Stoke-on-Trent students full of beans

~ Local schools collaborate to promote a more active lifestyle ~

Birches Head Academy sports leaders from year nine have been running a weekly Fitzy Fox fitness club for the Carmountside Primary School reception pupils. With the guidance of support officers, the sports leaders plan and lead the activities, ensuring they are both fun and suitable for the needs of younger students. 

The aim of the club is to improve the collaboration between local schools and to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for children of all ages.

The Fitzy Fox fitness club takes place every Thursday after school hours at Carmountside Primary School. The four Birches Head Academy student sports leaders currently involved in the scheme are Antonia Dean, Louise Whitby, Megan Still and Damiloa Olorunshola.

In addition to the weekly gatherings, the Fitzy Fox fitness club also organises special events every half term. On May 22, the club will host a World Cup event, which consists of football skill sessions and a mini football tournament. On the day, each team will represent a different country and will compete in a simplified and local mock-up of the World Cup.

In July, the Birches Head Academy sports leaders are planning to organise an athletics event in which they will hold running, long jump and throwing competitions.

“The weekly after-school Fitzy Fox fitness club and its half term events have been incredibly successful,” enthused Tracey Matthias, sports coordinator at Birches Head Academy. “Apart from promoting a healthy and active lifestyle among younger pupils, the initiative has been extremely beneficial for our sports leaders. It has taught them responsibility and offered them valuable professional experience, while also developing their communication skills in a variety of situations.”

Birches Head Academy is hoping to involve more of its pupils in the activity. The school sees the Fitzy Fox fitness club as an opportunity to increase students’ confidence, help them gain useful qualifications and improve life skills like teamwork, flexibility and assertiveness.