Their commitment to helping the younger children in the various activities has been wonderful and a true reflection of their positive attitudes to helping others through sport.

Last term the College Netball Academy students refereed the Ivybridge Learning Community Years 5 and 6 Primary School Netball Competition.  The Year 8 and 9 Leaders did a fantastic job in the cold wintry conditions.  The young referees clearly explained their decision for blowing their whistle to the netballers. 

At the South Hams Area Primary Cross-Country event held at Filham Park, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 from the College’s Cross-Country teams supported the event by acting as ‘hares’ within the races and marshals around the course in their roles as Sporting Leaders.   The wet weather and muddy course were challenging conditions for the 250 runners in Years 3 to 6 from 14 different South Hams Area primary schools.   The event also relied on the support from not only the College Leaders but the local athletics club, Erme Valley Harriers and their volunteers, Ivybridge Cricket Club for the use of their clubhouse, the Town Council for the permission to use Filham Park and the Donkey Sanctuary for overflow parking.

At the Primary Inclusion Festival held at the College students ran taster events, for approximately 30 children from 7 different South Hams Primary Schools, in Boccia, New Age Kurling, Archery and Sitting Volleyball.  Some of the Sports Leaders will now have the opportunity to be Leaders at the Devon School Games event in January at the Life Centre in Plymouth.

Sporting Leadership students supported the Ivybridge Learning Community Sports Hall Athletics Event for Years 5 and 6 Primary School pupils, alongside volunteers from Erme Valley Harriers. They had roles co-ordinating the teams and officiating the obstacle relay, speed bounce, standing long jump, chest push and vertical jump.  It was a very competitive event with 11 schools and 132 children competing for the chance for their school to go through to the County Finals in February.

Devon Youth Workforce Academy

Students from Years 10 and 12 were selected as role models to be part of the Devon Youth Workforce Academy.  The project is funded by the Youth Sport Trust a charity that believes every young person has a right to be physically active through high quality PE and school sport. The programme aims to increase the number of young female coaches and activators in schools. Following training, coaches/activators will be supported to plan and deliver ten weekly fun and engaging activity sessions for younger students in their schools. This will help increase participation levels and will help the young coach/activators to:

• better understand themselves and the motivations of other girls

• increase their confidence in influencing others

• increase their readiness to take on leadership roles

• improve their organisational skills to lead activities.

The leadership experience they will gain will not only help them to become a more effective role model and mentor for this project; it will also support their wider achievement in school.