Whitemoor Academy has been given a top award for their sports and PE teaching.
They are the first school in the county and only the second school in the whole of the East Midlands to achieve the afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education and Sport with distinction. The school has been awarded the Quality Mark for the next three years.
The prestigious award recognises the strength and quality of physical education and sport in a school. It raises the profile of the subject and the school both locally and nationally and promotes the high quality work that takes place on daily basis.
The awards were set up to continue the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics, to ensure that Physical Education & School Sport is taught at a high standard.
This award recognises outstanding practice and innovation and having an award like this can help to raise the profile of physical education and sport at a local, regional and national level.
Judi O’Leary, Headteacher at Whitemoor Academy, said: “We are delighted that our sustained and ongoing work in promoting excellence in PE has been rewarded in this way. We would be pleased to share our practice and staff expertise with any interested schools.
“All our young people are entitled to benefit from high quality physical education, there’s significant evidence to show this makes a difference to the learning and experiences of children and young people both within the subject and more widely across the curriculum.”
Councillor Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Schools in Nottingham, said: “I would like to congratulate the staff at Whitemoor Academy for being given this award. To be one of only two in the whole of East Midlands really highlights the hard work and dedication of the staff.
“Great teaching in PE and sport can contribute to healthy and active lifestyles, improves emotional wellbeing, reduces poor behaviour, increases attendance and develops key skills such as leadership, confidence and social skills.”
During the application process the school was given their own sports specialist who worked with them on a self-reviewing system and then an external examiner came to the school to review them. A judging panel then reviewed all the results and decided if Whitemoor was worthy of the award, worthy at pass level or at a distinction level.
They were awarded the distinction level for demonstrating outstanding commitment to improvement in Physical Education and Sport.