Newbattle High School is runner up in Youth Sport Trust Awards

Newbattle High School’s Physical Education department has come second in Outstanding Secondary Practise in the Youth Sport Trust awards.

First Scottish school to make it to the final

Newbattle High School was the first Scottish school to make the final, being shortlisted in the final 3 schools, out of the 159 schools nominated.  PE staff from the school - Shauni Cassidy, Niamh Fellenger and Amy Duvall - were delighted to attend the awards ceremony and conference hosted at Telford International Centre, Birmingham on 25 March. 

Highly commended

Overall, the school finished second and received the Highly Commended award for the Outstanding Secondary Practise category – a fantastic achievement.

Healthy, happier and morr resilient pupils

In recognising Newbattle, the Youth Sport Trust mentioned that the school is using PE, sport, and play as transformative tools for fostering healthier, happier, and more resilient young people. Through innovative programming, pupil-driven initiatives, and a focus on inclusivity, the school has redefined enrichment and extra-curricular activities as an entitlement for every student. 

Kit for All project

The school have several initiatives that made it stand out, including the Kit For All project which redistributes sportswear to ensure no student is excluded due to financial barriers. The funding for this project came from the NHS and worked in partnership with the Active Schools team. 

Transforming lives

During the conference, Newbattle PE teacher Niamh Fellenger was on the panel discussing good practise within education establishments, focusing on the transformative power of sport. 

80% increase in participation

Niamh spoke about the senior phase offerings within curriculum and extra-curriculum time: in Newbattle High School there has been an 80% increase in participation within extra-curricular activities over an 18-month period. The PE team also gained knowledge by collaborating with other practitioners to further replicate best practice in the school. 

Striving for success

The PE department at Newbattle always strive to be successful and this is no doubt down to their AIM Higher ethos: Achieve, Include, Motivate, Respect which is embedded in every initiative. The inclusive curriculum design ensures sport and play are central to building students' physical, mental, and social well-being; and their pupil-driven projects exemplify how sport can be a vehicle for leadership, connection, and resilience. 

Congratulations to Newbattle

This is a great achievement for Midlothian and for all Scottish schools. Well done Newbattle High School!