Platinum award for school in sports scheme

After seven years’ endeavour, a primary school near Sleaford has achieved a coveted educational sporting accolade.
There is cause for celebration at Caythorpe Primary School in the School Games Mark scheme.There is cause for celebration at Caythorpe Primary School in the School Games Mark scheme.
There is cause for celebration at Caythorpe Primary School in the School Games Mark scheme.

Caythorpe Primary School has become one of a select number of sites nationwide to receive a School Games Platinum Award.

The School Games Mark is a Government-led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community.

In 2017, it launched a Platinum Award to reward schools who have maintained consistently high standards with their school sport provision.

To qualify, schools must reach Gold in the previous four years. This Caythorpe has done (with Bronze and Silver awards in the years before).

Steps made at the school include the introduction of an ‘activity planner’ to allow staff to analyse how active children are during lessons and help it find ways to make sessions less sedentary, and the provision of 15 after school clubs.

It has been supported in its efforts by Carre’s Grammar School’s outreach provision and its active school coordinator Ricky Pledger.

The partnership has seen pupils experience new sports such as British American football, tchoukball, new age kurling, and even Quidditch (minus the broomsticks).

Helen Hunt, assistant headteacher and PE lead for the school, said: “We could not have achieved this if it had not been for parents to transport to and from events as well.

“It’s an amazing achievement. It’s thanks to the dedication of the staff past and present who have shown a commitment and passion in ensuring our children demonstrate the school games values of passion, teamwork, respect, determination, self-belief and honesty. Values that transfer to all aspects of their development as individuals and for their future lives.”

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