Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Schools across England are being called upon by the Prime Minister and Dame Kelly Holmes to take part in the first ever National School Sport Week. Their aim is to engage over three million school children, the largest number ever to get involved in PE and school sport at any one time.
National School Sport Week, a government initiative managed by the Youth Sport Trust and supported by Norwich Union, is set to kick off on Monday 30 June and will be a week-long celebration of PE and school sport. The initiative was announced in February by the Prime Minister and Dame Kelly Holmes, the National School Sport Champion, at the Youth Sport Trusts Sports Colleges Conference.
The National School Sport Week will be shaped by schools and pupils themselves, who have been set the task of coming up with the most innovative activity during the week. Activity during the week will include:
Festivals of Sport (including TOP Sportsability festivals, multi-skill and multi-sport festivals). Young Leaders have been trained through TOP Link (within Step into Sport) to plan and run these festivals for primary aged young people.
Intra school competition led by School Sport Co-ordinators and supported by young leaders
Inter school competition led and organised by existing Competition Managers
Local activity innovative and creative ideas organised at a local level
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown said:
"We need to put school sport back where it belongs - playing a central role in the school day. National School Sport Week is a great opportunity to do just that and I'm confident that it will help get young people fit and physically healthy.
Whatever their natural ability and whatever their age, sport and activity can make our children healthier, raise self-confidence and self-esteem. It develops teamwork, discipline and a sense of fair play. Values that will stand young people and the country in good stead in the years to come."
Click here to find out more about National School Sport Week