Do you do Judo? We do say schoolchildren
Schoolchildren in North Warwickshire and Nuneaton and Bedworth are getting the chance to try their hands at judo through the Northern Warwickshire School Sports Partnership (NWSSP).
Warwickshire County Council’s Extended Services team has combined with cluster co-ordinators and NWSSP across the two boroughs to help to fund a coach who is conducting at least five hour long sessions each day. Up to 150 children a day are being trained.
Working with British Judo, which has supplied the tutor, the NWSSP selected Judo for its proven record of engaging young people who may not otherwise tend to take up more traditional sports.
The project is the latest carried out by the NWSSP as part of their drive to support a five hour offer of high quality physical activity per week for all young people, both within and beyond the curriculum. The NWSSP is one of four situated in Warwickshire.
The government provides grants to sports colleges to establish and accommodate the partnerships who then work with local partners to help to fund projects.
Funding for the judo scheme has come from many of the extended service cluster co-ordinators in northern Warwickshire, from the NWSSP and a Sport Unlimited grant. The programmes serve 85 schools across the two boroughs.
The Teaching and Learning Centre has also provided funding as it aims to encourage pupils at the risk of exclusion into the activity.
Sarah Warrington, partnership development manager at NWSSP, said: “The benefits of judo tend to extend beyond physical fitness; participants are taught self-discipline and respect and the individual nature of the sport also encourages improved self-esteem. This is not just about giving young people the chance to try a sport but to gain an interest that will have a tremendously positive impact on their entire lives.”
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for children, young people and families, said: “We are delighted to be working with the schools sports partnership and to benefit from their expertise. This is another excellent example of the proactive work being carried out by the Extended Services team and the cluster co-ordinators to make the most of the array of organisations in their localities to offer young people a range of opportunities outside the classroom.”
Extended Services offers a range of activities for all the family, as well as support with childcare and parenting programmes. For full details log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/extendedservices