Wey Valley Sports College Has Now Achieved

Badminton Academy Status

Wey Valley School and Sports College is one of only 15 other schools in the country to have just been awarded Badminton Academy Status by Badminton England.  

 

This is an extremely positive achievement for Wey Valley but its benefits also extend to Wey Valley’s Primary Feeder Schools.  Students at Wey Valley will have access to Badminton on the curriculum in every Year Group.  This will be taught by PE staff who will all have achieved at least Level 1 in Badminton Coaching.  

 

Students in Year 10 have already been working towards their Junior Badminton Helpers Award and 15 students have already received the gold level of this award.  The Wey Valley students have already been in action in two Bisi Festivals’ (Badminton in schools initiative).  The festivals which were held last Thursdays saw pupils from Radipole Primary, St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary, St John’s Primary and Bincombe Valley Primary attend festivals based at Wey Valley where they had chance to experience a range of Badminton related activities aimed at improving hand/eye coordination and reaction time.  

 

Dorset’s Badminton Development Officer Sandy Jones said that ‘the Year 10 leaders were the best that she’d ever worked with’.  School Sports Coordinator Emma Mattocks said ‘that the entire day was a huge success, not only did it give pupils from Year 3 & 4 from various primaries to experience a festival their normal school environment but it also enabled them to learn and experience new skills.    All the pupils seemed to thoroughly enjoy the day’.

 

These festivals’ are not the only benefit for Wey Valley’s Primary feeder schools.  The primary feeder schools have also received £250 of Badminton equipment and have had access to Badminton Coaching both during the curriculum and after school.  

 

The Badminton Academy which runs at Wey Valley every Thursday evening is led by Dorset County Coach Mark Lever.  Student from Year’s 5, 6 & 7 come to the earlier session and students from Year’s 8,9,10 & 11 attend the second session.  Some students are also participating in a Badminton tournament held at Sir David English Sports Centre in Bournemouth this weekend.

 

Mark Lever has also been coaching pupils at Wey Valley during curriculum time.  Both GCSE students and Sports Leaders have already benefited in lessons from receiving coaching and advice.  The Academy provides an excellent player pathway for talented players and the school is keen to build links with local clubs to provide further opportunity to its players.

Sunday, September 30, 2007