28 May Sportreach – Penreach recognizes the value that extra-curricular activity has on the holistic development of children
Penreach recognizes the value that extra-curricular activity has and its role to provide the foundations necessary for the holistic development of children
As a thought leader in education, Penreach is continuously looking at creative ways to achieve educational excellence. Through a number of exciting and innovative programmes, Penreach supports the Department of Basic Education. In this case by recognizing the value of school sport and physical education to provide the foundations necessary for the holistic development of the learner in support of the academic curriculum.
This is achieved through a very unique programme from Penreach called Sportreach. Sportreach is a sports development programme that focuses on enriching primary and high school learners, teachers and coaches through physical education.
In its first year, Sportreach focused on the development of hockey skills. More than 300 scholars and close to 20 teachers from local under-resourced benefited from this initiative. In its second year, rugby was introduced in partnership with the provincial Rugby academy.
To date, Sportreach is positively impacting close to 1 000 scholars in the province. Participating schools are supplied with the necessary equipment to help establish and develop the respective sporting codes at their schools.
To ensure sustainability and to stimulate continues learning, teachers of participating Sportreach target schools are invited to attend Penreach Teacher Development Workshops, where a coach-the-coach approach is being followed. In addition, onsite-coaching clinics, practice sessions and tournaments (both at Penryn College and on the premise of participating schools), take place throughout the year. This helps coaches to develop their coaching skills, transfer knowledge to learners and when attending Penryn, expose coaches and learners to state of the art sports facilities.
Through this unique programme, we are reminded that education stretches far beyond the classroom. Education should be concerned with developing individuals holistically. The focus should never be placed solely on intellectual and mental development, but it should also look at spiritual, social, physical and moral abilities as it all together stimulates growth.
Penreach, therefore, recognizes the value that extra-curricular activities have on the holistic development of learners and cannot shy away from the multiple benefits it holds in.
Studies have shown that students who participate in extra-curricular activities do not only show a significant improvement in grades, but they also seem to be better at managing their time, have better organisational skills and a boost in their self-esteem. They are furthermore found to have better leadership skills, can easier relate with their peers and also have a sense of commitment, which is usually extended to other areas of their lives as well.
Participating in extra-curricular activities also seem to have a significant impact on learners communication skills. It often stimulates debate, encourages teamwork and allows for critical thinking, which is extremely valuable in- and outside the classroom.
The Sportreach Programme is a growing project that offers children from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to discover new sporting disciplines and the need for additional equipment and attire for these young enthusiasts arise. Sportreach calls for donations of any new or previously used (still useable) sporting equipment and attire.
Contact us to arrange collection: penreach@penryn.co.za | 013 758 9000
