Active Schools celebrates success

The Shetland Active Schools team is celebrating after a significant jump in the number of schoolchildren enjoying sport activity sessions.

According to the serivce, the number of sessions has increased 168 per cent over the last five years, with almost 48,000 visits in the 2016/17 academic year.

The SIC delivers the Active Schools programme in partnership with sportscotland and has been giving children the chance to take part in sport and physical activities for more than a decade.

Active Schools aims to provide more and higher quality opportunities for children to participate in school sport and to recruit volunteers to deliver more activity sessions. More than half of the school population (55%) now engage with Active Schools supported activity which is 12% above the national average.

It said more than half of the school population (55 per cent) now engage with Active Schools supported activities which is 12 per cent above the national average.

It added the number of people delivering sport and activity sessions has more than doubled in five years to 266, with 98 per cent of those being volunteers. Over the same period, Shetland has seen an 87% increase in the number of links between local clubs and schools with 38 local sports clubs and associations involved, all helping to strengthen the connection between school and community sport.

Over the same period, Shetland has seen an 87 per cent increase in the number of links between local clubs and schools with 38 local sports clubs and associations involved, helping to strengthen the connection between school and community sport.

Shetland Islands Council delivers the Active Schools programme in partnership with sportscotland and has been delivering opportunities for school pupils to get involved in sport and physical activity for more than a decade.

Councillor George Smith, chairman of the council’s education and families committee, said: “The Active Schools programme has become an integral part of sport and physical activity in Shetland, embedded in school and community life.

“The growth in participation levels, club links and volunteers demonstrates a real understanding of the importance of getting children and young people active and connected to sport in their community. It also shows the commitment across the isles of teachers, parents, club coaches and secondary pupils as volunteers to create these extra-curricular opportunities before, during and after school.”