National honour for Hartlepool school's sports provision

Clavering Primary School’s Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity (PESSPA) Programme has achieved the School Games Platnium Award.

The award is an extension to the School Games Mark, which rewards schools that have maintained high standards in sport provision.

The School Games Mark is a Government-led award scheme launched in 2012 and facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of PE, school sport and physical activity.

As part of the extended application, the candidates eligible for the platinum award – which have already achieved an incredible five successive Gold Awards across five years of outstanding work – were asked to submit a detailed case study.

The Clavering case study was about their nationally-recognised physical activity strategy which has already been shared as part of their work as a Youth Sport Trust Lead School for Health and Wellbeing and at the Tees Valley PESSPA Conference where over a quarter of Tees Valley primary schools learnt about Clavering’s work to promote physical activity and ensure that every child is physically active for at least thirty minutes during every school day.

A delighted deputy headteacher Neil McAvoy, who directs the school’s PESSPA Programme, said: “We want every child to be competent and confident physically; competitive successfully; and committed to maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. Achieving the Platinum Award is testimony to the outstanding efforts of our children and staff members; plus the fantastic support we get from family members and governors.”

This year, Clavering pupils have been crowned town champions in tag rugby, football, basketball, tri golf, multi-skills, sportshall athletics, quadkids athletics, track and field athletics and cross country running and the school has represented Hartlepool in more Tees Valley Finals than any other Hartlepool primary school.