Sporting change produces results

Harnessing a love of sport, has proved a winner for Avalon Intermediate.

The Lower Hutt school has seen its roll grow, a significant improvement in pupil behaviour and, most importantly, improved academic results.

Principal Ian Hastie said Sport in Education (SiE) had been a winner for the school and he believed it had the potential to work nationally.

SiE started at Avalon in 2015 and is backed by both Sport New Zealand and the Hutt City Council.

The programme recently won the Community Impact Award category at the New Zealand Sport Recreation Awards, recognising its success at both Avalon Intermediate and Taita College.

At its simplest level, SiE works by injecting sport into the curriculum. A maths teacher for instance, could ask if Beauden Barrett kicked five penalties worth three points each, and scored two five-point tries, how many points had he scored?

Hastie said, however, there was far more to it and its real success was the way it engaged kids across the entire curriculum.

Sport featured in all subjects and there was also an increased emphasis on getting kids to participate in sport and be active. By involving clubs such as the Taita Cricket Club to work with students, the school had improved fitness and its relationship with the community.

At Avalon, that had resulted in the community being more engaged in the school, a 32 per cent increase in its roll and a decrease in absenteeism. Academically it had brought a 12 per cent increase in the number of students at or above national standards.

Across the road at Taita College, the project has another enthusiastic supporter in Principal Karen Morgan. Taita began with a Year 9 class in 2016 and now has two classes doing SiE.

Morgan pointed to data that showed 95 per cent of kids like sport.

It makes sense to take that interest and use it in a way that engages children, she said.

Teachers are encouraged to put sport and physical activity at the heart of all their teaching.

Research shows students learn better when they are fit and active, and Morgan said that had been the case at Taita College.

Students from the classes were emerging as school leaders and both classes were much more engaged in school activities.

‘‘They are learning the skills and key values that are setting them up for life.’’

Morgan rejected any suggestion that delivering a curriculum based around sport was pandering to students.

The school was providing students with an education based on activities they enjoyed and relate to, she said.

The project is backed by the Hutt City Council as part of its Northeast Pathways Project, which supports schools, students and families in Pomare, Taita and Stokes Valley.