The Primary PE Huddle

Who is our guest?
Sajid Akram brings a wealth of experience and passion to his roles at Chandos Primary School. With eight years of teaching under his belt and 18 months as the assistant PE lead, Sajid's dedication to enhancing the physical education landscape is evident. His journey began as a local to the school, and despite moving further away, he remains deeply committed to the community he serves. Sajid's background in teaching and his role as a PE lead uniquely position him to drive innovative strategies and programmes that engage pupils in physical activity.

What do we discuss?
In this podcast, Sajid highlights the critical role physical activity plays in the educational journey of children and young people. He emphasises that physical education is not just about building muscular strength but also about developing fundamental skills such as balance, coordination, and confidence. According to Sajid, sport has the power to improve a child's confidence, social skills, and overall well-being, making it an indispensable part of their upbringing.

One of the recurring themes in our discussion was the challenge of financial constraints and bureaucratic red tape. Sajid pointed out that while pupil premium funding may seem substantial initially, it quickly diminishes once various expenses are accounted for. This financial pressure often limits the ability to provide necessary equipment and facilities, such as cricket nets and playing fields. Despite these obstacles, Sajid and his team continue to find creative ways to engage pupils in sports, using minimal resources and focusing on the fundamentals.

Sajid shared some innovative approaches that have been successful at Chandos Primary. A notable example is the transformation of the traditional sports day into the Chandos Commonwealth Games. This initiative spreads various sports activities over two weeks, allowing pupils to compete in diverse events, from football to cricket and more. By assigning countries to year groups and fostering genuine rivalries, the event encourages a healthy competitive spirit among pupils. 

Who is our guest? 

Stephen Clarke has been a school governor for 15 years in the Staffordshire three-tier school system, firstly at Primary School, then Middle School and finally High School. He then stepped up to the challenge of being Chair of Governors back at the Middle School in 2019 and shortly after helping to guide the school with the Headteacher strategically through the COVID crisis, remote learning, and several risk assessments! 

Outside of the school environment, Stephen has over 25 years of experience in education technology and running award-winning multi-million pound small to medium enterprises. This included managing teams of sales, marketing, finance and technical people. He has his own Education Technology business providing communication Apps for schools, offers consultancy services to other Education technology companies to provide them with insights and help them grow and is undertaking a part-time MBA at Keele University.

What do we discuss? 

·       Accountability in School Governance

·       Communication and Engagement

·       School Inspections and Governance Involvement

·       Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Governance Support

·       Preparation for OFSTED Inspections

·       Emotional Support and Well-being in Schools

·       PE Subject Importance and Governance Involvement

·       Key tips for PE subject leads

Who’s our guest? 

Luke Brown launched the Spiral Free Run CIC in Late 2016 during his time studying at university and has been working multiple jobs simultaneously since. In April 2021 he took the leap of faith to turn the company into a CIC (Community Interest Club) and run full-time.

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He has been training Parkour for 10 years now. Parkour was only just beginning its rise back in 2011 and therefore he quickly realised that if he wanted someone to train with, He was going to have to inspire and help them on their journey also. Luke began teaching a few close friends who came to become part of the original Spiral Freerun team. He began officially coaching in 2014 and have worked hard to transfer as many of his skills (both Parkour and non-Parkour related) to those around him to benefit others.

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Luke is responsible for the entirety of Spiral Freerun and its running on a day-to-day basis. He oversees employing and organising the team to run as a well-oiled machine and continues to provide their services to a high standard to the community.

What do we discuss? 

• Personal Experiences
• Teaching Approach and Strategies
• Educational Impact and Development
• Importance of CPD and support 
• Significance of a physically active ethos in schools
• Tip for influencing PE and Sport in schools

Lee Davis is now Head of Finance at BDMAT.  Before this, Lee was a School Finance Partner at BDMAT and had acted as the Chief Finance and Operations Officer for a short time.  Lee also worked within the trust at St Clement’s Church of England Academy as a School Business Manager before taking up the post as a School Finance Partner in September 2018.  Earlier in his career Lee worked in retail management accounting before moving to finance and accounting support in the Education sector.

What do we discuss?

• Providing a financial perspective on physical education in primary schools.
• Collaborative Financial Perspectives in Education
• The significance of inter-trust collaboration among multi-academy trusts
• Barriers and Challenges in Financial Management
• Future trends seeing collaborative efforts across educational institutions to enhance physical activity opportunities for children
• Tracking Success of Budget Allocations for Physical Activities

Who’s our guest?
 
Will Roberts is the Chief Operating Officer of the national children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust and led the process for the creation of their new strategy Inspiring Changemakers, Building Belonging which sets significant ambitions to 2035 and was launched in May 2022. Having joined the Youth Sport Trust in 2007 to run the then UK School Games (now School Games National Finals) as part of a drive to transform competition and talent support pathways in school and community sport, Will had the role of leading the Games in 2012 using the venues that would later that summer host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

On graduating from Loughborough University and going on to complete a Master’s degree, Will worked in the fitness industry and as a sports coach in his home city of Stoke-on-Trent before joining the staff of Volleyball England as the lead for youth development in the sport. He has also been an elected Board member for Volleyball England, a member of the Youth Development Committee for the European Volleyball Federation, and currently sits as an independent on the Badminton England selection committees. Will’s passion remains in coaching, and he can be seen coaching both girls’ and boys' groups football and volleyball every week in his local community in North Staffordshire as a volunteer coach and a club chair.

What do we discuss?
• The importance of physical education, sport, and physical activity for children's development.
• The impact of collaboration with school leadership teams to promote sustainability and physical curriculum enhancement.
• Will’s background in sports coaching.
• Emphasis on personal growth through coaching experiences.
• Significance of creating a sense of belonging in community sports activities.
• Why aligning goals with leadership missions is important?
• Understanding the value, you bring to children.
• Celebrating student achievements both in and out of school.
• How to inspire change-makers within your team or organisation.

Who are our guests? 

Dr Andy Daly-Smith is a Reader in Children’s Physical Activity and Health at the University of Bradford (UK). Within Bradford, he co-leads the Centre for Applied Education Research and research on the JUMP project; the UK’s first whole-systems approach to physical activity for children and young people. Andy’s research focuses on the implementation and effectiveness of whole-school approaches to physical activity- specifically Creating Active Schools. He also led a cross-European project, ACTivate, which developed a teacher training curriculum and e-learning modules to support physically active learning in schools.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-daly-smith-2184391b0/

Twitter/X: @brainercise Website: www.creatingactiveschools.org / www.wspa2024.co.uk

Alex Ogden has worked in the Education sector now for over fifteen years. He spent 12 years teaching in primary schools across Yorkshire, leading PE, Sport and Physical Activity provision in those settings, before becoming an education consultant specialising in active learning across the curriculum where he supported senior leaders nationwide to adopt a whole school approach to getting children moving across the wider curriculum.

He now leads the education team at the Yorkshire Sport Foundation where he supports local authorities, academy trusts and senior leaders in schools across West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire to embed physical activity at a strategic level, and is also the National Partnerships Manager for the Creating Active Schools Programme.

What do we discuss? 

·       Alex and Andy's Journey in Physical Education

·       Deep Dive into Physical Activity in Schools with Alex

·       Exploring Active Learning and Cultural Change in Schools with Andy

·       The Role of Physical Environment and Social Culture in Active Learning 

·       Exploring Physically Active Learning: A New Approach in Education

·       Challenges and Expectations in Integrating Active Learning

·       Redefining Physical Activity in Education: Movement-Centred Pedagogy

·       Practical Steps Towards Implementing Active Learning in Schools

Embedding Movement in School Policy and Cult 

Who’s our guest? 

Siobhán first found wheelchair basketball in 2010 following a playground to podium event which introduced her to the sport. As a junior, she first played for CWBA where she achieved great success at the School Games and Junior Championships. Alongside her junior game, she also competed with the clubs National League and Women’s League teams.

An award-winning player, Siobhán has an extensive junior career having co-captained the women’s team to back-to-back championship wins at the 2015 U25 Worlds and 2016 U24 Europeans – a feat not achieved by any other female GB junior team. In 2018 the squad retained their U24 European Title and in 2019 the team brought home the U25 World Championship Bronze Medal.

What do we discuss? 

·       Emphasises the importance of inclusivity in PE lessons

·       Talks about the need for adapting sessions for young people with different abilities

·       Discusses the challenges faced by teachers in incorporating PE into the curriculum

·       Highlights the importance of assessment and finding alternative ways to assess pupil’s progress

·       Encourages teachers to make small changes in their lessons and use funding effectively

·       Advice for teachers to not overthink and to ask for help when needed

·       Acknowledges the hard work of teachers and encourages them to try new approaches in PE

Who’s our guest?

