Woodham Academy have partnered with the Youth Sports Trust to try and encourage girls to have a healthy active lifestyle. Miss Kent, Director of Woodham Sports Academy, decided to join the Girls Active campaign after she saw the success another school experienced. Research from the Youth Sport Trust indicates that by age 14, just over 10% of girls achieve their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. research also shows the majority of girls do not see the importance of physical activity and how it affects them.
This is mainly seen around the ages of 13-15. Woodham Academy have set up their own Girls Active group to try and change attitudes towards physical activity and to promote a healthy active lifestyle. The club has its own leadership and marketing team known as the ‘GLAMS’ (Girls Leadership and Marketing Squad). The GLAMS chosen to represent the Club went through a rigorous application process including creating a poster that had an image of what they thought would be the perfect GLAM and how they compare. Through the mass of applications submitted by the Year 9 girls, 4 were selected. Woodham’s GLAM squad then took straight to the task in deciding what their vision was for the club.
Already there has been a huge improvement in the confidence in the Squad promoting the club across the school. They have also shown an understanding of organisation as it has been down to them to come up with different ideas for activities for KS3 girls. During the launch of the Girls Active club, the Academy has been lucky enough to have a visit from an extremely influential athlete with a great background story. Amanda Coulson, a female boxing champion, came into school to deliver two sessions. The first was directed at a group of year 9 girls, including the Glam Squad. The second session was a boxing master class, giving girls the basics in a fun and exciting way.
Amanda who is partnered with Sky Sports Academy, was assigned to Woodham as the project to encourage girls participate in physical activity resonated closely to her. Amanda was one of the first female boxers to compete at a high level and to overcome gender stereotypes through her battle to compete in a male dominated sport. Woodham Sports Academy Director, Miss Kent, says “Amanda’s story is truly inspirational. It is one of the reasons for the high weekly attendance at the Girls’ Active Club.” The GLAM Squad have organised multiple activities, including ‘Just Dance’ in the dark with glow sticks and UV paint, a trampolining evening, games and fitness DVDs.
They have also organised a dance teacher from Joanne Banks Dancers to deliver three sessions. The Glams are also looking for more activities they can organise for after May half term. Being involved in the GLAM Squad has also encouraged students to be engaged in their education. One student who had been selected for the GLAM Squad had previously obtained multiple behaviour points. She explained how much she wanted to take part. and her place came with the condition that her behaviour improved. Since Christmas this student has shown dedication and determination and improved her behaviour across the whole school.
Thanks to the GLAM Squad’s hard work, The Girls Active club has been a success and will continue to run as long as the girls persevere to create a positive attitude surrounding physical activity. Girls Active takes place Woodham Academy on Thursdays after school from 3:30pm until 4:30pm and is open to any KS3 student at the school.
