Sports Funding

Following on from the London 2012 Olympics, the government committed to providing additional funding to Primary Schools across the UK, for each academic year until 2021. This has now been extended to 2021-22. The funding, which has been jointly provided by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport, is to be used for improving the provision of sporting activities and Physical Education (PE) lessons. It is 'ring-fenced', which means it can only be used for this purpose and not spent on anything else.

Sports fund allocation for 2021-22: £19,070.00

Possible uses of the funding include:

• Hiring specialist PE teachers or qualified sports coaches to work alongside Primary teachers when delivering the PE part of the curriculum including martial arts, Tri Golf, yoga, lacrosse and hockey coaches.
• Paying for professional development opportunities for teachers in sport and PE.
• Invest in PE planning and assessment tool to support and provide additional CPD.
• Providing class cover to release teachers for professional development opportunities in sport and PE.
• Running sports competitions and transporting pupils to and from events.
• When required, competition club to help prepare children for upcoming events.
• Buying equipment to enhance sport and PE provision.
• To update the netball court markings on the playground.
• PE enrichment days and week where specialist coached are invited in to coach the children and provide CPD for teachers.
• To update playground equipment to encourage more children to become independently involved in sport during break times.

Sports fund allocation for 2020-21: £19,070.00

£5,541 remains. This will be carried over to 2021/22 academic year.

The Sports Grant allocation for 2020/2021 impacted on the school in the following ways:

Membership of the Macclesfield School Sports Partnership (MSSP) has enabled access to up to date and relevant training at reduced costs. It allows children’s involvement and participation in a range of Level2 and Level 3 sporting events, leading to a greater depth of learning of relevant skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. Due to COVID-19 and advice from Cheshire East Council, face to face competitions were unable to take place, however the children took part in virtual activities.

All the children were able to participate in a range of sports related activities during lessons and sports week. This was a successful event where many children took up new a new sport after being inspired by the activities.

PE equipment was updated and new resources were bought. This included tennis balls, footballs, basketball equipment and tag-rugby equipment.

Specialist coaches ran a range of sessions such as, tag-rugby, capoeira and lacrosse. This provided invaluable CPD for members of staff.

How will the improvements be sustainable for the future?

We have had a variety of professional sports coaches who have provided CPD for teaching staff such as tag-rugby and lacrosse. Teachers have worked alongside sports specialists, developing planning and carrying out team teaching. Teachers are better equipped and skilled to provide high quality PE lessons. Children enjoy high quality, skills focussed PE lessons.

Sporting equipment is regularly updated so that all children are able access a wide variety of sports. Support from MSSP has allowed the school to become more active through active 30:30.

Swimming

Swimming and water safety is an extremely important part of the PE curriculum at Vernon Primary School and another way of helping children to lead healthy and active lives. Year 5 and 6 attended swimming lessons at Poynton Leisure centre in order to meet the National Curriculum requirements. This ensures that nearly every pupil leaving Vernon Primary School can reach the National requirement by the end of Year 6.
 
Pupils are grouped according to their ability and are taught to:
- Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
- Use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
- Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. 

Results for pupils in Year 6 the end of 2020/21:

94% could swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
94% could use a range of strokes effectively (for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke)
94% perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

Sporting Opportunities

Sport at Vernon, is a key part of the curriculum. We are excited that the children have the opportunity to join many extra-curricular activities in addition to their regular PE lessons. Our PE includes dance, gymnastics and games whereby the children can experience varied activities. We enjoy the regular sporting opportunities offered in the area, competing against schools in Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

We look forward to our school teams competing again this academic year.  

2021-2022
The children at Vernon enjoy many opportunities to try different sports either within lessons or through extra-curricular clubs and visits from outside sporting companies.

We are pleased that 8 by 8 football coaches will be running after school clubs for both KS1 and KS2 children. Sports Coaching will also offer clubs after school such as, lacrosse and dodgeball. We hope to continue to invite specialist coaches into school throughout the year to teach new skills to the children.

Sporting competitions are planned to take place this year where the children will take part in competitive events against other primary school children in the area.

Inter-house competitions will happen. Once skills are acquired in PE lessons, tournaments will take place allowing children to utilise their skills in a competitive environment.

We believe that, at Vernon, we provide opportunities for all pupils to find an activity that they can enjoy, build team working abilities and develop their skills at all levels.