Mountbatten School
Using the power of the Games to engage and transform young lives
Why Get Set?
Mountbatten School (Hampshire, South East) saw a-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games while helping to promote the school’s philosophy of: We Care, We Respect and We Achieve.
Get Set meant opportunities to:
- enhance the formal curriculum and enrichment programmes;
- promote cross curricular links;
- extend School Sport Partnership work; and
- give students experiences in a variety of sports and festival activities.
Putting students at the heart of activities was seen as a way of helping generate a sense of excitement, and 2012 Student Leadership teams were established to promote this.
The journey so far
Each student has adopted an Olympic or Paralympic Value. Students can be nominated by peers and form tutors to be presented with ‘Living the Values’ trophies.
Student empowerment has been an important focus covering exciting initiatives:
- A student Leadership training day for all partner secondary schools
- ‘The Magnificent 7’, a monthly student-devised challenge for all Values
- The Young Ambassador Scheme whereby students have conducted training for partner secondary schools
Students can collect a range of Values themed ‘praise postcards’. These are individual to school faculties and students are being encouraged to collect them all.
Even the school environment has undergone changes with the school hall now displaying framed Summer and Winter Olympic Games posters. Near Mountbatten’s entrance a globe shaped water feature has been installed complete with five plant tubs inspired by the Olympic Rings and a wooden podium!
Positive Values
Mountbatten has shared good practice across their School Sport Partnership. The Young Ambassador Scheme has been extended to Partnership primary schools and is set to roll out to all School Sport Partnership primary schools.
Changes to the school environment have had significant impact. Engagement with a ’2012 Faces of the Future’ notice board has helped promote discussion and the Olympic posters have raised the profile of the Games’ historical significance.
Opportunities for cross-curricular work including an Olympic Day celebration have enhanced learning experiences. Students have been inspired by the size and global importance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and from hearing personal accounts of Paralympians.
And the highlights for students?
- ‘It could be me standing on the podium’
- ‘It shows that women are better than men in some things’
- ‘They are just people like us’
- ‘If you try hard at what you enjoy, you can achieve great things’
Towards 2012
An annual day is planned to celebrate London 2012, culture and sport, engage the local community and generate excitement and satisfaction among participants. The importance of involving more young people in sport is seen as hugely important.
Mountbatten wants to establish a legacy involving the Olympic and Paralympic Values, incorporating them into the traditions of the school ‘to maintain the historical relevance of 2012.’
Student empowerment remains central, with students contributing to all future plans. Young people will be leading the learning and creating the legacy of 2012.
