Whitwick St John the Baptist C E Primary School was recognised at the Let's Get Moving Awards in Coalville.

It was given the School Award at last week's event held at the Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre and organised by North West Leicestershire District Council.

The award is for primary or secondary schools that have achieved and can demonstrate sporting success - or increasing participation in sport and physical activity - and creating sport for all.

Nominees should also engage with community sport and create strong links with local clubs. 

Over the last 10 years, Whitwick St John the Baptist C E Primary School says it has fully recognised the importance of curriculum and extra-curriculum PE.

Jim McMillan, the school's Curriculum Lead, explained:  "We value the opportunities physical education provides for our children and the effect it has on their health, both physical and mental, and their well-being.

"Especially post-Covid, we as a school were determined to take every opportunity available to us to sustain and increase the sporting participation of our children and we feel that this year we have met all three criteria of sporting success, increasing participation and engagement with community sport and strong club links. 

"The school has a strong and active P.E. programme that ensures children develop the fundamental skills needed for sport whilst also developing the spirit of the games values of Passion, Self-Belief, Respect, Honesty, Determination and Teamwork.

"We have a well-established 'active lunchtimes' which flourished last year, with well over 20 children acting as our Year 5/6 'Play Coaches' running games and activities for other children across the whole school.  

"The school has high levels of engagement with the school sports partnership on all levels (festivals, developmental competitions and performance competitions) - and has entered 23 competitions last year, which meant 42 teams represented our school across a wide range of sports.

"NWLSSP data shows that over the course of the year, 259 children were entered into the competitions and 51 children entered separate competitions including the Kirby Shield, Rose Bowl and Saffron Lane athletics event."

As well as increased participation levels, the school has had an outstanding year of sporting success.

The Year 5/6 Girls' Football Team won both the NWLSSP Tournament and Girls' Football league along with finishing third at the Leicestershire County Final.

The Year 3 & 4 Quicksticks Hockey Team won the Coalville NWLSSP competition. Our Year 3 and 4 Quad Kids Team finished 2nd in the NWLSSP competition along with the Year 4/5 Rose Bowl Football Team reaching the NWLSSP Final which was played at Coalville Town FC.

The school's Year 5 and 6 Tennis team won the NWLSSP Grand Final and the standout performance of the year was the Year 4 & 5 Badminton team who won two rounds of NWL competitions to qualify for the county final and then followed it up by winning the Leicestershire County competition.  

A large part of the schools' success this year (Girls football, badminton & tennis) can be largely attributed to the schools continuing development of club links.

The school has a longstanding connection with Coalville Town Ravenettes, which has provided a pathway for girls who are interested in the game at school to take up the game outside of school.

The school has a strong partnership (10 years) with Whitwick Junior Badminton Club with in-school coaching taking place from their qualified coaches; this has led to many pupils taking up the sport outside of school.

In addition, the school has an in-house tennis coach which has continued to inspire and motivate the pupils to develop their love of the game.

Jim added: "Last year, we continued to have club links with Expressions Dance and Theatre Arts Academy and Broom Leys Cricket Club and we re-established our links with both Coalville Rugby Club and Gracedieu Junior Netball club with children from our school attending both and representing their teams.

"We were rewarded for our efforts with our clubs links in 2022 when Leicestershire Schools Badminton Association awarded the school with a meritorious award for their 'appreciation of the significant contribution to badminton in Leicestershire'."