Overview:
The Sports/PE grant has been running since 2012 and has allowed all schools funds to provide their pupils and staff with enhanced sports/PE provision. At St Francis, we expect to receive around £19600pa. This must be allocated over 5 key indicators for the year.

These are:
1. Engagement of all pupils
2. Raise PE profile
3. Sustainability with school staff
4. Broader range of sports available
5. Increased participation in competitive sport

A breakdown for 2018/19 budgeted spend against these indicators is provided below along with the impact of the grant.

Highlights for 2018/19:
• Increased participation year- on- year
• More competitions arranged
• Fitness Thursday club for less active pupils
• Pupils’ voice to guide PE encounter week experience for the whole school
• Upper playground to be marked out for multi-games use
• Increased staff CPD (e.g. swimming)
• ‘5-a-day’ activity available at home for parents to engage

Sports Premium After-School Provision 2017/18

Number of children participating each term:

Over the past few years, we have had an excellent rise in numbers of participants in our school sports clubs. This is mainly due to the introduction of new clubs and the continuation of popular clubs. 

Other after-school clubs not subsidised by the Sports Premium has been excluded (STFC, Ballet & Soccer Excellence). 

Impact

Swimming

Swimming is taught as part of the National Curriculum in Years 3 & 4. The objective is to ensure that each child can achieve 25m of independent swimming and to be aware of certain life-saving skills.

Each year group will be given 10 weeks of swimming instruction in each year to enable them to become confident and more proficient swimmers. Currently, we undertake this on a Friday afternoon at Cricklade leisure centre.

Year 4 begin swimming between September to December, while Year 3 will swim between January to April.

Each child is assessed and then placed into one of three groups and will swim in widths. Those less proficient will be instructed within the shallow end which is 1 metre deep. Each group is lead by a qualified swimming teacher and there are 2 lifeguards on duty at all times. In addition, there is a member of staff who acts as ‘eyes’.

Beginners and those less confident of swimming are taught the fundamentals which include correct entry into the water, safe practices within the pool and how to use floatation devices to assist their swimming. As children become more confident, there are taught the basics of front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke. Children may move up into a higher group if their proficiency is satisfactory.

Other self-rescue skills are also taught which may include:

• Treading water  
• Floating for sustained periods of time  
• HELP/Huddle positions 
• Sculling 
• How to use buoyancy aids  
• Swimming in clothes  
• Changing stroke/resting and swimming

Year 6 students, towards the end of the academic year, are to take a survey to see which children cannot swim the required 25m. These children will be offered additional swimming instruction if pools are available.

Each year St Francis has entered the Swindon School Swimming competition organised by Fortius.