Active Withernsea and Withernsea High School Celebrate a Year of Achievements in Student Engagement in Sport, Physical Activity and Wellbeing
Over the past year, Active Withernsea and Withernsea High School have achieved remarkable success in building and improving student engagement, physical fitness, and overall wellbeing. The collaboration has brought about positive changes and introduced innovative initiatives to enhance the educational experience through the appointment of a Hybrid P.E Teacher role.
Since September 2022, Withernsea High School received funding and support to help create more sporting opportunities for its students and the wider school community. Fulfilling this hybrid role is Nick Richmond, Teacher of PE at the school and Physical Activity Coordinator at Active Withernsea. Comprising two days per week teaching PE and Sport as part of the curriculum, the remaining three days of Nick’s time are spent working on behalf of Active Withernsea (two days per week) with a further day assigned for primary school liaison work as the area’s School Sports Coordinator.
Nick said: “My work on behalf of Active Withernsea is focussed on building and maintaining a link between sporting activities in school and in the wider community. We are basically trying to create as many physical opportunities for young people as possible by promoting existing clubs and organisations, while supporting the launch and establishment of new groups based on what our young people are saying they would like to see. My role as a teacher helps to reinforce this by providing a platform where we can evaluate the success and popularity of particular sporting activities, while also being ideally placed to communicate with students to discover what additional opportunities they would like to see in school and in their community.”
Highlights from the year include:
Ambassador Roles Enhance Student Voice
One of the key successes of the collaboration has been the introduction of ambassador roles, empowering students to actively participate in various initiatives. Sports ambassadors have attended the PACE Network events and represented the youth community and student voice in conversations and supported school sports partnership activities, while Youth Health Champions initiated a mental health awareness program for year 7 students. Active travel ambassadors have played a pivotal role in promoting active travel within the school community, organising events such as helmet/bike light handouts, bike libraries, bike doctors, and active travel days.
State-of-the-Art Fitness Suite and Extracurricular Gym Sessions
A major milestone for Withernsea High School was the installation of a new fitness suite, providing students with opportunities for extracurricular gym sessions each week. The funding of the fitness suite was allocated through the Opening Schools Facilities Fund allocated by Active Humber and installation and coordination with Active Withernsea. Nick Richmond (Hybrid PE Teacher) said “The OSF funding has provided our school with the opportunity to install an extremely impressive brand-new fitness suite that is truly inspiring. The whole school community have been on board with the exciting journey which involved research, planning, ordering, installing, and testing. The fitness suite has already had a hugely positive impact and created a real buzz in the community. We are very much looking forward to engaging with year two of OSF funding and progressing this project."
This addition aligns with Active Withernsea's commitment to promoting physical activity and overall wellbeing among students.
Media Wall Showcases Sport, Health, and Wellbeing Opportunities
Active Withernsea facilitated the installation of a cutting-edge media wall, displaying a wide range of sport, health, and wellbeing opportunities available in Withernsea. The interactive and eye-catching format ensures students are informed and inspired to explore various activities. The media wall launched in April 2023, with a launch event hosted by Darren Leatham and featured a special guest and Olympic medallist Beth Tweddle, The aim of the media wall is to inspire, encourage and open opportunities for all students to participate In physical activity.
Diversification of Sports Clubs for Inclusivity
The collaboration has seen the introduction of external-led sports clubs, including tennis, table tennis, and cycling, along with an increase in internal-led sports clubs. Staff within Withernsea High School, outside of the PE department have led sessions covering a variety of activities such as badminton, football, running, and more.
Empowering Girls through Carousel Program
The Girls Carousel program, designed for 20 girls from year 10 and 11 with low confidence and self-esteem, has been a resounding success. The six-week initiative, hosted at the local leisure centre, aimed to boost confidence through various physical activities. The Girls Carousel program is organised by Active Humber through their work with Children and Young People and local data identified the need to pilot these initiatives within Withernsea High School. The main aim of these events is to provide an opportunity for a positive experience taking part in physical activity in a different environment to school, and overall have fun!
Community Engagement Initiatives
The entire school participated in a Santa Run, raising an impressive £500 for Dove House Hospice, due to the success of this event back in 2022, the Santa Run is returning to Withernsea High School once again before the Christmas break this year, and has become a widely popular event across the school. Additionally, students who participated in the newly formed cycling club had the unique opportunity to experience mountain biking at Dalby Forest.
Karate Collaboration and Strengthening Primary School Relationships
Active Withernsea has collaborated with Withernsea Karate Club to increase interest in karate and create inclusive opportunities for all, including interventions for ERP students. Furthermore, the initiative has developed a stronger relationship with Withernsea cluster primary schools, promoting a holistic approach to community development.
Active Withernsea and Withernsea High School look forward to building on these achievements, creating a positive and empowering environment for students and the broader community.
