GreenacreSSP

9 Greenacre SSP schools took part in the inter school sportshall athletics competition here at Greenacre. This is fast becoming our favourite competition to run for our local schools becuase of the fantastic atmosphere that is creates. Teams can be made up of up to 24 children who each have the chance to take part in relay races, running, obstacle courses, jumping and throwing activities.

20 trained leaders from Greenacre School recorded the results and led each of the disciplines for the pupils to take part in.

The results of the competition were;

Sportshall Athletics

1st Lordswood
2nd St Marys Island
3rd All Saints
4th St Thomas More
5th Kingfisher
5th St William of Perth
7th Glencoe
8th Luton Juniors
9th Danecourt

Well done to Lordswood School, reigning champions, who will now go on to represent the Greenacre SSP in the Kent finals being held at Medway Park on the 25th March 2011.

A full report will be going in the KM, along with the pictures which are available for you to purchase, follow this link to be able to do so http://kentmessenger.newsprints.co.uk and search 'greenacre school'

9 Greenacre SSP schools took part in the inter school sportshall athletics competition here at Greenacre. This is fast becoming our favourite competition to run for our local schools becuase of the fantastic atmosphere that is creates. Teams can be made up of up to 24 children who each have the chance to take part in relay races, running, obstacle courses, jumping and throwing activities.

20 trained leaders from Greenacre School recorded the results and led each of the disciplines for the pupils to take part in.

The results of the competition were;

Sportshall Athletics

1st Lordswood
2nd St Marys Island
3rd All Saints
4th St Thomas More
5th Kingfisher
5th St William of Perth
7th Glencoe
8th Luton Juniors
9th Danecourt

Well done to Lordswood School, reigning champions, who will now go on to represent the Greenacre SSP in the Kent finals being held at Medway Park on the 25th March 2011.

A full report will be going in the KM, along with the pictures which are available for you to purchase, follow this link to be able to do so http://kentmessenger.newsprints.co.uk/search/bykw/b/f/0/1

3 schools, making up 5 teams today showed off their cheerleading routines in Greenacre's first cheer competition for the Partnership Schools.

The after school competition was started off with a warm up lead by Thomas Aveling students and then a performance by their examination group. The 5 cheer groups then took to the stage. After a closely fought contest and an excellent standard being shown, the results were as follows;

Cheerleading results

Best Costume- Warrenwood

Cheer Spirit - Glencoe Chant Squad

Creative use of poms - All saints Junior Cheery Club

Best Cheer and Chant - All Saints Cheery Girls

Overall winners - All Saints Infants Cheerleading Club


Thanks to Thomas Aveling for the use of their amazing dance studio and to Donna Andrews and Mrs Mash who were out judges.
Well done to all the competitiors!

Lifeline thrown to Greenacre School Sports Partnership.

On 20th December 2010 Gove said he would pay £47m to keep the SSPs going until summer 2011. They were originally due to lose all their funding from the end of next March.
A further £65m will also guarantee that all schools can release one PE teacher for one day a week from 2011 to 2013, to promote pupils' participation in a range of PE and sporting activities – a key feature of the current system.

"I want competitive sport to be at the centre of a truly rounded education that all schools offer. But this must be led by schools and parents, not by top-down policies from Whitehall," Gove said. "It's time to ensure what was best in school sport partnerships around the country is fully embedded and move forward to a system where schools and parents are delivering on sports with competition at the heart.

"This will take some time and I'm pleased to be able to confirm some funding for school sports partnerships during this transition. But I'm looking to PE teachers to embed sport and put more emphasis on competitions for more pupils in their own schools, and to continue to help the teachers in local primary schools do the same," he added.

Clarifying the new arrangements, the DfE said: "As we move towards a system where schools enjoy progressively greater freedom over how they spend money, it is important that we do not lose the benefits of those aspects of the existing school sports infrastructure which have brought real benefits.

"The government recognises the good work that school sport partnerships, and national bodies such as the Youth Sports Trust, Sport England, the Association for PE, Sportscoach UK, and many national governing bodies of sport, have done in supporting sport in schools and wants to ensure that there is a smooth transition to this new system."

