News

Church Langley awarded PLATINUM - a 1st for Harlow

Posted On: 26 July 2018

We are delighted to announce that we, Church Langley Primary School, have achieved the School Games Platinum Mark Award for the 2017/18 academic year.

The School Games Mark is a Government led award scheme launched in 2012, facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community, and we are delighted to have been recognised for our success.

Following quickly on the heels of their recently awarded fifth consecutive School Games Gold award, Church Langley Primary School has become the FIRST school in Harlow (and one of the first schools in Essex) to win a new national award for making a commitment to develop its young people to be the best they can be in competitive school sport.

Church Langley was one of only 104 schools in the country to receive the special School Games Platinum Award. The Award is part of the School Games Mark, a government led awards scheme launched in 2012 and administered by national charity the Youth Sport Trust. Its aim is to reward schools for a commitment to the development of competition across schools and into the community. 

Participating in this process allows schools to evaluate their PE provision, grading them either: bronze, silver or gold, and assists schools in developing an action plan for future progress. The Platinum Award is the new fourth level of the award scheme, introduced last year to celebrate schools who had shown consistently high-levels of enthusiasm and commitment to school sport. Nominations are only open to those schools who achieved five successive gold awards. 

To achieve the gold award a school must meet a certain set of criteria, which includes engaging a high percentage of young people in both curricular and extracurricular activities, participating in a minimum number of competitions across different sports, and reaching out to target groups including young leaders, volunteers, and those previously identified as the school’s least-active pupils.

Ali Oliver, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “We are pleased to introduce the new Platinum Award this year to give these exemplary schools the recognition which they deserve. We are extremely proud of all our award winners for the passion which they have shown towards the School Games and their dedication to providing opportunities for all young people to take part in competitive school sport.

Stacey Ward, Church Langley Head Teacher, said:  

“This new, higher level Platinum award is further national recognition of excellent teamwork and our continued commitment to high quality PE and School Sport, not only in our own school but for the town and the wider community. Learning in, and through, the physical is crucial to the development of all young people and to be awarded Platinum emphasises our consistency of purpose in developing the whole child. We are extremely proud of all our pupils and staff for their dedication to all aspects of school sport, including those young leaders and officials who made our competitions possible.”

“At a time when young people are becoming less healthy and less active, the School Games provides opportunities for millions across the country to participate in sport and reap the benefits of an active lifestyle both on and off the field. Schools like Church Langley are really leading the way.” (Ali Oliver, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust)