News

Bournemouth and Poole schools are taking part in a national drive to improve the quality of physical education and school sport - the PE and School Sport Partnership (PESS Partnership).

These schools are part of an investigation that looks at the positive difference high quality PE can make to young people and their schools. The initiative supports the Government's pledge to tackle child obesity, promote a healthier lifestyle and aims to make young people more aware of their own wellbeing.

The agreed objectives for the first year are to improve pupils' behaviour in school, especially at lunchtimes, and to increase the number of pupils involved in at least two hours high quality PE and sport each week.

Phil Harris, Headteacher of Poole's Canford Heath Middle School, said: "We agreed to become involved in the PESS investigation because it offered us the opportunity to raise some of our children's self-esteem, encourage positive behaviour and attitudes through sport and other health related activities."

Nicky St John, Deputy Headteacher of Bournemouth's St Marks CE Primary School, said: "We got involved in the PESS investigation because we firmly believe that PE and school sport makes a difference to the ethos, behaviour and standards across the school."

Commenting on schools' commitment to PE, QCA PE Consultant Crichton Casbon said: "The PESS Partnership is playing an important role in improving the quality of PE and school sport for young people throughout the country. We are using the Partnership schools as an example of good practice, encouraging other schools and colleges to look at the progress being made here and to think how they could tailor that for their own particular circumstances. This is not just about looking at the benefits to each pupil, but to the school as a whole. Our research has found that motivating pupils through PE and school sport can have a very positive impact on pupil behaviour and their attitudes to learning, as well as attendance and achievement."