Sport - a Beacon Department

Sharing Success: Opportunities to share good practice among members of the teaching profession.

INTRODUCING 'SPORTSEARCH'
September 2005

The HENLEY College, with its high reputation for sporting excellence and its 'Sports Development Programme', was pleased to introduce "sportsearch". The College worked closely in the development of "sportsearch" with "sports hub", a public/private initiative with Sport England, NSPCC and other key partners, and wanted to show how "sportsearch" can provide many benefits to the PE teacher.

"sportsearch" is an exciting online tool that allows PE teachers to achieve curriculum, policy and IT targets, "sportsearch" helps individuals identify the sports to which they are best suited.

Attending and speaking were Roger Draper and Alison Mowbray, a teacher who won a silver medal for rowing at the Athens Olympics.

The launch demonstrated how "sportsearch" can:

• Identify every pupil's physical profile through a series of easy to monitor physical tests
  
• Suggest over 70 sports against the profile
  
• Allow each pupil to choose a sport from the ranked list
  
• Provide information of the closest affiliated club to the chosen sport
  
• Provide a letter of introduction to that club and match, where applicable, a buddy who is joining that club.

For teachers "sportsearch" provides many benefits. These include:

• Up to 8 lesson plans
  
• Starter pack
  
• A link between PE and IT
  
• A way of attaining PESSCL targets
  
• Many PE curriculum goals
  
• Involvement for all abilities
  
• Closer local club links
  
• A chance for parental involvement
  
• A personalised learning experience for every pupil
  
• A chance to tailor PE lessons to identified strengths

Who are Sportsearch?

Sportsearch are an independant, private, company, partnering with a number of key organisations, including Sport England and the NSPCC.

The management team are experienced in health, sport and fitness, with ongoing involvement in sport from club to international level.

Their main aim is to encourage life-long participation in physical activity and to make this accessible and achievable for as many people as possible. The focus is on getting everyone involved and active, rather than identifying a select few for world class sport.

For further information email sportsearch@sportengland.org

Sportsearch Website: