Project Ability in Central London Update #3

Project Ability Update in Central London – June 2014

As the lead school for the Project Ability in Central London, we are delighted to update everyone on the developments of the project that aims to have more young disabled pupils taking part in competitive sport.

In Central London, we have run 6 exciting events that have engaged a wide range young disabled people from London Schools. Please see below for further details:

President’s Cup Boccia Golf – Battersea Park

On the 2nd October, the first ever, President’s Cup Boccia Golf Competition took place at Battersea Park. Teams from Wandsworth, Westminster, Southwark, Kensington & Chelsea and Islington schools took part in the event that replicated the USA v Rest of the World golf competition playing for the Central London President’s Cup & bragging rights.

Run along the lines of the Boccia Golf Challenge in School Games resource cards, the event enabled young disabled people to compete on a specially designed Boccia Golf course. Each Central London borough brought 6 young disabled people aged 10 to 17 to form the following teams. Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster represented USA, while Southwark & Wandsworth represented the Rest of the World. It was a great event with the Rest of the World winning 5-4.

Hearing Impaired 3v3 Basketball – Battersea Sports Centre

The second Project Ability Basketball Competition for students with a Hearing Impairment took place on 27th November. 20 young people from 3 schools across London took part in the event at Battersea Sports Centre. The schools taking part were Oak Lodge and Garratt Park from Wandsworth and Riverside from Bromley.

Games were played in a 3v3 format on half a basketball court with both teams shooting in the same basket. With 6 teams in total entering the competition, a round robin competition was played with the top two teams playing off in the final.

Following some fantastic basketball matches Oak Lodge & Garratt Park reached the final with the Oak Lodge retaining their title by 6pts. James Robertson from Riverside said "Thank you for having Riverside at the basketball. Our pupils had a great time & it was really great to see them mixing with other children".

Winter Paralympics at Linden Lodge School

Linden Lodge hosted the first ever Adapted Winter Paralympics event for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties as part of the Central London Projectability programme.

32 children from Linden Lodge, Greenmead and Queen Elizabeth 11 school in Westminster took part in the event led by 10 sports leaders from Southfields Academy.

It was a fantastic event with each school representing a sporting nation in adapted games such as New Age Kurling, Biathlon, Slalom Skiing and Ice Dancing. Teams came dressed in their countries colours, uniforms and flags.

Each child tried try every event, with some fantastic performances in all the disciplines. Medals were presented to the competitors and the Year 11 students did an excellent job as officials, their roles included; judging the ice dance event, refereeing, time keeping, scoring & presenting medals.

Organiser Tim Richmond said, "It was wonderful to see so many students with profound disabilities having so much fun in the adapted activities. He also praised the staff from the schools who made a massive effort to ensure their students were fully involved in the day.

Nick Miller said; “The sports Leaders did a fine job in running the events for the younger children. They have been working hard to complete their Games Force Event Award and their final task was to run the Paralympic event.  It is not easy to provide activities for students with a wide range of disabilities, but the leaders were excellent and ensured that all the children had fun.”

Inclusive Cricket Competition – The Oval Cricket Ground (Inclusive Competition Format)

One of the aims of Project Ability schools is to lead an innovation with an NGB to develop an inclusive competition format to engage more young SEND students from mainstream schools in competitive sport.

In Central London we have been working with a number of partners to pilot a new Inclusive Cricket competition. Partners include; the PA leads in North, West, East & West London, England Cricket Board, Surrey Cricket, Middlesex Cricket & the London Youth Games with an aim to put a competition format in place at Level 2 & 3 of the School Games

The first level 2 event was organised by Southfields Academy PA programme in partnership with the England Cricket Board and Surrey Cricket. Prior to the matches, students from The Charter School & Southfields Academy were treated to a batting session by expert coaches from Surrey Cricket. After the coaching, the players were able to put their new skills into action with Southfields defeating both teams from The Charter School in Southwark.

The winning schools will now go on to join those successful schools in the North, West & East Level 2 competitions in the Level 3 final that is being organised by the ECB & London Youth Games at Lord’s Cricket Ground in July.

Adapted Cricket Festival– Southfields Academy (Innovation Project)

On 16thMay, we launched a new cricket game for young disabled people called Adapted Cricket. The game, developed in Wandsworth as part of the Project Ability Innovation project,  aims to make the key elements of batting, bowling & fielding accessible to young people with a range of disabilities. 11 Teams from 7 schools took part in this fantastic event officiated by sports leaders. Feedback from everyone involved agreed it was a great event & that Adapted Cricket “Is a big hit!"

Next Project Ability events

27thJune – HI/VI World Cup Football Festival – Southfields

1stJuly  - Inclusive Cricket London Final at Lord’s Cricket Ground

2ndJuly – Multi Sport Festival at Moberley Sports Centre, Westminster

15thJuly – Primary Panathlon at Southfields Academy, Wandsworth

Upcoming Events

Year 6 RFL Rugby Festival

Date: 17th April 2024
Time: 13:30 PM - 16:00 PM

Y3/4 Rugby World Cup Mega Fest

Date: 24th April 2024
Time: 13:30 PM - 15:30 PM

Sitting Volleyball

Date: 25th April 2024
Time: 11:30 AM - 13:30 PM

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