Sam Horton is a passionate PE teacher who believes strongly in physical education, sport, and physical activity as essential contributors to children's love for healthy living and a tool to end physical inactivity. Sam possesses six years of experience at Wollescote Primary School and prior experience in sports coaching. He is particularly enthusiastic about sports and pursued a pathway into teaching to continue his passion on a professional level. He recently earned a promotion as the PE coordinator for Wollescote Primary School and is driven to enhance the PE culture within the school. His vision is based around the school ethos 'Be proud, be positive, be polite'.

Despite his achievements, Sam remains humble and continuously strives for self-improvement, both in his abilities and in pushing PE to the forefront of the school environment. This is evident in his initiative to start girls' football at the school, which demonstrates his commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, Sam is highly engaged with the community, desiring to involve guardians and parents in the school's activities and to make them aware of the benefits and importance of PE in children's development.


What do we discuss?

-The importance of communication and sportsmanship in PE
-The role of sports leaders in promoting sportsmanship
-Debunking myths about PE teaching
-The power of networking and collaboration in PE leadership
-The importance of sportsmanship in school culture
-The role of in-house competitions in promoting sportsmanship
-The use of resources in enhancing PE teaching
-Engaging the community in promoting physical activity
-Feedback and reports: enhancing parental engagement
-Setting goals: The journey to high standard PESSPA
-Tracking physical activity: The future of school fitness
-After school clubs: Enhancing pupil engagement
-Empowering pupils in sports decision making
-Fostering leadership skills
-Launching a girls football team
-Creating a vision for PE: A guide for new teachers
-Creating effective PE resources: A personal journey
-Best practices for PE lessons: A comprehensive guide
-Top five tips for influencing PE and creating an active ethos

Taking the plunge: The evolution of primary school swimming

Who’s our guest? 

Kaylë has been a swimming teacher for 23 years and specialises in baby and pre-school swimming. With 19 years of tutoring experience, she is passionate about encouraging people to learn to swim and be safe in water. She has spoken internationally about the importance of learning to swim within a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment with participants at the centre of the lesson.

Kaylë managed a swim school before joining STA in 2012. Recently appointed as the Director of Education at STA, Kaylë heads up the Qualification Development and Compliance team, creating fit-for-purpose, high-quality training qualifications and supporting the expanding Approved Training Centre workforce to ensure compliance and quality assurance for learners and employers across the sector. She is passionate about swimming - her happy place - and believes in its transformative power, both for individual health and social benefits. 

What do we discuss? 

·       The Importance of Swimming in Primary Schools

·       Interview with Kaylë Brightwell from STA

·       The role of STA in promoting swimming education

·       The challenges and solutions in school swimming education 

·       The challenges of incorporating swimming into the school curriculum

·       The importance of prioritising swimming in schools

·       Practical tips for implementing swimming lessons in primary schools.

·       The role of teachers and resources in promoting swimming

·       The impact of swimming on pupils and the community

Who’s our guest?

Natalie Weir is an ardent advocate for physical education and bodily literacy. With over 15 years of experience in the field, Natalie has worked in national sporting bodies, including a twelve-year stint at British Orienteering in positions ranging from sport development to being on the senior leadership team.

She is also the Chief Playmaker and mother to two children, whose physical growth and development have further instilled in her the importance of physical activity from a young age. Following this trail, she is currently chasing a PhD at the University of Derby exploring the correlation between movement and physical literacy in three to five-year-olds. Her primary focus is to encourage more activity among these age groups as she believes that early engagement in physical activity is integral to setting up young ones for healthier futures. She is dedicated to her mission of challenging the current state of physical education and promoting a more holistic approach to young people's physical activity. Natalie is known and respected for her insightful research, passionate advocacy, and continued contribution towards making physical inactivity a thing of the past.

What do we discuss? 

• Natalie's journey in physical education
• The importance of early physical activity
• Natalie's research on physical activity on under fives
• The role of physical literacy in children's lives
• The impact of physical activity on health and society
• The role of education in promoting physical activity
• The importance of physical education in schools
• Challenges and obstacles in implementing physical activity in schools
• Quick wins for promoting physical activity in schools
• The importance of choice in physical education
• Building a relationship between children and physical activity 
• The changing nature of physical activity in childhood
• The role of competition in physical education
• The challenge of disparity in physical abilities
• The importance of physical activity in learning
• The role of data in physical education
• The role of teachers in promoting physical activity