Pupils at a Leicester specialist school are celebrating after their commitment to inclusive sport helped the school achieve the highest possible accolade in the School Games Mark.
Ash Field Academy has received the Platinum School Games Mark Award, recognising its continued commitment to creating high-quality sporting opportunities that enable pupils of all abilities to participate, compete and thrive.
The award follows a year which has seen pupils at the Discovery Schools Academies Trust specialist school take part in a wide range of adapted and inclusive sporting activities.
For staff at Ash Field, the achievement is about far more than sporting success, with physical activity providing important opportunities for pupils to develop confidence, independence, communication, teamwork and resilience.
Tracey Lawrence, Headteacher, said: “For us, inclusion means finding ways for every pupil to take part. Whether that involves adapting equipment for Boccia, enabling pupils to play rugby in their own wheelchairs or introducing accessible sports such as table cricket, we want our young people to experience the confidence, enjoyment and sense of achievement that sport can bring.
“Everyone who has taken part this year should feel extremely proud. Seeing one of our pupils discover such a love of wheelchair rugby that he is now training with a team outside school is particularly special. That is exactly what creating these opportunities is all about.”
Among the highlights of the past year has been the school’s participation in Boccia competitions, where pupils demonstrated concentration, tactical thinking and teamwork.
Adapted Boccia ramps ensured pupils with different physical needs could participate fully and compete alongside their peers.
Pupils have also enjoyed wheelchair rugby sessions, with many able to take part using their own wheelchairs and experience the excitement of competitive team sport.
The sessions have already had an impact beyond school, with one pupil enjoying wheelchair rugby so much that coaches spotted his enthusiasm and potential and invited him to train with a local team.
Table cricket has provided another accessible competitive opportunity, with pupils demonstrating determination, teamwork and excellent sportsmanship.
The School Games Mark is a national award recognising schools for their commitment to developing competitive sport and physical activity, with Platinum representing its highest level of recognition.
Ash Field Academy provides specialist education for pupils with a wide range of complex needs and is part of Discovery Schools Academies Trust.
Rosalind Hopkins, Director of Specialist Provision at Discovery Schools Academies Trust, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the whole Ash Field community and an excellent example of what genuinely inclusive education can achieve.
“Sport can offer so much to young people – confidence, independence, friendship, resilience and a real sense of belonging. The team at Ash Field works incredibly hard to remove barriers and adapt opportunities so that pupils are able not simply to participate, but to compete, achieve and discover things they love.
“The Platinum award is wonderful recognition of that work, but the greatest success is the impact these opportunities have on individual pupils. Seeing a young person discover a sport at school and then progress to training with a team in the wider community is something everyone at Discovery can be immensely proud of.”
The achievement forms part of Discovery Schools Academies Trust’s wider commitment to ensuring children and young people with additional needs have access to opportunities both within and beyond the classroom.
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