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Last term, over 40 members of staff from across our Alternative Provision Academies came together at Stansfield AP in Exeter for a day of Physical Education training around YST TOPS training and our PE in a Box resources. 

This is part of our planned roll out of 'PE in a Box' -a test and trial project, designed with the support of the Youth Sport Trust, to find solutions to the barriers of providing high quality PE Education in Alternative Provision, so resolutely captured in the Research Report of Dr Thomas Quarmby, Professor Anthony J. Maher, Dr Oliver Hooper at Leeds Beckett University.

At ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Trust, we prioritise physical education in its broadest sense: exercise, movement, play, physical literacy and the joy this can bring as we re-engage and prepare our pupils for life beyond our Academies, and in the wider world. And we are determined to find solutions to barriers.

As our blog article below

 PE in Alternative Provision

highlights, across our 11 Academies, including a Special School, 2 Medical Alternative Provision Academies and 8 Regional (behaviour) Alternative Provision Academies, we mirror every problem, and also great areas of strength, in delivering a high quality PE offer within our sector. Across our schools in the counties of Devon and Cornwall, we know we can learn together huge amounts about how we can make a difference, and through our journey, share this through the wider AP sector. At WAVE Trust we are very much a learning organisation, at all levels. 

Training and upskilling our staff in how to use our PE in a BOX resources, designed to make PE deliverable anywhere any time any place and bringing greater shared confidence is 'The Art of Possibility'. This significant day brought a shared energy purpose to the wider team of teachers, as we roll this project out, and as we build traction.

Expertly led by Mandy Newbold, Senior Lecturer in Sport Development and Sport Business Management from the University of Worcester, (who works with Youth Sport Trust both as a trainer and regional/national staff member), Primary and PE staff at all levels of expertise in our Trust were supported in pedagogy and practice around using the resources effectively in classrooms, and with the YST TOPS training activities. Mandy's skill in relating the activities to our young people in AP and our intent united the passion and energy in the room. Rob Belbin's support, alongside Chris Caws of the Youth Sport Trust ongoing involvement/commitment to the project was critical in all stages of working with our Trust leaders in bringing the day to fruition. Not only that, uniting our ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ AP teachers across a vast geographical spread facilitated increased sharing of expertise, embodying our value of working as a team. Together, and in partnership, we are stronger.

Impact is already being seen throughout our Academies, with pupils engaging with the equipment and activities as part of our core offer around PE, but movement and exercise, central to our daily diet going forwards. Just two examples from two of our Academies can be found here: 

Smiles all-round, and ongoing. The joy of PE and movement!

We continue to drive forwards with our response to the research report from Leeds Beckett, and following our Round Table event with key representatives from National Governing Bodies in Sport looking at how they can support pupils within Alternative Provision, widening participation. And now as the project, learning and work through the Youth Sport Trust rolls out to Bolton Impact Trust and the wider AP sector. Exciting times! Making ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½s at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€¦.