Park Hill Primary School
Working with partner schools across Europe
Why Get Set?
Park Hill Primary School (Coventry, West Midlands) wanted to raise children’s awareness of London 2012, making them enthusiastic about this historic event and helping them to understand what motivates athletes. It would be also a chance to encourage children and their families to participate in a wider range of sports on a regular basis.
Joining the Get Set network meant an opportunity to share resources and ideas with other schools. Of huge importance to Park Hill was gaining support in coordinating their ambitious European project which was to be based on sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
“As our project involves schools across Europe, we are hoping to achieve a level of global cohesion through our Olympic and Paralympic activities.”
The Journey So Far
Park Hill has been working with partner schools from across Europe to develop and plan their Comenius project which will enable children to collaborate with their peers from other countries. The school has hosted a three day planning meeting for partner schools which was attended by teachers from different parts of Europe. A student committee has been formed to help plan activities.
Children will have the chance to design certificates which will be awarded to children in other countries! These Living the Values certificates are being planned and will be used to motivate and reward the children for their London 2012 activities. Each school will hold a mini Games with activities designed by all schools and a Walk Around the World challenge has been devised to:
- Enable children and adults to work collaboratively across all schools
- Encourage running, cycling, walking or swimming
- Provide a target of getting right round the world during the project.
Working to promote increased participation, children have been given the chance to try out a range of sports including fencing and cricket.
Positive Values
Focusing on the Olympic and Paralympic Games has created opportunities for Park Hill’s staff to work more collaboratively on a single theme that will be addressed through all areas of the curriculum.
As children have been involved from the outset with London 2012 activities,
they have ownership of the work. Leadership opportunities have arisen
for older children through the project.
And the highlights for students?
Children have already had the chance to help plan activities for Park Hill’s Comenius project. Pupil involvement will continue to be key as children will work on the project and get to experience the excitement of having their ideas used by children in other countries.
Towards 2012
The European project will continue to gather pace with planned events coming to fruition as the Games approach. Meeting Paralympic athletes would be a step forward in helping children understand the dedication and perseverance needed for success. Opportunities for trying out a wider range of sports will continue.
Beyond the sport itself a measure of success would be children trying to apply the Values in their everyday lives and in showing a genuine enthusiasm for London 2012.
