The Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games Local Organising Committee (LOC) has won the ‘National LOC Leading the Way’ Award for the management and delivery of an exceptionally high quality 2012/13 Sainsbury’s School Games programme.
Up against 19 other LOC’s from across the Country, Leicester-Shire & Rutland’s application came out on top after assessment from both the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England panels.
Delivered locally by Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS) and the 10 School Sport & Physical Activity Networks (SSPAN), the Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games provides schools the chance to boost their existing work in school sport to create a year-round calendar of competition for all young people.
A number of key achievements during 2012/13 contributed to award-winning programme across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, primarily around the increase in participation annually through the number of schools, young people and sports/competitions on offer:
85% of Schools across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland took part in the School Games (82% Primary, 100% Secondary and 64% of Special Schools)
An extensive programme offering 55 competitions across 22 sports
Almost 20,000 young people took part in Level 2 (Inter-School) competition, of which over 1,000 were disabled athletes.
Almost 4,000 young people, of which 482 were disabled athletes, qualified from Level 2 to compete in the Level 3 Super-Series Finals and Championships events.
Providing bespoke sport specific training to young leaders from across every Partnership to then support Level 1 (Intra-School), Level 2 (Inter-School), as well as the Level 3 Finals.
Promotional DVDs, galleries of photographs and added value at Level 3 in the form of the ‘Leicester-Shire & Rutland’s GOT TALENT’ and School Games Torch competitions.
Local Sporting Ambassadors to support the programme and inspire our young people, including; Lucy Garner (Double Junior World Road Race Champion and Sky Sports Scholar), Lucy Hall (2012 Triathlete), Harry Ellis (ex-Leicester Tigers & England U21), Matt Hampson (Matt Hampson Foundation) and Sam Ruddock (2012 Paralympic Sprinter).
The role of the Leicester-Shire & Rutland LOC, which is coordinated and administered by Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS), is to work with key partners to plan and deliver a comprehensive, accessible and inclusive School Games programme of schools competition, open to all young people in every school, across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. Membership includes a Head Teacher Chair, Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS), Local Authority representative, National Governing Body of Sport representative, School Sport Association representative, School Games Organiser representative and Independent School representation.
The LOC works closely with our 10 School Sport & Physical Activity Networks (SSPANs) and School Games Organisers (SGOs) to ensure a comprehensive and connecting calendar of schools competition from Levels 1 (Intra) to Level 3 (county).
The School Games is funded nationally by DCMS and supported by both Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust. However, Leicestershire County Council have also provided additional support through their ‘Legacy Fund’ to ensure the strongest possible offer for our young people locally.
This year’s 2013/14 School Games programme is set to be even bigger and better with 67 competitions across 24 sports on offer for Schools to get involved in at Level 2, and 24 Super-Series Finals and 2 Championship events at Level 3.
Geoff Maltby, Sports Development Manager from Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS) said: “The Leicester-Shire & Rutland Local Organising Committee are delighted to receive this national award as recognition for our School Games Programme. We are extremely proud of the programme we have developed and thanks must go to the members of our LOC, our School Games Organisers and our school staff who continue to work hard to ensure all young people have access to competitive school sport opportunities appropriate to them.”
For more information on the Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games visit www.lrsport.org/schoolgames
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For more information on the School Games contact Geoff Maltby, Sports Development Manager, Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS), 01509 564888 / 01509 564862, g.maltby@lboro.ac.uk
Editor’s Notes
Full Results:
• Leicestershire – 1st
• Berkshire – 2nd
• Gloucestershire – Joint 3rd
• Bedfordshire – Joint 3rd
• Nottinghamshire – highly commended
• Kent – highly commended
• Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin – highly commended
The Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games is part of the national ‘Sainsbury’s School Games’ programme of competitive sport that is open to all young people in every school from across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. It is a celebration of competitive sport that involves young people aged 5-18 years, of all abilities and backgrounds.
All Primary and Secondary Schools across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland can get involved in the Schools Games, through the help of their PE departments and School Games Organisers (SGOs).
The School Games is made up of four levels of competition:
• Level 1: Intra-School Competition e.g. competition between form groups within your school, which is a pathway to…
• Level 2: Inter-School Competition organise by the 10 School Sport & Physical Activity Networks (SSPANs) ~ against other local schools which is a pathway to…
• Level 3: Where winning teams from Level 2 represent their partnership area at county-wide Super-Series Finals (various dates) or the School Games Spring Championships or School Games Summer Championships.
• Level 4: A National Multi-Sport Event where the most talented athletes are selected by their National Governing Body of Sport to compete.
Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS) is the County Sport Partnership for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. LRS is your local network and support team for sport and physical activity in your area.
One Vision: ‘Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland the most sporting and physically active place in England by 2025’.