The department said that "time-limited funding" would "help schools embed this good practice". The £47m will pay for SSPs to carry on until the end of next year's summer term. "This will ensure the partnerships and their service can continue until the end of the academic year," it said.

There will also be an as yet unspecified amount of money coming from the quango Sport England, to help get schools involved in Hunt's brainchild, a new annual "School Olympics"; while the Department of Health will also be putting in up to £14m to encourage physical activity among primary schoolchildren, taking the government's total spending announced today to £126m.

Partnership Development Manager Kelly Harris said 'This announcement today is a lifeline for school sport and PE for the future, It is a realisiation of what has been set up does and has worked. This is still going to be a challenge to continue to be able to provide the opportunities in sport that we want to but this is certainly a start'.

David Cameron has ordered a rethink on plans to cut funding for school sports in England after concern "at local level", Downing Street has said.

Mr Cameron's spokesman said the PM had asked Education Secretary Michael Gove to look again at the money available.

Mr Gove says the current system is mired in red tape and must change but Mr Cameron indicated a possible U-turn at prime minister's questions.

Labour said there had been a "grassroots revolt" against the plans.

In reply to a question from former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, Mr Cameron said he was "looking carefully" at the debate held in Parliament on Tuesday - where a host of Labour MPs raised concerns from constituents about the issue - and would make an announcement soon.

Downing Street said later the decision to cut school sports funding had been revisited because "there is some recognition this is being raised at local level".

When asked about a timescale for a change in the policy, the spokesman said "they are looking at it now". It is thought that any decision will not be taken until local government funding settlements are finalised later this month.

Letter to Michael Gove

The No 10 spokesman said there was widespread recognition that the schools sports partnership system - set up in 2000 - was overly bureaucratic and needed reform: "We are withdrawing the funding, that's gone, but we are looking at how best to support competitive sport in schools."

The Department of Education said it would be "redeploying" existing resources for schools sport and would say how it intended to allocate the money "in due course".

Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham welcomed what he said was "a huge change in tone" since Tuesday's debate about the future of the partnerships.

He and two other shadow cabinet ministers have written to Mr Gove to offer to work with him to help retain the existing structure of partnership managers, which co-ordinate efforts between schools, while accepting overall funding will have to be reduced given the tough financial climate.

Olympic legacy


"The response from so many credible voices from the world of sport speaks volumes about the great achievements of the partnerships," they wrote.

"We made a promise when we won the Olympics that we would inspire a generation of young people through sport. We believe this is a commitment beyond party politics and one that matters to parents and young people across every school in the country."

The rethink follows a growing backlash against the plans to end £162m in direct funding for the last government's sports and PE strategy.

This includes money for the 450 school sports partnership schemes - joint initiatives between primary, secondary and specialist state schools designed to increase sporting opportunities for children.

More than 70 top British athletes, including Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis and world diving champion Tom Daley, wrote to Mr Cameron saying the policy was "ill-conceived" and risked efforts to deliver a "genuine legacy" from the Olympics in terms of encouraging sports participation.

When first challenged on the issue last week, Mr Cameron suggested the partnerships had not succeeded in boosting participation in many sports, a comment Labour leader Ed Miliband said he would "live to regret".

SCHOOLS COACHING COMPETITION

Is your school interested in an early Christmas present?

Holcombe Hockey Club is offering six weeks of free hockey coaching for ten lucky Medway schools between January and April 2011.
Each of the ten schools will receive a breakfast hockey club or an after-school hockey club for an hour per week. The sessions are aimed at Year 3 & 4 pupils. A club can cater for 12 pupils.

To be in with a chance of receiving hockey coaching, email the following details to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by Monday 13th December 2010
-School name
-School telephone
-Teacher name
-Teacher email address
-Preferred day and time of club
-2nd choice day and time of club

To be in with an extra chance of winning, answer the following question: Hockey made its Commonwealth Games debut in Kuala Lumpar in which year? Winning school will receive a Quicksticks curriculum resource and cards.

