implement the competitions in your area (if appropriate)

EXAMPLE

SASP has launched county-wide competitions for:•commentators – providing commentary on a School Games event•sports films – capturing a School Games event and the Spirit of the Games values•music – creating a composition inspired by and communicating the values•sports photographs – taking five to six photos linked to a School Games event•sports reporters – producing a 500 word account of a School Games event There are categories for KS2-5. Schools hold their own selection process; each school winner competes in the county event.

Next steps

•Keep checking the YST website for the online e-book: A Guide to the Whole School Games•Promote the session at the Raising Achievement events: Using Competition to Raise Achievement•Encourage schools to compete in level 1 and 2 curriculum competitions as a step towards the national competition

Raising Achievement events

•South east: 6th November – Lingfield Park•South: 7th November – Newbury racecourse•North east: 8th November – Sedgefield racecourse•East midlands: 15th November – Nottingham racecourse•London: 20th November – The Oval•South west: 21st November – Exeter Chiefs•West midlands: 22nd November – Worcester racecourse•East: 29th November – Homerton Conference Centre•North west: 4th December – Haydock Park •Yorkshire: 5th December – Doncaster racecourse

To register visit: http://www.youthsporttrust.org/events-awards/events/raising-achievement-conferences.aspx