Raising awareness of the Values
Why Get Set?
Mill Chase (Hampshire, South East) wanted to embrace the opportunity to support London 2012 and promote the Values in its community. It aimed to engage students in the Olympic and Paralympic Values not only through sport but also through the cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 volunteer programme.
Joining Get Set meant the chance to share the excitement with other schools and to have access to great opportunities and resources.
The Journey So Far
A London 2012 display board has been created using photos of every student to make the numbers 2012. Any Olympic work completed which demonstrates the Values is put up on the board. An Olympic passport forms part of every student’s planner. Olympic Ambassadors have worked on a range of initiatives including inter-school competitions across all subjects.
‘Living the Values’ is a booklet which has been designed to help students gain understanding of how they could use the Values in their own lives. It is also being used as a way of making links with local junior schools and as a resource for transition.
Students attended an Olympic convention where they entered a mini Olympics, met Olympic athletes, received motivational talks and took on the challenge of apparatus such as a 3G swing, zip wire and climbing wall. A guided tour of the Olympic site was another highlight!
Staff from different subject areas have responded imaginatively. Ideas include analysing data from athletics results, creating pop art style athlete portraits and considering how the chemical makeup of a swimming pool can keep athletes safe. Students will also be involved in an Olympic themed composing project led by Hampshire County Council’s Music Service.
Positive Values
Mill Chase is trying to embed the Values into school to improve behaviour. Students have presented assemblies on how everyone can demonstrate the Values during the school day. Planners are being used by students to record which Values they have demonstrated; those demonstrating all the Values will be rewarded at the end of the year.
And the highlights for students?
Students nominated Olympic athletes to represent their house groups and were particularly inspired by the determination of athletes, ‘even when things get tough they never give up’. Student Olympic ambassadors see London 2012 as a great opportunity to bring the school and community together.
Towards 2012
Further opportunities will include participating in a Paralympic sport and taking part in a local partnership Olympic event. Cultural aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic Games will also continue to be promoted through activities such as an Olympic flame competition. Mill Chase would also like to use Olympic initiatives to link students with those from a school in a different country.
An ultimate measure of success would be for students to demonstrate all Olympic and Paralympic Values and record these in their planners, for there to be an improvement in behaviour around school and for more students to be involved in sport either through participating or leading.
