Getting kids interested in sports at an early age not only promotes good health through physical exercise but also teaches many other useful lessons that will stay with a child throughout his life. Participants in the School Games programme are encouraged to aspire to the six School Games values. These are, honesty, respect, passion, determination, teamwork and belief in oneself.
The School Games programme believes that by making competitive sport an essential part of school life, young people are given the opportunity to compete against others and so can achieve their own personal best performance, and it also gives them the opportunity to develop leadership skills.
The School Games is a government initiated programme which promotes competitive sport to young people of all capabilities. There are currently more than 20,000 schools registered in the four different types of School Games competitions. Level one consists of intra-school competition, level two, local inter-school competition, level three, county finals, and level four the national finals. All competitions follow formats established by the National Governing Body and inclusion for everybody, whatever their ability, is a very important part of the programme.
To help schools to extend their provision of competitive sport to children with special needs or with disabilities the School Games programme has a bespoke project named ‘Project Ability’. This project aims to motivate youngsters with special needs to become involved in competitive sports. Through advice and guidance, the project helps schools to offer sports in which people with disabilities can compete on equal terms with their able-bodied counterparts.
The School Games aims for every child to take part in an hour of sporting activity every day. School Game Organisers promote clubs to create inspirational and exciting environments to encourage children to participate in school sports, and the programme provides support and advice for participating schools as to how to improve the physical activity of all of its students.
