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2023 It's been a great start to the year.

Friday 24th February 2023

Newsletter #5

Sitting Volleyball, Sportshall Athletics, Plenty of football, Hockey, Cricket and Cheerleading just a handful of sports that have been played this term!

We are delighted to say we have also formed our first ever Eco Squad.

It's hard to believe we're already at February half-term! It's been a busy 6 weeks at the Southend School Sports Partnership.

Football Fridays

For the past 4 weeks pupils have had the opportunity to participate in football tournaments.

Each tournament is specific for year groups and or genders. Enabling a lot of children the opportunity to play and represent their schools.

All of our games have been hosted locally at The Len Forge Centre where pupils played 6 a side with 10 a squad.
Over the past few weeks we have run separate emerging competitions, KS1, Year 3/4 and year 5/6. The standard of football being played has been incredible.

It's been lovely having parents in attendance and supporting all the teams.

The year 3/4 boys football tournament took place on Friday 10th Februay with 12 schools participating. All pupils played everyone, once all the schools had played there 12 games across the day we looked at the results to discover we had a tie for 1st place between Bournes Green and Greenways. It was decided to go down to a final game. After a very tense 10 mins each way, it was 2-2, it was agreed a further 8 minutes would be played to see if a winner would be decided. After a nail biting 8 minutes infront of all the spectators and the other schools at the tournament Bournes Green got their goal making them the winners of the tournament. It was a brilliant game and a great way to end the week before half term.

A big well done to Greenways finishing 2nd and Our Lady of Lourdes placing in 3rd.

A superb day of football.

Local football clubs

We like to provide community exit routes for our young people to follow on from the sports that they participate in. Local football clubs:

Leigh Ramblers FC | Supporting Grassroots Football & the Community

https://ekcowhitecapsfc.teamapp.com/

*In Southend we are very lucky and have many opportunities to join local football clubs. These are just some examples should you wish to inquire.

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Milton Hall Table tennis regional silver medallists

Huge congratulations to the 4 girls from Milton Hall primary school who competed in the regional table tennis competition on Saturday 4th February in Bristol.

They finished an INCREDIBLE 2nd place just missing out in the national finals. They are now ranked within the top 8 schools in the country for table tennis.

We are very proud of your superb efforts and what an incredible experience.

Panathlon Discovery gala

The incredible Panathlon charity provide opportunities specifically for children with SEND to compete in a range of sports. Pupils represent their schools in the iconic Olympic Aquatic pool in Stratford.

A big WELL DONE to Scarlett from Greenways who has been awarded Panathlon’s Southend Outstanding Primary Achiever award in Association with Woodland Group for her amazing progress in sport. An incredible achievement, well done Scarlett.

1st West Leigh

2nd Greenways

The secondary schools within Southend have also been offered these fantastic opportunities. It is so important that pupils get these opportunities in both primary and secondary schools.

Hockey and sunshine

On Tuesday 31st January our pupils in year 5 and 6 pupils enjoyed a wonderfully sunny day participating in our hockey tournament at Old Southendian Hockey Club. The day was split into two separate events. The morning session was our emerging competition where schools who have up-and-coming teams and/or B teams played and continued to develop their match play. The afternoon was our main competition in which there were some very close games. It was great to see so many parents in attendance at the event.

A big well done to our top 3 schools:

1st place: Alleyn Court

2nd place: Heycroft

3rd place: West Leigh

We are looking at holding a competition for the year 3/4 Hockey teams which we had to move due to the last strike.

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If you are looking for a local Hockey Club please see details below for Old Southendian Hockey Club.

The School Games values: The Spirit of the Games

The spirit of the games values were developed by young people to identify what the experience of school sport should be built around and focus on personal excellence through participation.

There are seven values which form the 'Spirit of the Games'

PASSION, SELF BELIEF, RESPECT, HONESTY, TEAMWORK, DETERMINATION AND ECO-FRIENDLY.

Pupils have the opportunity to be awarded with these values if they demonstrate one of the 7 values. Kirk and Kirsty award stickers and medals to recognise when we have witnessed a pupil championing one of the 7 spirit of the games. Suggestions for award winners can come from the SGO's, Umpire, referees and teachers who recognise pupils from other schools

If a pupil from your school has been awarded a sticker or a medal please ask them about their award.

