Bedwell School and England Netball Celebrate Success of School Programme

Bedwell Primary School in Stevenage has become a hub for sports activities, thanks to funding through the Opening Schools Facilities (OSF) programme led by the Active Partnerships National Team and the Department of Education. With the help of the Active Local Bedwell Officer Jess Baird from Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership and key partners Sally Whittle from England Netball and Kelly Thomas from Bedwell Primary, this project has opened up more sports opportunities for local children.

Thanks to the funding, Bedwell Primary School was able to run two after-school BEE netball clubs during the summer, with 37 children taking part. These sessions were split by age group, with Year 3-4 kids playing right after school and Year 5-6 joining in at 4:30 pm. To make sure students could stay on top of their studies, the school also teamed up with teachers to set up a homework club before the netball sessions, giving the children a good balance between studying and sports.

Since Easter, the school has also hosted five Netball Youth Camps; one during Easter, one in May and three over the summer. These camps drew in over 130 children from various schools, all keen to sharpen their netball skills while having fun. The camps focused on key netball skills like passing, shooting, defending and footwork. There were also creative activities like designing mascots to encourage teamwork and problem-solving.

A highlight of these camps was the visit from Aliyah Zaranyika, an England Netball Futures and Superleague player from the Mavericks Netball Franchise. Her impressive jumps during a high-jump contest wowed everyone. On top of the coaching, the children also received Nike branded clothing such as hoodies, thanks to a partnership with Goods for Goods, making the experience even more special.

These after-school clubs and camps show the importance of community funding and how partnerships can impact youth development. Thanks to the OSF Fund, the efforts of Jess Baird, England Netball and Bedwell Primary School, these netball programmes have helped children gain confidence, build character, develop social skills, all while having fun.

To learn more about netball in Hertfordshire, please contact Sally.Whittle@englandnetball.co.uk

To find out more about OSF please visit the Active Partnerships website.