Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Plashet School, east London
Summary:
1. On Friday 10 May 26 School Reporters from Plashet School* in east London took part in a discussion—facilitated by BBC News School Report—about 2012 legacy and school sport and shared their views. They also completed the Education Select Committee’s children and young people’s online survey.
2. The majority of them said they were inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and every student at their school had been a spectator of an event, including women’s football, handball and Paralympic athletics in the Olympic Stadium.
3. A number of students from the school were/are Olympic legacy ambassadors and two were young Gamesmakers.
4. Most of the students didn’t think they did enough sport in school, and a very small minority thought they did too much.
5. When asked what one thing would make them want to do more sport at school the top three answers were (in order of popularity):
(a)
(b)
(c)
6. The following notes and quotes are those gathered by the students during the class discussion, reflecting the students’ views on their London 2012 memories, interest in sport and PE experiences at school.
London 2012 Memories:
7. One Direction at the closing ceremony.
8. Sir Chris Hoy carrying the flag and leading out Team GB at opening ceremony.
9. Being a spectator: It was really loud and much better than we thought!.
10. The Mr Bean piano moment at opening ceremony.
11. Sad to see the flames going out at the end.
12. Mo Farah winning 5000m, coming from behind, whole stadium wanted him to win.
13. Greg Rutherford, and other GB athletes on “Super Saturday”.
14. Usain Bolt—particularly as speculation he might not win, unexpected?
15. Mexican waves by spectators in the Olympic stadium.
16. Watching Team GB v Brazil in women’s football at Wembley. First time women’s football has had such a big game in UK: “atmosphere was amazing”.
17. The inspiring nature of the Paralympic Games and in particular “the backflips during the high jump competition!”.
18. Watching GB women, particularly Ellie Simmonds, Jessica Ennis and Nicola Adams, win medals in front of home crowd.
London 2012—an Inspiration
19. Paralympic Games more inspiring that the Olympics. The Olympic Games “were actually more of a celebration”.
20. Paralympics particular inspiring as “amazing to see people who are challenged physically but do amazing things as athletes”.
21. Inspiring to have the Olympics taking place in their borough.
22. Inspiring to meet athletes like Josh Vander Vies, Canadian Boccia player.
23. “Having Christine Ohuruogu visit our school was really inspiring. She’s from the area and shows that people from anywhere can achieve. Sometimes have been embarrassed to be from Newham but after that, more pride and can relate to her in particular. She explained what inspired her (eg her family) and that made her seem more normal. Usually you just see athletes doing their sport and you don’t think what they’re like as people or what inspires them.”
24. “Tom Daley inspired me as he won was a bronze but wasn’t disappointed but proud with his standard.”
25. “I have experienced something that was a once in a life time opportunity and it has changed my life!”
26. “The year 2012 was one of the most inspiring, surprising and achieving years.”
27. “People coming here from other countries was inspiring and just the amazing memories of the summer. A very sporty year. Usually you watch the Olympics on the TV in different countries and you think it would be nice to be there or go there, but this time it came to us.”
28. Inspired by “the excitement of feeling united” during London 2012 Games.
29. Inspiring to see countries and people (eg Saudi Arabia women) participating at the Olympics.
30. “London 2012 inspired you to get involved/excited to get involved—to do your own Olympic challenge”.
31. “I think as students from east London we should have taken part in London 2012 because only adults volunteered but us students didn’t get much of a chance”.
Did they start to go running/swimming etc or join a local sports club/school sports team? Or did the effect quickly fade once the Games were over?
32. “At first I enjoyed PE with different sports but I felt my time could be used better as I had GCSE exams coming up, however the Olympics reminded me, PE is another subject which I love doing so the Olympics helped me see the importance of sports.”
33. London 2012 highlighted how fun sport can be: “before the Games loads of people thought it was boring” General agreement that effect has lasted and remains a year on.
34. “I think after the Olympics finished we could have done more at school because only the KS4 students met a sportsperson and I thought more students should have too.”
35. A third of the students also do sport outside school. Swimming, dancing, trampolining, basketball, judo, running are sports they do outside of school.
36. “I don’t do sport out of school because it is to tiring and has to be organised”.
37. How important is school sport? What do they think of the provision of school sport?
38. Consensus that some students do not do enough physical activities in a week.
39. Most students thought two hours PE lessons per week are enough.
40. “PE would be better if there was more equipment and bigger sport hall and fields”.
41. Benefits of sport considered to be: helping you keep calm, teamwork, joy of movement.
42. “Things you learn in PE cannot be learnt in a classroom”.
43. “It’s just as important as any other school lesson; just because you don’t have a textbook doesn’t mean it’s not important—it gets you into healthy habits and that’s important as you get older”.
44. Doing sport is improved by team work and improves communication skills.
45. “I like to do those sports because it’s interesting and fun to learn about.”
46. School facilities include playground, sports hall, outdoor, gym, running track but noted that they have to do most PE lessons indoors because of weather. In the summer they make use of local Plashet Park for rounders etc. Agreement that facilities are alright but could be better. The school utilises what is has got well.
What does the phrase “2012 legacy” mean to them? Have they seen any evidence of it at school?
47. Physical legacy in the facilities like Aquatics Centre etc.—it is important that local people can use them.
48. “Everyone has their own interpretation of the legacy but memories and just the excitement in the air mostly. Everyone felt together, the whole nation was united and the volunteers were amazing”.
49. Plashet School had an Olympics and Paralympics Week and all pupils were offered ticket to attend a London 2012 event.
50. Some students had a go at sports they had not previously heard off through school—Boccia and wheelchair basketball.
What do they think the government should do to make sure there is a proper school sport legacy from 2012?
51. More inspirational and motivational sports speakers, eg Paralympic athletes.
52. An increase in designated areas to play and eat at school during break times so students are more active and outside.
53. Better equipment and opportunities to try out a wider range of sports during PE.
54. “I think there should be more sports competitions against other schools but mostly I think people would want to do this for fun”.
55. “Can we have an Olympics for children and teenagers between 10–18 years old?”
56. “There should be more leisure centres in Newham and their local area”.
* Plashet School is a girls’ secondary school in East Ham, Newham. The school has been involved in BBC News School Report for the last two years and the young reporting team includes a mixture of Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils. Students involved in this school sport discussion were self-selecting and a mixture of Year 7–10.