Outstanding Contribution to your Place  

Supported by Sport England

Awarded to an early years setting, primary, secondary, special school or organisation which has harnessed the power of PE, sport and play to develop ways of working which bring local stakeholders and people from their community together to build healthier, happier and more resilient young people. 

Winner

Burnley High School, Burnley

 

Burnley High School, a Youth Sport Trust Set for Success school, has delivered significant organisational changes that puts the transformative power of PE, sport, and play at the heart of their education delivery to create healthier, happier, and more resilient young people. The school’s commitment to Leading Well, Living Well, and Moving Well ensures that physical activity is not just a subject on the timetable but a vital element of its ethos. 

Through trauma-informed approaches and restorative practices and by bringing together local stakeholders, families, and organisations the school has been able to create opportunities benefiting both students and the wider community. Collaborating with the local Pupil Referral Unit and a Royal Marines mentor has contributed to improved behaviour, positively impacting children who were previously ‘stuck’ in the suspension cycle. 

One of the school’s most significant achievements in this area has been the introduction of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and girls’ football, rugby, and rounders teams, developed in response to low self-esteem and a lack of confidence among female students. By fostering a love of movement and competition, the school has seen remarkable transformations in attitudes, with SEND students and girls—who once avoided sport—now leading their peers both on and off the field, breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of achievement and pride. 

Having been able to secure funding for a new gym, this has also allowed for and encouraged well-attended fitness clubs for students and staff, promoting a culture of health and wellbeing that extends beyond the classroom. The school’s sports clubs are thriving, and participation has reached unprecedented levels. 

The impact of these programmes can already be seen with improvements across various aspects of school life. Attendance at the school now surpasses the national average, and the school has not issued a single suspension in over six months. Students report feeling more confident, engaged, and equipped to face challenges, while staff observe improved behaviour, academic outcomes, and overall happiness. 

Highly Commended

Richmond Hill Academy, Leeds 

Children posing for a group photo with footballs

Richmond Hill Academy created the LS9 Club to provide the most vulnerable young people in their community with a wide range of physical activities for two hours, three evenings per week. Situated in an under-served area in West Yorkshire, many of the students access free school meals and are unable to access activities outside of school. Using external funding and collaborating with local partners, they created the LS9 Club to improve access to these opportunities and improve their students’ sense of belonging in the wider community. 

More than 130 pupils signed up for the club and 90 young people attend each week, taking part in a range of sports delivered by partners including Leeds United Community Foundation, Leeds Rhinos and DAZL Dance. In addition to sports, the club offers sessions focused on street safety, leadership, and social and emotional development. The school has also created a welcoming community café for parents, further strengthening the sense of belonging and connection within the community. The presence of school staff at sessions has fostered increased student engagement, as pupils benefit from having trusted adults nearby. 

The project has not only boosted attendance for many students but has also established the LS9 Club as a safe and supportive space, even for those who have been suspended. By keeping the club as a separate intervention, the school has cultivated better relationships with students and seen an increase in safeguarding disclosures. 

The LS9 Club continues to thrive, driven by a staff member dedicated to community engagement and family involvement. This teacher is given dedicated time for this role, recognising its importance in supporting the school’s overall development. With its strong community focus, the school has truly become a hub for students and their families. 

The Youth Sport Trust is a consortia partner on the Department for Education Opening School Facilities programme alongside the lead Active Partnership National Organisation, Street Games and UK Active. Richmond Hill Academy and their LS9 Club is a shining example of the consortia’s aspiration being lived out. A school that closed when the bell rang, now being opened to the wider community – built on the voices of young people, working with a range of local stakeholders providing a thriving community offer. 

Full list of shortlisted entries:

  • Bhubesi Pride Foundation, Malawi  

  • North Oxfordshire School Sport Partnership, Oxfordshire  

  • Burnley High School, Burnley  

  • Sport Powys/Powys County Council  

  • Devon School Games Network, Devon  

  • Richmond Hill Academy, Leeds  

  • Prince Albert High School, Birmingham 

Winner 2024 - Kirkcaldy Sport and Leisure Alliance, Fife

 

Photo of winners at awards evening

The Kirkcaldy Sport and Leisure Alliance (KSLA) was created by the Fife Destinations and Wider Achievement Team to allow the four Kirkcaldy Secondary Schools to work collaboratively with organisations and localised partners to help students develop crucial life and employment skills.

Through the Youth Sport Trust’s engagement with the local Active Schools Team, they introduced the leadership programme, Set for Success to the KSLA. As a result, each of the four Kirkcaldy Schools were identified for the programme which is funded by the Wimbledon Foundation in partnership with Barclays. For the programme, the KSLA will be significantly supported by local partners such as Active Schools, Fife Sport Leisure Trust, Active Communities, Fife Golf Trust and other local clubs, as well as providing a focused accredited leadership pathway for all the learners involved.   

The young people identified to take part in the ‘Set for Success’ programme will have the opportunity to take part in planned and relevant work experience and volunteering opportunities as a stepping stone for potential employment in the Sports and Leisure industry. These opportunities will be designed in collaboration with the KSLA to ensure that these are best suited to the needs and interests of the participants.    

As part of the wider support Clackmannanshire Council are also hosting a Set for Success intern. The intern who will work three days a week on Set for Success and spend up to two days a week working on the organisation’s wider objectives, supporting children and young people to improve their health and wellbeing.