Medway Touch Association presents an opportunity for yr 3-6 pupils to take part in Ultimate Frisbee if you are interested click here...
ultimate saturday jan2011.pdf

MEDIA COVERAGE

Since the Comprehensive Spending Review, there has been considerable national and regional coverage on the funding cuts announced for school sport. The Youth Sport Trust press office has been working with broadcast and print journalists, from across politics, education and sport to raise awareness through the media on exactly what these cuts mean for millions of young people, their schools, the school sport network and the 2012 Olympic legacy.

Below provides links of articles secured

Date Publication Headline Online link

Wed 3 Nov BBC Radio 4 Today Programme – Interview with Jonathan Edwards http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm

Wed 3 Nov BBC Look North (TV Interview with Head teacher Stuart Mason & PDM Jo Marston – Thirsk School Sport Partnership To be broadcast 3 Nov

Wed 3 Nov BBC West Midlands (TV) Various members of the Chadsgrove/North Worcestershire SSP + young people To be broadcast 3 Nov

Mon 1 Nov Leisure Review What now for school sport and PE? http://www.theleisurereview.co.uk/articles10/yst.html

Mon 1 Nov The Times Campbell joins in the chorus of disapproval Only available online via paid for subscription to The Times Online

Fri 29 Oct The Times Educational Supplement End of sports strategy is ‘devastating contradiction’ http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6061770

Wed 27 Oct The Daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/schoolsports/8088910/Government-spending-cuts-prompt-fears-of-sporting-deserts-for-children.html

Sun 24 Oct The Independent on Sunday http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/inside-lines-a-question-of-trust-as-baroness-sue-becomes-a-very-cross-bencher-2115058.html

Sunday 24 Oct Sky Sports News Interview with Steve Grainger & PDM Emma Sadula – Calthorpe SSP Not available

Sat 23 Oct Inside the Games Tree distressed by Gove's root and branch cuts http://www.insidethegames.biz/blogs/10841

Fri 22 Oct BBC 5 Live London Calling – Interview with Steve Grainger http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vg2ty/5_live_Sport_London_Calling_21_10_2010/

Fri 22 Oct The Guardian Funding cuts will ‘decimate’ gains made at grassroots level http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/oct/21/funding-cuts-school-sport

Fri 22 Oct The Daily Mail It’s a wrap... or not: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322400/SPENDING-REVIEW-2010-Olympic-Stadium-2012-wont-tied-design.html?ITO=1490

Fri 22 Oct Inside the Games http://www.insidethegames.biz/component/content/article/1-latest-news/10829-budget-cuts-qdevastating-newsq-for-school-sport-says-trust-chief

Fri 22 Oct BBC London (TV) https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vfx03/BBC_London_News_22_10_2010/

Fri 22 Oct BBC South East (TV) Kent staff http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-11608896

Fri 22 Oct BBC Radio Wiltshire Interview with PDM Emily Reynolds Not available

Fri 22 Oct BBC Radio Shropshire Interview with PDM Kristien Wood Not available

Thurs 21 Oct The Guardian Schools bear brunt as ‘devastating’ cuts batter sport http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/oct/20/spending-review-sport

Thurs 21 Oct The Guardian Fears for London 2012 legacy as school sport funding is the big loser http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/oct/20/spending-review-sports-legacy-2012

Thurs 21 Oct http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/schoolsports/8076966/London-2012-Olympics-Government-accused-of-devastating-legacy-with-school-spending-cuts.html

Thurs 21 Oct The Times Sixth formers and teachers will lose out despite claim that schools pot is safe Only available online via paid for subscription to The Times Online

Thurs 21 Oct http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/london2012/8074529/London-2012-Olympics-Games-to-be-spared-in-Comprehensive-Spending-Review.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Britain's biggest school sport event sees rise in sport participation Thursday 4 November 2010

Research released today from Lloyds TSB, reveals that participation in Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week and anticipation about the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has encouraged schoolchildren across Britain to take part in a lot more sport.

