Teach Secondary 13.7

interest in the sport to the next level by taking part in an England Handball competition and making it as far as the Nationals. “ When considering the curriculum you should be offering your pupils, you must consider what will give your pupils broader opportunities outside of school,” notes Ms Fenner. “This is a great example of that. If we can give our young people the confidence and experience to take on new challenges when they leave the school gates, we’re doing the right things. ” As a girls school, Hertfordshire and Essex High School is especially aware of the barriers to participation in sport and physical activity that girls are presented with across wider society. Recent research from the Youth Sport Trust has shown that the top suggestion from a nationwide survey of girls as to how their engagement could be improved was for them to be givenmore sport options to choose from – hence the rise in participation rates of sports like handball. Nearly two thirds of girls (64%) want to be more active in their schools, but find themselves faced with various barriers that prevent them taking part – notably a lack of confidence, and concerns around being watched by others. TOPTIPS RAISE THE VISIBILITYOF DIFFERENT SPORTS Make sure your pupils get to learn about the various sporting opportunities available to them. Lunchtime taster sessions are a good way of encouraging students to try different sports and see if they enjoy them MAXIMISE PLAYING TIME Clear and efficient communication can help get games started quickly, but don’t spend all your time explaining rules and strategies and talking at your pupils. Instead, get them playing quickly, and then let them work out their own mistakes and take away their own learnings. ENCOURAGE PRACTICE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL If students can accelerate their learning and abilities at handball or any other sports by getting involved with a local club, they’re more likely to stay active for longer. This may even allow your older pupils to lead and coach in-school sessions themselves – something that England Handball is well-placed to facilitate. BORROWFROMOTHER SPORTS Whichever sport you’re doing, be sure to transfer over drills and exercises from other sports and activities, where appropriate. Handball relies on many transferable skills honed through drills from other sports; by adopting some of these, you’ll be able to develop your players’ skills more effectively. GIVE STUDENTS TIME ONTHE BALL Make sure participants are given plenty of time with handling the ball. You can use mini games to practice passing and moving forwards under pressure, before later focusing on more technical elements. TEACH COMMUNICATION SKILLS A fundamental part of the game involves performing well as part of a team. Ensure that your pupils are aware of this, and consistently stress the importance of working together effectively. Rising confidence The aforementioned England Handball Schools competition was particularly beneficial where this was concerned. As Ms Fenner recalls, “ It was such a positive experience for the growth of our students. Seeing them take part in handball over the year, you could see the changes it has made for them in such a small amount of time. ” Annica Farley is a development coach with England Handball who has worked closely with the school. In her view, “ Handball is an inclusive sport. Children come in, and they just want to try a new sport out, make some new friends. Through learning how to catch, jump, throw and shoot together, teammates help each other out. Their confidence really rises once they understand that handball is something they’re able to do. ” What’s happening at Hertfordshire and Essex High School is part of a broader drive aimed at integrating similar handball opportunities other schools. “ It is a GCSE team sport, and there are pathways within EnglandHandball and BritishHandball for children to go as far as they wish to, ” Annica says, “ but crucially, at a school level, if they just want to have a recreational sport and have a positive learning experience, then there’s nothing better. ” For teachers or schools who may be unsure of how to adapt their curriculum, or introduce an entirely new sport within their offering, there’s support available to assist from governing bodies. According to Annica, “ EnglandHandball runs courses for teachers, including an Introduction to Teaching Handball, which will give you the basic knowledge needed to deliver lessons. There are also development coaches who can go into schools and help teachers. “ The fact that it’s so easy to deliver means that any school can do it, and therefore give every child access to a sport that could transform their life. All they need is a couple of goals, some balls and play it either indoors or outdoors – or both. It’s really accessible.” FURTHER INFORMATION To find out more, visit englandhandball.com or follow @englandhandball 73 teachwire.net/secondary P E