Outcome

In its second year, Active Essex have been utilising the Barclays Girls Football in Schools festivals to increase access to girls’ football within schools. Leader’s training events have increased confidence and competence of school staff around the delivery of girl’s football in school, and as a result, the Youth Sport Trust have now accredited the GO Lead course.

The sustainability and pathway of girl’s football has helped our relationships with the Essex FA strengthen links with schools and grassroot clubs following the training and festivals to help girls understand the opportunities in their local area.

The Sport England Active Lives data has helped the team articulate the impact of our work, with a further increase in the number of active children, participating in 60+ minutes of physical activity a day. Although work continues, especially with a number of areas across the county reporting an alarming low number of active children, this is a positive step in the right direction.

A minimum of 500 surveys were completed by schools, per district and 51.9% of schools selected completed the survey, against an initial target of 50%. However, with some schools not having a big enough class size of 25, this did pose a challenge in regard to response rate.

Insight and evaluation have also become the basis of the Creating Active Schools programme. Through improved system alignment, we have looked to work more effectively with our schools and senior leaders across the county to improve education outcomes and enhance personal development for our children and young people.

Gaining insight from schools has helped this programme to develop. Using a place-level approach, audits and plans personalised for schools, have helped increase children’s mental health, wellbeing and physical activity levels through a whole school approach and the implementation of new initiatives. As a result, a Daily Mile Active Playground school grant was approved, 4 Healthy Schools funding applications submitted, and 3 new schools completed active travel plans.

Ensuring the right support is in place for schools is vital, and School Games Organisers continue to be key within this outcome’s workforce. Delivering impactful local, and countywide programmes, the School Games Organisers are utilising initiatives like #MoveWithUs and amplifying youth voice schemes to inspire active lifestyles. Over the past year, 20 projects have taken place to encourage youth leadership or developed opportunities for girls, children on pupil premium or those living with SEND. Not only do they deliver events across the county like School Games and Invincible Games, but they have also encouraged over 2,500 leaders to build skills and development at county events.

Alongside our commitment to an inclusive School Games, our well established partnership with Panathlon has delivered 8 stand alone County final level events providing competitive sports and activity for over 500 children and young people with SEND. Through the partnership with the Multi Schools Council, Active Essex continue to adapt and improve events and offers based on the needs of children and young people.

Following the introduction of Gymnastics at the 10th anniversary Invincible Games, in collaboration with Essex Gymnastics Club, the first inclusive gymnastics training event for teaching staff was held. The training increased competency and confidence of staff providing them with the skills required to support and instruct their students through Gymnastics programmes in their settings. This cycle of work will culminate in a Gymnastic showcase in May and the event will continue to feature in the Invincible Games programme.

Recognising the work actioned by schools across Greater Essex has cemented the Key Stage 1 Award and Early Years Movement mark within educational settings. To achieve the ambition of this outcome, ensuring children get the best start to life is vital.

Initially setting out to attain 40 applications for the KS1 award this year, we have received 87 with 70 of them being successful. In addition, a huge success has been the 52 Early Years Foundation Stages achieving the Early Years Movement Mark against a target of 10.

With the Active Essex Foundation reaching an important milestone of a turn over of £1,000,000 for the Charity, further initiatives have been developed to offer vital support for young people at risk of exploitation involved in criminality, or in need of support around their mental wellbeing.

By promoting wellbeing and resilience, the charity arm of Active Essex, have been empowering communities to create lasting positive impact.

Working with locally trusted organisations, the Sport and Youth Crime Prevention team are equipping them with the skills, expertise and resources to use sport as a tool to engage and support vulnerable young people, including those at risk of exploitation or offending behaviour.

Additionally, the Foundation have empowered organisations to use physical activity to engage and support young people suffering from poor mental health, promoting their wellbeing and resilience through their Sport and Youth Mental Health project.

As a result due the impact collected from its first year, a number of delivery partners have expressed interest in becoming part of this project. By adopting new monitoring and evaluation tools with locally trusted organisations, the team hope to be able to translate this impact into further funding investment.