Courses for Girls and School Staff
As part of a Laurel Trust funded project in 2017 we asked over 350 children aged 7-11 how sporty they were. The results were upsetting. At every Year group boys were more likely to say that they were "very sporty" and girls were more likely to say that they were "quite sporty". Government Equalities Office research previously reflected the same findings. This isn't surprising when you start thinking about the messages girls, and boys, receive around girls and sport.
Girls need equity, not just equality, in PE, sport and physical activity. So do female school staff. That's where we come in.
Girls and Sport Workshops
Our 90 minute workshops give girls the opportunity to take part in sport without the boys, the chance to learn some awesome running tips from a pro, and a bit of time out to think about how good physical activity is for us (awesome), in the context of how women and girls sometimes experience sport (not always so awesome). We work together to look at some of the challenges girls face in sport, with the media, coaching and confidence, and how they can be overcome, in school, in society and in our own lives.
Boys' Fairness Workshops
Okay - so we know this page is about "Courses for Girls", but this one really is... read on.... Our 90 minute workshops are an active lesson with just the boys, away from the girls and often while the girls are in their "Girls and Sport" Workshops. We talk sportspeople, fairness and stereotypes in a world where there are only 2 types of people... those with purple hair and those with green hair. Everyone is equal in skills and interests, but people don't treat everyone the same when it comes to sport. It's about feelings, privilege and whether we're happy with things the way they are in this "made up world".
"Girl on the Run" 6 week pupil courses
Our 6 week Girl on the Run courses work with Upper KS2 girls in class groups for 90 minutes each week, mixing running training with mindset training all about who we are, what we are capable of, what we want to do and how we will get there. Positive messages are reinforced by inspiring role model trainers empowering girls and developing their confidence to be who they are.
Staff CPD Twilights and Inset Days
We work with individuals, whole staff groups or exclusively with female school staff to build confidence in sport, exercise and life. We look at the messages girls often receive about PE and sport, looking back on our own experiences of school PE, and give school teachers and support staff all the tools they need to translate all they know about teaching into high quality PE, sport and physical activity.
"Desk to 5k" 6 week staff courses
Our 6 week Desk to 5k school staff courses take groups of up to 15 female staff members from 0-5k, completing a challenge 5k run/walk as a team at the end of the course. Desk to 5k isn't about training school staff in delivery of higher quality PE (although that is often the outcome), this course is all about their own fitness goals and them becoming the people they dream of being. 75% of women would like to be more physically active but most fear being judged. This course takes away that judgement, levels the playing field and lets them take time out to think about who they are and who they want to be, as well as completing a challenge. Who knows? It might even inspire the whole school to get running...
