News
July, 2020
UK Coaching cares: New toolkit and digital badge to facilitate #GreatCoaching
Posted: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 16:00
Coaches want to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to provide the necessary care to their participants and ultimately inspire them to develop lifelong active lifestyles.
The toolkit – of Knowledge Checks and coach learning – is dedicated to making sure the coach knows how to look after their participants and themselves. Read More »
ClubMatters Return to Activity Survey
Posted: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 15:00
We know that the Coronavirus Pandemic and lockdown restrictions have had big impact on people's ability to support and take part in sport and activity in a club/group environment. We also know that people have missed this, so we are doing all we can to ensure people can get back to activity or volunteering as soon as is safely possible. To help us understand what that means for clubs and groups as they get ready to return, we are encouraging anyone who is a member, participant or volunteer at a sports club or similar organisation to take part in the Club Matters national survey! This will help Sport England and sector organisations like us to understand how we can best support people as they return to activity.
The survey is exploring how people who participated or volunteered in a club/group environment before the pandemic feel about returning to activity as restrictions ease. It is open to anyone that was involved in activities at a club or group either as a volunteer or as a member / participant, whether that's through recreational play, formal training and/or competition, or just on a social basis. Even if you haven't returned to your club/group yet, or don't plan to return at all, Club Matters wants to hear from you! Parents or carers can fill out the survey on behalf of children under the age of 16 or vulnerable adults.
Encouraging all club/group members and volunteers across sport and activity to share their views on coming back will help inform the future resources and support that we and the Club Matters programme will be able to offer. We'll also be able to share key findings and insight with clubs and groups we work with, to support their decision making and planning too. The survey will be open until Friday 7th August – please fill it in as soon as you can and encourage other people at your club/group to do the same, to make sure your needs are reflected in future support!
Click the link relevant to you to share your views:
Participants: https://bit.ly/ClubMatters-ParticipantsSurvey
Volunteers: https://bit.ly/ClubMatters-VolunteersSurvey
ReActivate Training Platform Launched by CIMSPA
Posted: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:00
ReActivate is a new, free, digital training platform designed to equip anyone working or volunteering in sport and physical activity in England with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently restart activity. Read More »
Over 3,000 young people come together “virtually” to compete in our first School Games Virtual Summer Championships!
Posted: Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:30
We may be still physically distanced from each other but that didn't stop school children from across the county coming together, virtually, to take part in our first School Games Virtual Summer Championships. With over 3,000 young people putting forward their best score in a range of challenges, we had over 15,000 entries into the 4 sports categories.
Our week-long championships started on Monday 22nd June (the start of National School Sport Week) and ran throughout the week with young people able to take part in our challenges and upload their scores to represent their school. Read More »
Have Your Say! Help Us Shape Our Active Together Campaign!
Posted: Tue, 07 Jul 2020 16:55
Do you live in #Leicestershire, #Leicester or #Rutland? Then we'd love to hear your views!
With the nation becoming more active through encouragement from nation campaigns such as This Girl Can and We Are Undefeatable, we want to inspire our local residents to get and stay active through a local campaign.
Help us to shape our local Active Together campaign! Read More »
We’re on the search for local Champions! Could you be what we’re looking for?
Posted: Tue, 07 Jul 2020 15:45
Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS) are looking for local physical activity Champions (families and individuals) to be the face of our new movement, Active Together. Could you inspiration for others to become more active? Read More »
PE and Sport Premium for schools confirmed
Posted: Mon, 06 Jul 2020 09:15
The Education Secretary has announced that schools in England will benefit from £320 million from the PE and Sport Premium during the academic year 2020-21.
The PE and Sport Premium is designed to help children get an active start in life, supporting primary schools to improve the quality of their PE and sport provision so that pupils experience the benefits of regular exercise – from becoming healthier both mentally and physically to improved behaviour and better academic achievement.
Gavin Williamson has today (Sunday 5 July) confirmed that funding for the PE and Sport Premium, which was doubled in 2017, will once again continue at this higher rate of £320 million next year. It builds on the ambitious School Sport and Activity Action Plan launched last year and underlines the importance of PE and sport in the Government's manifesto.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, said:
During these challenging times, it has become clearer to me than ever the importance of keeping active and how it benefits not just our physical health but also our ability to pay attention, our mood and our mental health too.
Every family will have had a different experience of the pandemic, and I know that many children will have missed time spent outdoors with their friends – that's why it's so important that ahead of a full return to school in September, schools get the certainty they need to prepare their PE and sports activities for next year.
The Department for Education has also confirmed today that any PE and Sport Premium funding from the current academic year (2019-20) that schools were unable to use as a result of the coronavirus pandemic can be brought forward to use in the next academic year, giving school leaders an opportunity to develop or add to their existing provision, or to make improvements that will benefit pupils joining the school in future years.
The PE and Sport Premium is a ring-fenced grant for English primary schools to provide additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of PE, sport and physical activity. Allocations to schools are determined by a formula based on pupil numbers. The average one form entry primary school will receive roughly £18,000 per year.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, said:
Being active is absolutely vital for our children's mental and physical health. This £320m package will ensure sport is provided in primary schools throughout the country so children get their 60 active minutes a day. I'm grateful to all those in sport who have stepped up with workout videos and ideas to keep families healthy over the last few months, as it's clear getting Britain fit is part of the Covid fightback.
Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said:
The physical and mental benefits of regular exercise can never be underestimated, and I believe all children should have the chance to have fun playing sport and enjoy high quality PE lessons.
Lockdown has been a testing time for many of us, not least for children who have had their usual routines turned upside down, and I'm delighted they'll be able to benefit from new and improved sporting opportunities once they're back in school.
Sue Wilkinson MBE, CEO of Association for Physical Education said:
afPE is delighted that the Department for Education has announced the continued funding of the Primary PE and Sport Premium, for the next academic year.
The Government's commitment since 2013 has demonstrated the importance of physical education and school sport and in light of current circumstances further investment is crucial. This acknowledgment is testament to its importance in ensuring the best outcomes for all children and young people are achieved. We know this investment will have a significant impact on teachers' confidence and competence.
Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver said:
As young people return to school, their wellbeing will be one of the biggest priorities in education. Sport and Physical Education have an essential role to play in children's recovery, particularly following a period of lockdown which has seen too many either become less active or completely inactive.
We are delighted that the primary PE and Sport Premium for 2020/21 has been confirmed at this critical time. Many primary schools will be using this funding to improve provision of PE and sport and to develop teachers' confidence to deliver it, positioning PE and sport at the core of schools' work to improve pupils' health, wellbeing and ability to learn.
Sport England's Chief Executive Tim Hollingsworth said:
We welcome the confirmation of the investment into primary schools for PE, school sport, activity and play. It's never been more needed given the massive disruption to children's activity levels during lockdown with our research showing that the number of children meeting the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines has dropped from almost 47% to 19%. Over a third of children say they've had less chance to be active because schools are shut. When schools return this welcomed investment will play an important part in encouraging schools to prioritise PE and getting children active - which is important not just for their physical health but because being active builds mental resilience and helps children achieve academically.
New Government guidance on community activities, holiday and after-school clubs and out of school provision for over 5's
Posted: Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:00
Following the Prime Minister's confirmation that holiday clubs will now be allowed to reopen during the summer holidays, the Department for Education has published two pieces of guidance on GOV.UK about community activities, holiday and after-school clubs as well as other out-of-school provision for children over the age of 5. Read More »