Sport at The Bridge

Aims and objectives

Throughout their time at The Bridge, all students take part in Sport lessons with our personal trainer. Physical activity has many benefits for overall health, including improving mental wellbeing. Exercise can help reduce anxiety, depression and negative mood by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. It can also help with better sleep, improved energy levels, stress relief and reduces social isolation through team work. Our sport programme is underpinned by The Bridge ethos of Hope and a Future and fulfils many of the Unique Me characteristics we wish every student to develop during their time with us, aiming to equip our students with the following skills –

• Developing Healthy Habits – To understand the benefits of regular exercise and to gain an understanding of how to stay physically and emotionally well by choosing exercise they enjoy
• Knowing Myself – To motivate themselves and develop self-confidence and self-esteem through setting their own personal challenges and goals
• Connecting to Others – To form relationships with others and appreciate the team work aspect within sport
• Finding a Fulfilling Future – To face the future with a healthy body and mind, have aspirations for their future and play a positive role in contributing to school life at The Bridge and society as a whole

The provision of Sport at The Bridge also promotes students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development to provide a truly holistic curriculum designed to equip our young people for life in modern Britain.

Teaching and learning styles

Sport lessons are primarily comprised of short, fun practical based activities with aspects of theory built in to develop awareness and understanding of the effects and benefits of exercise. Classes have a maximum of eight students to encourage full participation and enable individualised personal training and feedback to take place. Team work is encouraged to promote social skills and relationship building amongst peers.

Sport planning

Sport has many cross curricular links with other subjects taught at The Bridge eg; Food, Biology and PSHE. Dedicated one hour Sport lessons are taught twice weekly across all year groups. We also develop involvement in Sport through activities and whole school events eg; Sports Day in Hylands Park and our monthly Walk and Talk sessions.

Our personal trainer encourages engagement in lessons by discovering student preferences and talents. A range of different activities are planned for each lesson to enable students to try out sports they may not have tried before and provide variety and enjoyment. These activities include –

• Tennis
• Badminton
• Using weights and gym equipment
• Boxing
• Basketball
• Football
• Netball
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Hockey
• Athletics

Teaching Sport to students with special needs

At The Bridge, we teach Sport to all students, regardless of their ability. We provide learning opportunities matched to the individual needs of each student, including those who are more able or have physical and/or learning difficulties. When planning and delivering Sport and providing feedback to students, any EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) IEP (Individual Educational Plan) and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) are taken into account.

Assessment and recording
Assessment needs to value and recognise what students have done or completed successfully, thereby raising their self-esteem, confidence and resilience. Therefore, a variety of approaches to the assessment of individual achievement is used in Sport including self/peer assessment or teacher based verbal feedback.

Resources
The Bridge has a range of sport equipment suitable for all activities listed above. Resources are purchased regularly according to student feedback and preference.

Monitoring and review
Maria Jackson (Head of School) is responsible for monitoring the standard of student work and the quality of teaching. Peter Haines is responsible for the development and delivery of the Sport curriculum. The development of the Sport curriculum is reviewed annually by the Head of School and professional development needs are identified.