20 in 12 – using the 2012 Games to inspire learning across the curriculum for children and young people in Kent

To respond to London 2012’s plans to inspire young people across the county, Kent 2012’s Schools and Young People’s Group, in consultation with Head Teachers and Local Education Officers, have been working up a programme – ’20 in 12’.

The aim?

To use the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to inspire learning across the curriculum for children and young people in Kent.

The ambitions?

• For schools and settings to work collaboratively, using education and learning to maximise children and young people’s engagement with the London 2012 Games, helping them to fulfil their potential
• To create a range of opportunities and challenges across the curriculum which inspire and capture the imagination of children and young people
• To enable children and young people to take the lead in the development of creative and innovative learning activities linked to the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

The Olympic and Paralympic Values?

• Personal Excellence
• Respect and Friendship
• Inspiration
• Determination and Courage
• Equality
  

The delivery?

Each academic year ‘5 Themes’ related to the Olympic and Paralympic values will be selected by a County 2012 Planning Group, consisting of representatives from each of the newly formed 23 Local Children’s Services Partnerships (presently known as Educational Clusters). All schools and settings across a Partnership will be invited to develop learning experiences for their children and young people in any of the selected ‘5 Themes’, which will change every year to keep the programme fresh and topical.

Schools/settings can put forward, at any time in the year, learning activities that have taken place around the ‘5 Themes’ and these will be showcased on their Partnership WebPages to encourage sharing ideas and good practice.

During the sixth term of each year, each Partnership will select the best 20 activities of the past 12 months which will be showcased on the Kent 2012 website.

Hence 20 Activities in 12 months (‘20 in 12’).

Special Awards will be made to individuals, schools, settings and Partnerships. These will be for the most creative and innovative projects within each of the ‘5 Themes’.

’20 in 12’ will support schools/settings in successfully achieving national recognition from London 2012.

What happens next?

The selection of a 2012 Representative for each of the Partnerships needs to take place by the end of May 2008.

Details of the role of a ‘2012 Rep’ will be distributed in April to aid this process.

A Planning Forum will take place in June to select the ‘5 Themes’ for 2008/09 and this will be communicated to schools/settings in July.

The 20 in 12 Learning Programme will be officially launched on 17 September to coincide with the ‘Signing up to the Values Day’ and the Handover from the Beijing Paralympic Games to the London Paralympic Games.

For more information please contact danny.o’donovan@kent.gov.uk