Celebrating World Teachers' Day: A Conversation with Simon on the Role of Sportily in Schools

In celebration of World Teachers' Day, Sport and Faith Coach Luke sat down with Simon, a primary school teacher with a unique background in sports coaching, to talk about his journey in education and the impact of Sportily in his school. Simon shares his experience of transitioning from coaching to full-time teaching, how Sportily has enriched the school’s physical education and faith-based activities, and why he believes Sportily is a valuable resource for schools.

Read on to hear Simon's insights and why he encourages others to get involved.

Luke: Hi Simon, thank you so much for agreeing to have a chat with me about school life and the involvement Sportily has had in that over the years. Can you give us a bit of background into your history as a teacher and what you did before that?  

Simon: Hi Luke, not a problem, it's great to be able to share the work Sportily has been doing here. This is only my third year as a primary school teacher; before that, I was a sports coach for a local company and actually led sessions at this school. I then completed my training and now teach a class here and oversee the PE curriculum.  

Luke: How have you found the difference between being a sports coach versus a classroom teacher? I know the school is glad that your coaching experience can be used to enrich the PE lessons.  

Simon: It was quite a shift to go from 2-3 sessions a week per school to full-time teaching with the same class. You have to manage the children very differently now that my role is all-encompassing, more than small snippets throughout the week. PE is still my favourite class to teach, it's very rewarding to see the children progress week after week.  

Luke: What is your history with Sportily? When did you first hear about us? And what is your favourite thing about us? 
 
Simon: I first came across Sportily when it was called PSALMS (before it was rebranded) as I used to do sessions alongside the team as a sports coach. When I joined the school as a teacher, I met Luke and am very glad that we can use his expertise and experience to offer our pupils something more. My favourite thing about Sportily is the variety that they can provide, Luke has led sessions in Blind Football, Boccia, Tchoukball, Handball and more! Trying to keep children on task and excited can be hard work, but knowing there is something new and exciting to look forward to, always keeps them going.  
 
Luke: You work in a Church of England School, how have you seen Sportily supporting that?  

Simon: Yes, Sportily has been so intentional with providing something new when it comes to exploring the mystery of faith with the school children. Sometimes it can be difficult to communicate faith to children but Sportily facilitates it in so many ways that opens the door to all children having an opportunity to learn and experience.  

Luke: Can you give the readers an example of what Sportily can offer? Really try to sell it to them.  
 
Simon: ActiveRE has been a big hit with KS2; being able to learn about the Christian faith through games and activities. The most memorable for me was a lesson about the Holy Spirit, which was shown by doing a blindfolded obstacle course with my partner having to direct me to the finish line. It wasn’t easy, but it was very well received by the children.  

We've also had Sportily Christmas, Easter, and Sports Days, which introduce faith to children in new, sometimes unconventional ways. These are supported by the local Church team who the children can speak to and build a relationship with.  

Luke: I am glad to remember the blindfolded obstacle course! It is also one of my favourites. Last question: What would you say to another school that is considering using Sportily as a provider?  

Simon: Just go for it, and at least have a trial day. They have so much to offer that I'm sure will stick with the children as they continue through their school life. Teaching is about trying to communicate something in a fun way that's easy to understand, and Sportily does that so well. We are grateful as a school that you are available to us. 

Luke: Thank you for your time Simon, I appreciate the kind words. See you for Multisport Madness After School Club next week!  

If you're a school and want to find out more about what we offer, click here.

To see what activities we have avaialble in your area, click here. 

#giveitago today.