Vale
Royal
School
Sport
Partnership
Creating new opportunities for young people in Vale Royal
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    Welcome to the website for the Vale Royal School Sport Partnership! We aim to increase the number of children and young people taking part in P.E., Sport & Physical Activity in their school and also to create better links with clubs and activities in the local community. Why not explore 'What we do', or get in touch? Click here to register for the SSP Planning Day 2010 - Playing Your Part in the Team Click here to find out more about the school or college Leadership Academies |
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Day three and four Ipoh 04/03/2010 Our programme has been really full over the last two days in SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun that I haven't even had 5 minutes to sit down and update you on our progress!
Both days have been 6.30am until at least 11pm, out in schools. We have really had the chance to submerge ourselves in the culture and sporting heritage of Malaysia and have feel really priviliged to have been given this opportunity.
Our exchange school, SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun, is a state controlled secondary boarding school for boys and girls. The school system is selective here and it is the culture to work extremely hard on academic subjects. Often pupils and their parents won't be happy until they obtain 9 or 10 A levels! As a consequence PE & Sport are lower down the agenda. Malaysian pupils do 1 hour 20 mins of PE per week plus a compulsory after school club (sport, music or uniformed service). The state is really worried about increasing numbers of pupils becoming obese and we have been able to share our experience and opinions with the Ministry of Education.
The school itself is very different to our schools. Because of the fabulous weather (it's reached 43 degrees over the last two days) their classrooms don't have windows and they are able to do all their PE outside. This has it's downside too - would you fancy teaching for 8 hours a day outside in such temperatures?
The curriculum is quite prescriptive meaning untrained teachers can teach a variety of sports from text books and also the assessment process is limited to fitness testing. The staff are so keen and especially loved when Julia delivered a dance lesson and I was able to teach some basketball. We also had the chance to try a Malaysian game called Sepak Takraw - it's a very skillful sport, similar to Football Tennis, played with a rattan ball and a large amount of acrobatics. I will endeavour to bring a couple of balls back with me so our secondary pupils can try it out.
In the evenings we have been treated like visiting Royals, through celebration meals held in our honour. We have been enterained by amazinlgly talented young people whilst eating more (and more) delicious local food. On leaving we have all been presented with gifts that will help us keep our memories bright on our return.
The keenest memory of the pupils will be of their willingness to learn and ask questions, their thirst for skills and knowledge and their polite and respectful manner. I hope that when we plan the return exchange we are able to provide the Malaysian teachers with an experience that will be equally valuable! |