Essex Football Silver Medals for Thorpe Hall

Thorpe Hall School had a very successful start to the year by finishing a superb 2nd place in the Essex small schools football finals at Melborune park, Chelmsford. A competition run by Essex County FA, Thorpe Hall played against other small schools within Essex who qualified in their rounds to get to the finals.

Well done Thorpe Hall

SSP ECO SQUAD Formed

We are delighted to say we have formed our first ever Eco Youth Board known as the SSP Eco Squad.

The squad is made up of 30 pupils from 9 different Southend schools who applied to become one of our advocates for sustainability and all things Eco friendly.

Our Eco Squad are excited to work collaboratively, share their ideas and see what changes they can implement for our great city.

Their first challenge they had was to develop our official SSP Eco squad logo and then plan and organise a school litter pick ready for the Great Big School Clean.

We look forward to sharing their design with you very soon!

Schools have been asked to sign up the great big school clean and start their litter picking the week beginning Monday 27th March.

To register your school please go to:

www.keepbritaintidy.org

Cricket CPD Festival:

We were delighted to offer schools the opportunity to attend FREE cricket CPD taster sessions for pupils in years 3/4 in the form of Rapid Fire.

With thanks to the sports leaders of The Eastwood Academy who helped run the session we had pupils in years 3/4 in the morning participate in a carousel of activities developing specific cricket skills, followed by the rules of Rapid fire and how to play the game.

We then held an afternoon session for Key stage 1 pupils to help develop their coordination, catching, bating and fielding skills. The children worked with the Eastwood sports leaders and tried a selection of skills and challenges followed by how to play 3 Tee's cricket.

It was an enjoyable day for all involved. It was a great way to build up those fundamental skills and use them in game play.

Sportshall Athletics

We are delighted to say we held our BIGGEST ever Sportshall athletics event this year with a huge 23 primary schools participating. With over 12000 pupils participating over a morning and afternoon session from years 3/4 and 5/6.

It is always a firm favourites within our schools for its fun in athletics ethos, a lot of smiles, music and fun is had by all including the teachers.

Well done

Year 3/4

1st Greenways

Year 5/6

1st West Leigh

2nd Greenways

With the event getting so big next year we are delighted to say that we will be running the event over two days to accommodate all the schools.

Good Luck to West Leigh and Greenways who go through to the Essex Sportshall Athletics finals on Wednesday 8th March.

Sitting Volleyball

One of our SEND events we offer is in the form of sitting volleyball.

We had schools whose pupils hadn't participated in sitting volleyball prior to attending the sessions who by the end of the event couldn't wait to play again.

It was an enjoyable day with schools showing great teamwork, passion and self belief as pupils continued to build upon their skills throughout their games.

1st Chalkwell Hall

2nd Milton Hall

3rd Prince Avenue

Boccia Essex Finals

Well done to Porters Grange and Milton Hall who represented southend in the Boccia Essex finals at Basildon Sporting Village on Tuesday 10th January 2023.

It was an enjoyable day for all and the pupils who enjoyed representing their schools and playing against other schools they hadn't met before

The Great Big School Spring Clean

Join the Great British Spring Clean 2023

Back for its eighth year, the Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.

The Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean 2023 will take place from 17 March to 2 April, and you can pledge to pick up a bag of litter – or more – from today.

Our newly formed Eco Squad will be organising these within their schools.

If you are interested in signing up for the Great Brititsh Spring Clean sign up today by visiting: www.keepbritaintidy.org

Our Eco Squad will be leading their spring-cleans from Monday 27th March.

Competitions coming up:

Netball A and B

Gymnastics KS1 and KS2

Football KS1 mixed finals

Football Year 1 participation event and Year 1 girls only

Tag Rugby finals

Sportshall Athletics Essex Finals

Sitting volleyball Essex Finals

Tag Rugby Year 3/4 A and B

Speed Stacks Festivals

Red Nose Day

Aquathlon

Dragonball

Cross Country Essex Finals

Newsletters

SPSSA Newsletter #6