Lottery (New Opportunities) Projects

SHAFTESBURY SCHOOL SPORT PARTNERSHIP £76,000 LOTTERY WINDFALL.

Shaftesbury School Sport Partnership, which, at the time, included 28 primary schools, 2 middle schools and 5 secondary schools from the state sector schools in North Dorset, heard in 2004 that they had been successful in their bid to promote out of school hours activities. £76,000 was awarded to the partnership and was allocated to be spent on nine projects over the next three years. The National Lottery Charities Board, Community Fund have paid the money to the Partnership whose projects began in September 2004.

The projects have been as follows:

• Tag Rugby. For children in Primary schools. Money has paid for rugby equipment and training and resources for teachers. Schools aim to set up after school tag rugby clubs, leading to an end of term tournament.
• Street Jazz. This is two, linked projects. One provides for children in primary schools while the other provides for pupils in secondary schools. Here the money pays for a dancer to come into schools where she works with the children for eight weeks. At the end of each project the students will have the opportunity to tour their dance round local schools and to attend a professional dance performance.
• Multi Skills club. This project is aimed at younger children and aims to develop the fundamental movement skills that underpin all athletic performance. The funds here will pay for training for the teachers and equipment for the schools. Once trained schools will set up clubs for their children.
• Wake and Shake. This is an early morning exercise programme of movement to music. The moves are simple and fun and are designed to energise the pupils for the coming day. Studies show that most quality learning goes on in the morning and that this type of approach assists the process. The project will by resources and teaching packs for each school.
• Indoor Athletics. Here the funds will pay for each secondary school in the Partnership to purchase £2,500 of indoor athletic equipment. This will enable the schools to host indoor athletic clubs to which they will invite young athletes from their feeder schools to attend. Here they will receive expert coaching (also provided by the award) and the opportunity to take part in competitions outside of the normal, summer season.
• Speed Agility Quickness. This is the training programme that underpinned the England World Cup winning squads preparations. It is a system of training the body to achieve a better quality of movement. It is applicable to any age and ability range. The money pays for all schools to train teachers in its application and provides them all with equipment to deliver the activity.
• Healthy Living. A project which goes right to the heart of the programme. It is aimed at students who may be overweight, have an unhealthy diet and take little exercise. Here we will employ a personal trainer who will work on a regular basis with these students. Their job will be to introduce them to a basic exercise programme, while giving them advice on diet. Funds here will pay for the hire of the personal trainer and appropriate fitness facilities.
• Football at Yewstock. Will provide expert coaching and equipment for pupils at Yewstock School and seek to promote a programme of inter-school matches between Yewstock and other mainstream schools.