Why is sport more important than ever to the school curriculum and extracurricular timetable? Charlotte Phillips gathers local experts’ views and experiences
Sport at school matters. And yes, that might sound like restating the blindingly obvious, but as anyone involved in the business
of adding literal get-up-and-go to children’s education will tell you, it’s something that bears repetition.
As Peta Girdwood, director of sport at The Perse School, explains, physical activity delivers a cornucopia of much sought-after and desirable skills. “Sport builds belonging, particularly when every pupil can find an activity that suits them. It fosters leadership, communication, resilience and responsibility – skills the working world values highly.”
Naturally, games, PE and other physical activity intersect with the public consciousness most when associated with high-profile competitions – something that’s just as applicable to schools in our area, where well-stocked trophy cabinets and silverware shimmering under the spotlights are often even more visible than academic honours boards.
Recent successes in our area are many and varied, including girls’ netball successes at Impington Village College (where their year 9s are currently through to regional finals) and football prowess at Stephen Perse Cambridge, where one boys’ and two girls’ teams are powering ahead in national competitions. At The Perse, both the U14 girls’ and boys’ hockey teams have reached the national semi-finals of the England Hockey Tier 1 Cup, placing them among the top four schools in the country, while the 1st XI boys’ hockey team have progressed to the last eight nationally in the same competition. The U15 rugby team are through to the semi-finals of the National Bowl, and the school has earned national recognition in target rifle shooting.
Younger pupils, too, are making their mark, with year 5 and 6 pupils at Bishop’s Stortford College winning the East Anglian schools cross country teams competition.
Name a sport and, more likely than not, there will be at least one school in our area and often many more out there diligently forging a name for themselves with talent and commitment.
One visible benefit of sporting success is that it can bring school communities together. “You might talk about it in assembly, and you’ll hear the students discussing it the next day. There will be quite a buzz in that year group because they’ve achieved something,” says Jenny McLeod, deputy head co-curricular 11-18 at Stephen Perse Cambridge.
Cementing bonds within a school through that shared feeling of celebration can be a hugely positive factor, but it’s just one of the benefits that sports can provide.
A healthy balance
There’s plenty of research to show that being active in childhood can impact on future prospects, most notably improving the chances of going into employment or further education.
Some of that could be linked to the qualities sport can develop, such as resilience, cooperation, teamwork and leadership. At Impington Village College, a successful IB (International Baccalaureate) school, where it’s not unusual for star players to be offered professional
contracts when they leave, the focus is on individual development, not just results. “I’d say to anyone who wants to come here at sixth form that we want you to be a better sportsperson when you leave than when you came,” says Simon Leader, director of sports scholarships.
Loyalty and commitment matter, too. When pupils have high-stakes exams, Stephen Perse Cambridge is one of many schools to encourage them to continue to participate – and for excellent reasons. “We highly encourage pupils to carry on with team sports. If they have made that commitment to a team, the expectation is they honour it to the end of the season,” says Charlotte Wells, director of sport.
Encouraging children to aim for a healthy balance between academic study and staying active at potentially stressful times is an approach that also chimes with Nick Prowse, director of sport, health and fitness at Bishop’s Stortford College. While exam preparation is undeniably important, sport can add to, rather than detract from, the process.
Instead of revising for eight hours a day with nothing else going on, heading out for a walk or run or playing sport with friends can improve concentration and studying ability. “We would very much recommend that one doesn’t impact the other – you should be able to do both at the same time,” he says.
Something for everyone
To make physical activity an option for everyone, schools are increasingly widening their offering so that it’s not just about competition and traditional team sports – which continue to have a hugely important place on the curriculum – but participation and wellbeing, too.
Stephen Perse Cambridge is one of the schools to develop a popular outdoor education programme where pupils can try – among other activities – kayaking, paddleboarding, climbing and archery. “It’s growing at the moment and is bringing in different students – it’s lovely to see them participating,” says Charlotte Wells.
Creag Lawrence, director of sport at Kimbolton School, also sees a shift. It’s not just about which sports are offered but the rationale behind them. For the school, in addition to traditional team sports, it’s about creating memorable moments for every pupil, he says. “You could have a boy or girl playing football, hockey or tennis, representing the school and playing in competitions. On the other side, it could be a sixth form girl or boy undertaking yoga on a Wednesday afternoon for wellbeing and de-stressing from the pressure of the academic side of school.”
And his hopes for pupils extend well into the future. “We want pupils leaving Kimbolton to have the competence and confidence to engage in physical activity for the rest of their lives,” he adds.
There’s no reason why that considered, well-balanced approach shouldn’t start well before senior school. At St Faith’s, which goes up to year 8, the names of the game are variety, diversity and inclusion. Here, Linda North, PE teacher and head of Latham House, explains that even the youngest pupils in preschool enjoy a rich variety of activities and start to learn how to work together, compete and collaborate – something that stands them in good stead in other aspects of their lives at school.
Traditional sports abound, of course (cricket is offered from year 1), but the choices, whether in timetabled lessons or through a tempting assortment of clubs, are dazzling. Older children can opt for rowing alongside the usual netball, football and rugby, with inventive options such as pickleball also on the menu.
Build, bolster and boost
What comes across is schools’ willingness to see sport as a vital thread that links different aspects of the education they provide. Far from being separate to the academic side of life, it can help boost achievement and build engagement.
Take Impington Village College, where all teaching assistants within the school’s alternative provision are qualified sports coaches. By finding new, sports-based approaches to engage with pupils who aren’t achieving as they should, they can make a real difference – going outside to kick a football around or using darts to tackle a maths problem, defusing situations before they can escalate.
At St Faith’s, PE and games can be a lifeline for pupils with learning challenges. High-energy sports can help those who have issues with focus or concentration, while swimming or trampolining assist others who have sensory needs.
At a time when pupils face an incredibly uncertain future, our areas’ schools are harnessing sports in all their glorious variety to bolster skills, values and confidence – which has to be a good thing.
“In a world where young people face increasing academic pressure and digital distraction, sport is one of the most powerful engines of wellbeing, belonging and character,” concludes Peta Girdwood at The Perse.