Future leaders ready for high school - the School Games in Manchester

By GM Moving | 24 October 2024 | TAGS: GM School Games, Manchester

As School Games Organiser for Manchester, Tom Ingham-Litchmore has been keen to get schools in Manchester involved in a playground activity leadership (PAL) programme.

Part of his School Games work, the programme has allowed primary schools to build up skills, knowledge and confidence of children in years 5 and 6 to deliver sport and physical activity opportunities for fellow pupils.

Tom worked with 80 playground leaders from 8 schools in Manchester. The original intent for this programme was to achieve a target of 60 minutes of activity per day, and equip the children with leadership skills to deliver small games and activities of their own in school time.

However, after discussion with playground leaders helping to shape what this opportunity looks like, and after building stronger relationships with both the schools and children, it became apparent that the programme had a wider and lasting impact.

There has also been feedback that the PAL programme has helped pupils who have since transitioned into high school. One pupil that was involved in the playground leadership programme in year 6 at St Ambrose Primary School in Chorlton-cum-Hardy has utilised the skills and confidence she acquired to engage in the new setting, as well as continuing her involvement in the sport and leadership offer when arriving at the new school.

Similar feedback was received from some of the other schools and children involved, and as result the content of the programme has been adapted to specifically discuss how the skills and opportunities that the children learn through the PAL programme can help them transition into high school.

Tom said: “This programme demonstrates the importance of talking to the children - to firstly shape how this could work in their school, but then also understand how these opportunities had helped them aside from them being involved in sport and physical activity. It made me realise the wider benefits that our School Games opportunities can have. It’s great to hear the impact that PAL’s has had on both the schools and individual children.”

The programme’s success has resulted in 6 out of the 8 schools continuing to deliver and train up PAL’s to support physical activity opportunities, as well as supporting the personal development of the children in their transition into high school.