Multi-skills sports day gets youngsters active

Sports students at West Nottinghamshire College brought the academic year to an action-packed close with a multi-skills sports day for local schoolchildren.

Year 2 pupils at Mansfield’s King Edward Primary School enjoyed an afternoon of games and athletics, organised and led by students on the Level 3 Advanced CIMSPA Sport and PA Practitioner (coaching) course.

Teachers and pupils gathered on the school’s sports field where sports students led the multi-skills sports event which brought together the broad range of athletic skills that they have coached and taught the children throughout the last academic year.

As part of their practical coursework focusing on coaching children in sports, Aiden Scott, Freddie Smith, Reanna Davies, Dexter Morley and Elliot Redfern have worked with the pupils every week at the school on Littleworth in Mansfield.

This is the first time that the college’s sports curriculum has worked with a school to develop the sports students and the curriculum, bringing a realistic work-based approach.

Aiden Scott, 18, said: “We’ve watched them develop and build their talents and confidence since last September. In the autumn term we coached them indoors in a small hall where noise had to be kept to a minimum, focussing on football-based and other fundamental sports skills.

“Working with them has shown us how to build that rapport with a young audience as well as how to monitor behaviours and safe delivery of physical activities.”

Dexter Morley, 18, said: “We watched how the children developed, seeing them begin quite independently but they soon learnt to work together and make more friendships, teaming up with other pupils they don’t know as well.

“We’ve built a great bond with the classes, getting to know their behaviour patterns and it’s been great to see them really engage with the sports and the multi-skills afternoon captured all of their talents brilliantly.”

Programme area leader for sport Scott Corah said: “The multi-skills event has summarised everything that the students have been working towards throughout the academic year.

“They’ve worked confidently and creatively on introducing ball skills, fundamentals of movement and striking and fielding, and athletics with King Edwards’ year 2 pupils.

“It’s been really good to see them embed these elements and to see them adapt their coaching practice for a young audience.”

King Edward Primary School’s physical education lead Gemma Goddard said: “It's been fantastic to see the learners develop and get a hands-on experience while our children benefit from sporty role models in and around school and enhancing our PE curriculum. Learners delivered fun and exciting lessons that engaged all of our children it has been fantastic to see their physical literacy skills develop which they will continue to grow.

Having completed their studies, the students are now looking at going into a variety of employment including coaching individuals within sports clubs, working in gyms and even returning to college to study on the Level 2 Fitness course.