Building a culture of lifelong physical activity at Corby Business Academy

Corby Business Academy (CBA) has been on a transformative journey this year, placing PE and school sport at the heart of student development and school life. Their evolving PE curriculum is being designed to empower every student with the knowledge, confidence, and motivation to lead active, healthy lives beyond school.

Lessons are built around four core pillars: building students’ confidence and competence in a variety of activities; educating them on the rules, tactics, and health benefits of sport; engaging all learners regardless of ability or experience; and preparing them for lifelong participation in physical activity.

Beyond the classroom, CBA is investing significantly in its sporting facilities. This year began with a key milestone - the refurbishment of the sports hall floor. This will be followed by other refurbishments, including resurfacing of the astro turf and upgrades to the artificial cricket pitch. Further expansion is planned, all with the goal of creating outstanding opportunities for students and the wider community to be active and successful in high-quality spaces.

CBA students have also enjoyed growing success in competition. Most notably, the U13 and U15 girls’ cricket teams made history as the only state school represented in a county-wide indoor tournament - an incredible achievement that reflects their talent and determination. Their success continued at a recent tournament at Kettering Cricket Club, where the U15s remained unbeaten and the U13s demonstrated outstanding teamwork and skill. We are excited to follow their journey as they head into the county softball tournament later this term!

These efforts are helping to raise the profile of sport across the academy and foster a culture where all students feel encouraged, inspired, and supported to take ownership of their physical wellbeing.

Inspiring a generation through movement and motivation at Beanfield Primary School

At Beanfield Primary School, National School Sports Week builds on a growing focus on promoting a lifelong love of movement and activity from an early age.

Earlier this year, the school hosted an incredible sponsored circuit event in collaboration with ActivKids UK, an organisation supporting unsponsored athletes. The event was made unforgettable by the presence of Team GB Paralympian Kylie Grimes, who not only led the children through an engaging workout but also shared her powerful story of resilience and achievement.

Every pupil participated, cheered on by Kylie, whose encouragement helped demonstrate that exercise is for everyone. In a special assembly afterwards, she spoke about her journey from a life-altering injury at 18 to winning Paralympic and Commonwealth Games medals, leaving a lasting impression. Her message was simple yet profound: anything is possible with determination and a love for what you do.

The event successfully raised nearly £3,000, and the school’s portion of funds as already been reinvested into new playground equipment to help the children achieve their 60 active minutes each day. However, the event’s true legacy is the lasting sense of motivation and self-belief it inspired in the children, many of whom described it as one of the most memorable and inspiring days of the year.

As we reflect on the success stories unfolding across our Trust this National School Sports Week, one thing is clear: from the refurbished gym floors to new playground spaces, from cricket pitches to inspirational assemblies, we are building a future where sport is valued, accessible, and transformative for every learner.