Eight Pool Academy Pupils Set Up a Lunchtime Club. It Went National.

A handful of year 9 students at Pool Academy noticed some of their classmates were spending break and lunch on their own, or quietly dreading PE. So they decided to do something about it. What started as a lunchtime club on the school’s front field has now been picked out by a national charity as an example for other schools to follow.

A student-led idea

Eight year 9 students took part in the Youth Sport Trust (YST) Young Ambassador programme during the last academic year. Pool Academy, part of Athena Learning Trust, has since been selected as a YST case study, recognising the impact of young people leading positive change in their own school community.

The students built a social action project around inclusion, confidence and getting more people involved in sport and physical activity. They had spotted two problems. Some students felt isolated at break and lunchtime. Others simply did not enjoy PE or lacked confidence in it.

In response, they created a lunchtime PE club. The aim was a safe, welcoming space where students could join in at their own pace and build friendships.

Asking before deciding

Rather than guess what their peers needed, the ambassadors went and asked. They held consultations across the school, speaking directly with students who were less engaged in sport or who they felt would benefit from a bit more support.

One student who took part in the sessions said: “When they spoke to me, it made me feel like I was being listened to and that I actually had a choice in what was being done.”

How the club grew

The lunchtime sessions ran over several weeks on the school’s front field. A small number of students turned up at first. As the project developed, participation grew steadily. Activities were shaped by what students actually wanted to do, which kept things relaxed and open to everyone.

As the weeks went on, the ambassadors grew into the leadership role. They took responsibility for running sessions and supporting younger peers. Staff noticed the change did not stop at the club. The same students became more active in lessons and in other extracurricular opportunities.

Heading to a national stage

The project will be shared at the YST conference in October. PE teacher Sharon Bright, who leads the programme at the school, has also been invited to present it at Cornwall College Camborne on 9 October, sharing its impact across the wider region.

Sharon said: “I was so impressed with the way the students worked on their idea. They had complete ownership over it, and although they were quite nervous at the start, running the sessions in front of their peers, within three or four weeks they were confident enough to lead activities and take small groups independently. This really filtered into their lessons, with students taking more of a leadership role and even helping with after-school clubs.”

Principal Nick Ward said: “This is a brilliant example of what happens when we trust students to lead. The impact on confidence and inclusion has been outstanding across the school.”