Sports Funding

Following on from the London 2012 Olympics, the government committed to providing additional funding to Primary Schools across the UK. 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 2024-25: £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 fencing, judo, street dance, gymnastics and cricket 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.
To subsidise extra-curricular clubs.
PE enrichment days and week where specialist coaches 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.
To provide catch up swimming sessions.
To provide a wide range of extra-curricular sports clubs.
Invest in whole staff training to educate about the importance of physical literacy and its profile. Funding could also extend to resources and training to educate parents/carers on the importance of physical literacy and how families can best support their child.

Sports fund allocation for 2023-24: £19,070.00

The Sports Fund allocation for 2022/23 was spent as follows:	£
A Specialist PE teacher and Sports coaches working alongside school staff to provide CPD. A specialist sports coach running lunch time activities.	6,500.00 2,500.00
A specialist sports coach running after school activities alongside school staff to provide CPD.	2,000.00
Dance CPD with Dance to School	300.00
Membership of the Macclesfield School Sports Partnership	1,000.00
Specialist lacrosse sessions and CPD	880.00
Outdoor fitness course	275.00
Specialist street dance sessions and CPD	110.00
Specialist football coaching and CPD	500.00
Specialist judo sessions and CPD	270.00
Specialist yoga sessions and CPD	350.00
PE equipment	2,746.00
Membership of the Stockport South Area Primary Sports Association (SSPSSA)	40.00
Subscription to PE Passport	799.00
Catch up swimming lessons	800.00
TOTAL	19,070.00

The Sports Grant allocation for 2023/2024 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 sporting events, leading to a greater depth of learning of relevant skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. As a school, we have worked hard to achieve maintain the gold School Games Mark. We have become a more actives school and attended a wide range of inclusive events such as Change4Life and sporting festivals.

All of 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 a new sport after being inspired by the activities.

PE equipment was updated and new resources were bought. This included playground equipment, PE storage and ultimate frisbee resources.

Specialist coaches ran a range of sessions such as, lacrosse, street dance, judo, yoga and football. This provided invaluable CPD for members of staff.

We have ran lunchtime clubs which were free for all KS2 children. As well as this, twice a week, we have had Active 15 sessions at lunchtime which has been a range of activites to get the children moving in a fun and interactive way.

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 dance and yoga. 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 and maintain the gold School Games Mark. This is something we will continue to build upon each year.

We have focused on girls engagement in football by providing free lunchtime clubs and girls only after-school clubs. We have had a significant increase in girls playing football throughout the year. We are incredibly proud of the girls’ football team who have won many matches and tournaments throughout the year and won the large schools league.

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. Some children who did not achieve the national standard in Year 3, attended catch-up 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 2023/24:

91% could swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
91% could use a range of strokes effectively (for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke)
91% 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 after school or at lunch 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 have enjoyed taking part in the football festivals at Manchester City Football Academy where the Year 4 children made it through to the finals.

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

2024-2025

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 Coaching will be running after school clubs for both KS1 and KS2 children. At lunchtimes there will be football sessions for KS2. 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. As well as this, there will be a focus on festival events where children learn new skills and are exposed to new sports which might inspire them to become more active.

Inter-house competitions will continue to 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.