Premier League Primary Stars proves huge hit in first year..
The Premier League launched their new innovative and engaging programme Primary Stars at the beginning of the 2016/17 academic school year.
The community organisations and registered charities of professional clubs in England and Wales are working with the Premier League to deliver this programme within their local area.
The aim is to use the Premier League and professional football clubs appeal to engage primary school children in the areas of PE & School Sport, PSHE, Maths and Egnlish – Sky Blues in the Community (SBitC) have been doing just that working with 20 local primary schools this year.
Using the primary school curriculum and the vast experience of staff, coaches and former teaches, SBitC have supported and mentored 40 teachers within the first year of Premier League Primary Stars (PLPS). Lead coaches have worked with chosen classes in each school to not only inspire children in PE (working on Fundamental Movement Skills) but to help develop the class teacher’s confidence, subject knowledge and skills in teaching primary PE and school sport.
Joe Shepherd, Head of PE at Edgewick Primary School who has benefitted from the programme and worked alongside SBitC’s Lead Coach Aaron Hill said: “Primary Stars gave me some great ideas that help children to practice specific skills and Aaron’s work with the children was very good throughout, I’d certainly recommend the up-skilling to other teachers.”
In addition to the curriculum lessons, schools have also benefitted from having PSHE assemblies and workshops, a collapsed-curriculum day where coaches have worked with every class in the school for one day of PE and also delivered after-school football clubs for both boys and girls.
In July, participating schools have been invited to attend football festivals, one specifically for girls and there are also CPD days for teachers to continue their development.
SBitC’s Premier League Sport Manager and Qualified Teacher Neil Kelly is currently piloting some of the English content in Reading and Writing that the programme will deliver in Year 2 of the project.
Speaking of the first year of PLPS, Neil said: “We are really pleased with the response from teachers, pupils and Headteachers so far. The feedback has been good but this has also been a very important year in terms of learning what works and what can be improved.
“We are confident that by continuing to work with more teachers and children whilst also extending our programme to include Literacy and (in the summer term) elements of Numeracy, that the programme will continue to grow, inspire and engage with primary school children and teachers across Coventry and Warwickshire.”
To find out more about Premier League Primary Stars, please contact Sky Blues in the Community PL Sport Manager, Neil Kelly by Telephone: 024 7678 6349 or email: neil.kelly@ccfc.co.uk