With registrations now open for the week, which takes place from 27 June to the 1 July 2011, schools are being encouraged to sign up early to build on the success of the programme in primary and secondary schools across England and Wales. 2010 saw over 14,000 schools and nearly five million pupils try their hand at taster sessions of new Olympic and Paralympic sports and take part in inter and intra-school competitions and Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Positive impact of participation
Of the five million young people who participated in National School Sport Week in 2010, an event run in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, nearly three quarters (71%) of primary school and over a third (35%) of secondary school pupils have been inspired to take part in more sport. This positive impact has continued long after the end of the week with 45% of primary school and 26% of secondary school pupils joining a club either inside or outside of school in the weeks that followed.

Overall, regular participation in sport has increased from 76% to 82%, with a noticeable impact on participation levels in lesser known sports. Boccia and goalball reported a 200% increase in the two months between May and July 2010 with handball (129%) and canoeing (35%) demonstrating significant increases during the same period.

Olympic Gold Medallist, Jonathan Edwards, comments: “It was great to see first-hand the excitement that British schoolchildren have for trying new Olympic and Paralympic sports. Seeing them put that excitement to the test during this year’s Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week was a real positive for me. By giving more children the opportunity to try a wider variety of sports, we hope to increase participation levels and help young people be more active.”

Excitement about the Games and impact on behaviour
Schoolchildren are feeling increasingly proud and excited about the Games, despite the fact that it is still 21 months away. Of the pupils who participated in National School Sport Week the interest levels in London 2012 are much higher – with a noticeable increase in young people who are proud that the Games are being hosted in the UK (50% uplift) and desire to get involved (56% uplift). Teachers also reported the positive impact the week had on pupil’s behaviour, with three quarters stating that the week had a good or very good impact on behaviour.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said: “The fact that nearly 14,000 schools took part in National School Sport Week in 2010 confirms what we witness every time we travel around the UK – that children are excited about trying new sports. The enthusiasm up and down the country and overall support for the London 2012 Games is clear, and it is great to see the impact it is already having on school children.”

• Schools can register for Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, 27 June – 1 July 2011 at http://www.schoolsportsweek.org
• Registered schools will receive a free teacher planning and activity pack, full of ideas to help plan their week and ensure the whole school can get involved

Following Wednesday's spending review, Michael Gove has cut funding for all 450 School Sports Partnerships across the Country!

School Sports Partnerships have over the last 10 years worked with primary, secondary and special schools. Greenacre School Sports Partnership has been operating for the past 5 years in the Chatham, Rochester, Walderslade and Lordswood areas of Medway - supporting our young people.

The Greenacre School Sports Partnership has;

*Worked with schools to increase the amount of PE time offered to all pupils
*Trained leaders and volunteers to become coaches and officials in sport
*Introduced clubs working with schools
*Increased the range of sports on offer for young people to take part in during school and in breakfast, lunch and after school clubs
*Set up a comprehensive programme of competition in a range of sports for ALL young people to access
*Trained and deployed over 20 community coaches to work with schools
*Trained teachers and school staff in sports courses to ensure a more hore quality offer of PE and sport
*Set up new clubs at community sights to get new people involved in sport
*Provided a range of holiday activities at Greenacre School
*Helped schools to offer swimming during the curriculum and provided additional teachers to reduce class sizes

How can you help?!
Well if you have benefitted or been part of any of the work of the Greenacre School Sports Partnership - we want to know.
1)Message us via the website and tell us what impact we have made. Tell your schools, teachers and other members of staff. We do not want to see all this work stop when such good progress has been made AND when we have the biggest sporting spectacal, the London 2012 Olympics on our doorstep.
2)Join this Facebook link to show your support http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-School-Sport-Partnerships/159893774044860
3)Tell the Department for Education what these cuts will mean http://www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus
Help us to keep this school sports partnership movement going.


Click here to see the annoucement from Michael Gove http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a0065473/refocusing-sport-in-schools-to-build-a-lasting-legacy-of-the-2012-games