Year 9 Wardle Academy Girls Can!

This Girl Can Team, Year 9 girls at Wardle Academy

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Year 9 girls at Wardle Academy have been promoting positive body image and trying to tackle the many issues that drive females away from sport with the help of the Sky Sports Living for Sports project.

Miss Shepherd, PE Teacher at Wardle Academy, applied to the project, with the support of Headteacher Dr. Wright, after noticing a significant drop in the Year 9 girls’ participation in extracurricular clubs and declining determination displayed within PE lessons.

A group of 15 girls, named the ‘This Girl Can Team’, was formed to discuss the issue and it became clear that the problem amongst the girls was the attitudes towards their bodies. With the help of Miss Shepherd the girls came up with a variety of ideas to improve the atmosphere in the changing rooms and to encourage girls to have a more positive approach to their bodies and physical activity.

Music in the changing rooms was one of the first things put into place by the ‘This Girl Can Team’, aiming to encourage a positive atmosphere as the girls change into their kit, rather than them being conscious of their bodies. The PE corridors were also filled with positive image quotes and posters to help improve self-esteem and confidence.

Throughout the team meetings, the girls identified that bringing something new and challenging to PE lessons would help them enjoy and engage in physical activity. Zumba was the most popular choice of activity among the team so the PE department agreed to arrange for a local Zumba instructor to deliver and introduction session to the Year 9 girls.

On Monday 19 October, all the girls in the year group experienced an enjoyable 40 minute session of Zumba. Several members of staff including Mrs Fisher, Mrs Hope and Mr Johnson joined in with the girls and Mr Beresford, Head of PE, proved just how uncoordinated he was!

After the success of the Zumba session the ‘This Girl Can Team’ went to Headteacher, Dr Wright, to present to him their ideas for the future of the project. Dr Wright was really impressed with the girls and congratulated them on their work so far. He also agreed to provide Zumba within the curriculum for a block of 6 weeks so the Year 9 girls could continue to enjoy the sessions during lessons.

Miss Shepherd, PE Teacher and Co-ordinator of the project said: “I started the project with the idea that the girls were embarrassed about the boys seeing them exercise, but after the first meeting the girls showed me that in fact the real issue was low self-esteem and low confidence in themselves. So along with the girls’ help we set about changing the attitudes and the atmosphere particularly within the girls’ changing rooms.

“It has been an absolute pleasure helping the girls put their ideas into action and I really feel that they have made a difference in the 6 weeks they have been working together, the plan is to keep moving forwards with the project and show that the girls at Wardle Academy can!”