“We have been really pleased with the quality and delivery for both the CPD and enrichment activities. The pupils always enjoy the sessions, and can’t wait for the after school clubs.”
Jane Turnbull
The School
Teaching Physical Education can sometimes be difficult for primary schools to do successfully, however, First Step PE is proud to have many partnerships with schools in helping to provide a quality service where needed. Our relationship with Newington Academy is just another example of this. Dating back to 2016, for the last 5 years they have been an excellent school to work with.
The school has over 350 pupils making up key stages one and two, and plenty of resources are available to use. Some examples include a newly built MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) and trim trail. Knowing the level of facilities was high, our PE department were confident in being able to deliver an excellent standard of PE to match Newington’s expectations.
The Challenge
At Newington, they previously had clubs from the local area come in and assist with their PE delivery, and this worked well for a while. However, when the school received the PE Premium funding from the government, this allowed them to begin thinking about how they could spend this to take their delivery to the next level. The school hired First Step PE to gain some more structure and specific expertise in the industry.
By consistently bringing in an experienced PE provider, it would allow the pupils at the school to develop even further. Furthermore, it was also key for Newington to bring in a company that could help with CPD to improve the skills of their teachers and enhance their afterschool enrichment activities.
The Solution
Carefully considering the needs of the school, we began by delivering PE to all year groups, covering all aspects of the curriculum. We also work closely with the teachers to help them plan and prepare a variety of PE sessions all children are guaranteed to enjoy. This was as part of our CPD service which is also funded through the PE Premium grant from the government.
This benefits the teachers because they get to see first-hand how to ensure pupil progression, whilst promoting greater inclusion throughout each lesson. Our coaches will also help with planning for both medium and short-term dates, how to keep equipment stored safely, and how to complete a detailed pupil assessment. First Step PE also runs extra-curricular enrichment activities such as football, dance, and gymnastics.
The Result
Overall, Newington Academy has been thoroughly impressed with both the CPD sessions and enrichment activities we have delivered over the last few years. The teachers have found the CPD particularly beneficial, with them all enjoying learning alongside our coaches. The feedback on these sessions has always been incredibly positive, and First Step PE is delighted that the school is thrilled with the progress being made.
We also can’t forget the pupils! The children have loved the after-school clubs so much that there is even a waiting list to take part for next term. Years 5 & 6 have been enjoying football, whilst dance has been extremely popular for Years 1 & 2.
