LAUNCHING FENCING IN YOUR SCHOOL – FLEXIBLY AND QUICKLY

Addressing the issue: “I don’t have a spare day or member of staff to send on a training course.” 

Introducing a new activity will always be a challenge in a busy school. But the We Are Forging Futures programme from British Fencing makes it as easy and flexible as possible, as well as using the latest educational thinking to ensure that the impact of the sport will be quickly felt in the classroom and beyond and sustained over time.

Lynsey Done, Welton St Mary Primary School, Lincolnshire, said,

“Every week [pupils] are learning something new, whether a new stance or a new piece of vocabulary – I think that’s kept the excitement there as well.”

The initial training course takes a maximum of 8 hours and can be taken in a variety of ways. The full content can be covered in one INSET Day, over several days through twilight or half-day sessions, or delivered fully online. It can also be tailored for one or for several staff – please talk to us and we’ll work around the needs of your school.

Tom Fulk, Class teacher, Warley Primary School, Brentwood, added,

“I have been lucky to go on some different sport coaching courses, but I was very impressed with the design of the fencing programme.”

The training is designed by experts to be as effective as possible. It also uses ideas at the forefront of academic research that Ofsted and other inspectors now expect to see in schools. For example, it uses Fitts and Posner’s Model of Skills Acquisition, which looks at the role of working memory, and emphasises the four components of Physical Literacy – Motivation, Confidence, Physical and Knowledge. It also introduces a bespoke ‘REVIEW’ tool for reviewing fencing lessons that can be used as a tool to improve teaching and learning in other subjects.

Dan Hatfield, St Giles CE Primary School, Willenhall, noted,

“The programme was extremely well-taught by a highly qualified and internationally recognised instructor.”

As well as teaching how to coach fencing, the We Are Forging Futures training introduces a range of engaging lessons that can be used in cross-curricular ways to stimulate pupils in other subjects. For example, teachers could set pupils a mathematical exercise to calculate the speed of a fencing move or a challenge to write about the development of the code of chivalry in History. Or they could do some simple fencing agility activities as part of a break between two sessions in different subjects.

James Giling, Sports Academy Manager, Crown Hills Community College, Leicester, added,

“The resource packs’ themes of pirates and sword fighting is fantastic. It really encapsulates the fun element of fencing.”

And finally, to help embed the initial training and ensure it makes an impact, participants receive ongoing support through a flexible app that can be used to prepare lessons and even project material directly in classrooms or sports halls. There is also an online community of experts who can help adapt materials to different themes and make links with films, computer games and more!

Find out more and begin your fencing journey at school by booking a 1:1 introductory Zoom session with the team here, or alternatively email [email protected].

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