How To Safely Restart Extra-Curricular Sports Clubs In Your School!

The latest government guidance states that children are allowed to play competitive matches with their friends against children from other bubbles and other schools, so why are we hesitating to restart sports clubs in our schools?

The PEAK team have been fortunate enough to have worked with a number of schools in helping them reintroduce after school clubs into their school days and want to help you do this in a safe and controlled way.

1. Follow The National Governing Body (NGB) Advice

Every sport has it's own NGB which has outlined steps in allowing sport to resume in a safe way (see our previous blog!) This is easily accessible from the NGB website and when we ensure that the suggested steps are implemented effectively, we shouldn't hesitate to allow children to play competitive sport.

2. Use bubble clubs!

We know each school will have different bubbles but, for example, by opening a "Multi-Sports Club for the Year 3 Bubble" you will help to settle parents nerves in sending their children to an extra-curricular club.

Where bubbles are mixed it is important to remember that this is what is happening on the weekends at the local football league so it is okay! Your coach or teacher should be ensuring social distancing is maintained throughout the session but they can play on the same pitch providing NGB guidance is followed.

3. Ask Children To Get Changed Before The Session

We recommend that pupils get changed in their classroom before the end of the day to limit the amount of time spent inside. Weather dependant, children would then meet the coach outside and go straight into a socially distanced warm up activity.

If this can't happen we would suggest finding a large indoor area such as the hall and putting bench dividers out for each bubble to get changed on to also help them to distance.

4. Keep It Clean

Hygiene is so important nowadays and that remains consistent through any sports session, so here are some steps we are taking to allow children to stay safe during extra curricular clubs:

· Hand washing before, during and after the session

· Cleaning all used equipment before and after the session

· Encouraging coughs and sneezes into elbows

· Asking children to clean hands if they do cough or sneeze into their hands

· Not using bibs

We do all of this to keep everyone safe.

All of our team have read and follow PEAK's COVID-19 operating guidance and that of each school we work with. This set out clearly what is expected of each of our educators and makes sure that our sessions are run as safely as possible.

5. Parent Pick Up Communication

For all our schools, a big concern has been how to organise parents to pick up whilst keeping to the schools policies and procedures and most importantly, keeping everyone safe. Our staff members will follow your school's policy and what we have seen used effectively is an online booking system to easily send parents a message about pick ups and update them of any changes that the school may need to make as restrictions change

What Are My Next Steps To Reintroduce Extra-Curricular Clubs?

Everyone wants to help children find that bit of normality and for thousands of children that normality can be found in their favourite after school sports club with their friends.

We know how important sport and physical activity is in children's wellbeing and we must take responsibility in providing as many opportunities as possible for young people whilst we learn to live with COVID.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, said:

"During these challenging times, it has become clearer to me than ever the importance of keeping active and how it benefits not just our physical health but also our ability to pay attention, our mood and our mental health too. Every family will have had a different experience of the pandemic, and I know that many children will have missed time spent outdoors with their friends – that’s why it’s so important that ahead of a full return to school in September, schools get the certainty they need to prepare their PE and sports activities for next year."

Your next step is simple. If you are interested in starting extra-curricular clubs in your school with a company that will help you organise and deliver safe sessions, speak to PEAK!

Visit our website to find out more information and read more about how we are COVID Safe. You will also be able to find out about our other services and we can't wait to help to get more children back into sports clubs.

Check out our website today:

www.peak-sport.co.uk