SPORTING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR 2025

At All Saints Primary, PE and school sport are firmly embedded at the heart of our planning, practice and ethos. We are committed to continuous improvement, ensuring all children experience high-quality opportunities to participate, achieve and develop a lifelong engagement in physical activity.

A key strength of our provision is the central role of pupil leadership in shaping sport across the school. Our Sports Leaders play an active and influential role in planning events, leading learning and delivering activities for younger pupils. Through these opportunities, they develop valuable meta-skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership, while making a meaningful contribution to the life of the school. A Sports Leader shared, “We enjoy planning and leading activities for younger children. It helps us build confidence and teamwork skills, and we feel proud when we see everyone taking part.” This strong pupil voice ensures our approach remains inclusive, engaging and responsive to learners’ interests.

We provide a wide and progressive range of opportunities to increase participation and engagement, including lunchtime and after-school clubs, alongside a strong programme of competitive sport. Pupils are actively involved in netball, athletics and football for both girls and boys, and regularly participate in cross-country and Active Schools events. These opportunities ensure all children access meaningful sporting experiences appropriate to their stage and ability.

Our weekly Skills Academy further enhances engagement by allowing pupils to choose to develop their interests through sport and physical activity. This promotes independence, motivation and sustained participation, while supporting the development of key skills for learning, life and work.
Inclusion is a significant strength. Through our Communication and Language Base, learners with additional support needs receive targeted support through sport and interventions led by our Health and Wellbeing Coach. This ensures all pupils are supported to participate, experience success and build confidence, regardless of barriers to learning.

We have nurtured a strong whole-school culture of sport and physical activity, with staff acting as positive role models. Staff participation in a running club, led by a teacher who completed the London Marathon, inspires both colleagues and pupils. Staff across the school contribute their skills, including leading netball, football and taekwondo activities, demonstrating a shared commitment to sport at all levels of the school community.

Strong partnerships further enhance our provision. We work closely with Active Schools, Morton in the Community and Notre Dame High School, whose young leaders support events such as dance sessions and Sports Day. These partnerships provide high-quality coaching, broaden opportunities and create clear pathways for continued participation beyond primary school, while strengthening community links.
We are proud to have achieved the Gold Sports Scotland School Sport Award, recognising our sustained commitment to placing sport at the heart of school life.

The impact of our approach is evident in high levels of participation, strong pupil leadership, inclusive practice and positive attitudes towards health and wellbeing. Moving forward, we will continue to build on this success, further expanding opportunities for all learners to achieve and thrive through sport.

St Andrew’s Primary School have embedded PE into their school curriculum and ensure their pupils have a quality experience of Health & Wellbeing. This year the school lost use of their gym hall from February, due to asbestos being found in the structures of the hall. This did not deter their determination to continue to provide their pupils with the opportunity to take part in PE. Senior management worked with schools in the locality to allow pupils access to inside facilities in addition to using their outdoor space for lessons.
St Andrew’s staff provide numerous opportunities for their pupils to take part in extracurricular activities. The main activities which they provide are football, athletics and netball. This allows their pupils the opportunity to work on team work and build bonds with pupils from other classes. This also prepares them to take part in competitions run by Active Schools and partners they work with. This year St Andrew’s have entered teams in football, netball and athletics in addition to participating in sessions provided by Greenock Wanderers Rugby Club. St Andrew’s also worked with Morton In the Community to provide football sessions to pupils. These sessions continued outside after their gym hall was out of commission.
St Andrew’s also work fully in partnership with Active Schools, allowing lunchtime sessions to run for all their P1,2 & 3 pupils, seeing the value in young children learning fundamental movements lead by experienced coaches. St Andrew’s pupils also have the opportunity to take part in the Primary Leaders Programme for primary 6 pupils. The allows them to build on their communication skills, working with their peers, and building the confidence and self-esteem. On completion of their training these pupils plan, deliver and review sessions which they provide for younger pupils in the school. St Andrew’s also participate in Active Schools ‘Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives’ programme which targets all primary 5 pupils, this programme helps these pupils explore their own mental health & wellbeing and how being active has a positive impact on their mental health.
St Andrew’s also work in partnership with St Columba’s High School, where their sports leaders have the opportunity to attend PE classes and assist  with the teacher led lessons, gaining valuable experience in an environment out with their own school setting.
St Andrew’s have demonstrated this year that they give their pupils a variety of opportunities to take part in numerous activities and programmes throughout this school year and have over come the obstacle of having no inside facility for a big proportion of this school year.