Theale Green School is joining the Youth Sport Trust (YST) and Sky Sports to help young people and families engage in a week of virtual sporting challenges 

Sky Sports will be visiting Theale Green School to watch the students in action on Friday as part of the week-long initiative.  

The initiative has been designed to take the Youth Sport Trust’s annual National School Sport Week campaign beyond the school gates to parents and families after children missed out on their usual Sports Day due to the COVID crisis.  

Taking place from 20 to 26 June, the campaign has been renamed National Schools Sport Week at Home and it will give families, communities, schools and sports clubs the chance to capture the enjoyment, competition and camaraderie they have been missing out on during weeks of school closures and social distancing.  

Mr Blinco, Theale Green School’s Director of PE and Sport, said: “Our staff and students have come together to post lots of examples of key activities on our social media accounts which families can take part in at home 

“We love a challenge at Theale Green School and I know that our students will really want to beat the staff on all of the challenges! 

We were thrilled when the YST told us that Sky Sports wanted to film our students, and it is a reflection of the commitment to PE and sport that our community has shown during the lockdown period.” 

Mrs Halliday, Headteacher at Theale Green School, said: “It is such a shame that the highlight of our sporting calendar – Sports Day – will be missed by all of our students and staff this year. We are leading a campaign of activities this week, all of which can be done at home to help build upon all aspects of physical activity. 

Our Learning Philosophy in our Multi-Academy Trust – the Activate Learning Education Trust – highlights “emotions” as a key indicator of a child’s capacity to learn.  

By focusing on the “feel good” created through physical activity, we know that this will help to keep our students motivated for other studies at home, for fun and fresh air, to give them a greater sense of wellbeing – both physical and mental – and to form connections, either virtually or through social distancing.” 

Mrs Halliday, added, “We believe passionately in the power of sport to change lives; taking part in physical activity drives positive physical and mental wellbeing, builds confidence, boosts self esteem and supports life long good health. 

The Youth Sport Trust is works relentlessly to support schools and organisations create opportunities to provide more young people with more opportunities, and we feel very privileged to be working with them, together with Sky Sports to share this message through our enthusiastic students and staff.” 

Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive, Ali Oliver, said: “The Youth Sport Trust is thrilled that Theale Green School are backing National School Sport Week at Home to ensure no child misses out on their school sports day this summer.