Disability Sport in Kent Schools
Project Ability
Valence Sports College is delighted and proud to inform that after a rigorous and transparent process of selection by Sport England and the English Federation of Disability Sport using the criteria of Vision, Whole School Commitment, Innovation and the Ability to Deliver we have been selected as one of the 50 top Trailblazing Schools in the country!
Representing the county of Kent and supported by The Youth Sport Trust we are tasked with the role of pioneering new and innovative ways to build capacity and develop further sporting opportunities for Young Disabled People. We will be helping to drive the ambitions of the Kent School Games supporting the School Games Organisers in Kent and the schools they work with across the County.
A bespoke project within the School Games designed to help drive and increase opportunities for young disabled people.
Through a range of interventions and activities, Project Ability will support schools to improve and extend their provision for young disabled people to take part in competitive sport.
These interventions include:
• Innovation with NGBs to establish inclusive / specific impairment formats.
• Training for all SGOs in disability awareness, planning and delivery of inclusive competition at Level 2.
• Equipping all schools to increase participation of young disabled people supporting L1 delivery.
• The inclusion of disability events within L3
• Aspirational Paralympic events within the Level 4 national competition
• The establishment of a network of 50 lead schools across the country who have established experience in engaging young disabled pupils and who can help drive the ambitions of the School Games.
For further information contact: Jo Eames
Project Ability Representative for Kent
jeames@valence.kent.sch.uk
Valence School have their own website
Kent Special Schools Get Sports College status
Valence Special School, near Westerham, has been awarded Sports College status. The School is the Kent County Council day and boarding special school for children with physical and multiple impairments and is an active supporter of disability sport.
Within the School the youngsters are particularly enthusiastic about Powered Wheelchair Football and Table Cricket, as well as Boccia, and have represented the county at numerous regional and national events.
Valence will be the 16th Sports College in Kent, and whilst remaining in the Malling and Sevenoaks School Sports Partnership, it will become a beacon for disability sports development in schools across Kent.
Valence Sports College is now the regional centre for the development of Boccia in Schools
Similarly, Wyvern School in Ashford is the regional centre for Sitting Volleyball development
And from September 2010 Bower Grove Special School in Maidstone has also received Sports College status. Bower Grove caters for children with emotional behaviour issues and recently benefited from a new sports hall.
Rowhill Special School in Dartford is also now a designated Sports College
Youth Sport Trust have launched an inclusion website - http://inclusion.youthsporttrust.org/subpage/introduction/index.html
