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Derby County Community Trust have continued to deliver even as future funding for physical education and school sport remains uncertain heading into the summer term. We remain committed to increasing physical activity, building a more active community and tackling inequalities through sport.

A short spring term has meant a high number of events in a condensed period, including our Premier League Primary Stars Girls Cup and Utilita Kids Cup competitions, as well as the finals of our secondary girls’ football leagues. March also saw the launch of the new DASN Spring Games, which brought together seven county finals in a single day at Derby Arena, with 469 pupils from across Derbyshire taking part. All these events, and much more, are covered in this report.

This term we have delivered 55 events, with a total of 5402 attendees. We are continuing to work towards a more equitable representation of pupils from deprived backgrounds at our events. This term, 27% of attendees were students eligible for free school meals, compared with 37% across the local population. We also saw a further rise in participation from children with additional needs: 1,034 SEND pupils attended our events this term, marking a 15% increase on last spring.

The Association for Physical Education and Department for Education are continuing moving towards all PE being delivered by classroom teachers, to support this we have delivered 7 CPD sessions for a total 104 teachers. We are also excited to announce that we will be launching a new AfPE Level 5 qualification in the new year and will be taking expression of interests after Easter. This new qualification will be the minimum standard for any non-QTS staff delivering curriculum PE.

Summer term promises to bring lots of change, with new school sport partnerships funding predicted to be announced ahead of the phased roll out starting in September, alongside wholesale changes to curriculum which will be implemented in September 2028. We remain optimistic that these sector wide changes are going to be positive and a step in the right direction for physical education and school sport and look forward to continuing to work with our partners schools through this transition.

Jack Southwart, PE & Schools Lead

On Monday 12th January, we hosted our local round of the Premier League Primary Stars Girls Cup at the Don Amott Arena. We welcomed 14 Primary schools from Derby to take part in the 6-a-side football competition, aiming to represent Derby County at the regional round in Chesterfield in March.

The day started with a group stage, with top teams progressing to the finals in the afternoon. Cavendish Close Junior Academy, Portway Juniors, Landau Forte Academy Moorhead & Lawn Primary School made it to the semi-finals, with Landau Forte Moorhead and Portway progressing to the final.

Landau Forte Academy Moorhead were crowned winners at the end of the day with strong defensive performances throughout the tournament.

Daniel Gomez, School Events Officer, said: "It was a fantastic local tournament, the standard of girls football continues to grow year on year through our work in schools and the community. We look forward to see Landau Forte Academy Moorhead represent DCFC at the regional round.”

On 4th March, Landau Forte Academy Moorhead travelled to Chesterfield to represent DCFC at the Premier League Primary Stars Girls Cup Regional Round. The team won 3 out of 5 games in the group stage, narrowly missing out on the semi-finals by 1 point. They then won the 5th place play off, beating Rotherham 1-0.

“I felt honoured to represent my home city and play football against other teams. Although it didn't work out, I’m still grateful for finish 3rd in the group and even getting such a chance like this. Thank you to my teachers Ms Khan and Ms Coorpe and to Derby County for giving us this opportunity.” Danielle, Landau Forte Academy Moorhead Captain.

“Huge thank you to Derby County Community Trust for giving us the opportunity to represent the club. We had an amazing day. We witnessed some great football from ourselves and others it shows how much girls football has come.” Miss Khan, Landau Forte Academy Moorhead.

This term, we continued with delivering Cluster Events, to allow schools to take part in competitions within their local areas. The aim of these events is to introduce more children to semi-competitive sport while prioritising enjoyment, confidence, and involvement.

Many schools face challenges attending events, due to transport costs. Our aim is to organise cluster events where schools from across Derby City can attend competitions within their designated local area. Each cluster event was hosted at one of the participating schools, using their facilities to allow participants to engage in an inclusive competition.

This term our focus was on Year 5 and 6 netball allowing opportunities for boys and girls to enjoy a new sport that they may have never taken part in.

A Derby High pupil said - “I liked this because I don’t often play netball”

Big shout out to the 3 schools that hosted the Year 5 and 6 netball:

• Allestree Woodlands School- Allestree area

• Derby High School- Mickleover/Littleover area

• Oakwood Junior- Alvaston/Chellaston area

In total, we had 10 schools participating in the netball cluster events, with 102 participants taking part, 88 of them being girls and 14 boys.

These events were a resounding success and have increased primary school participation in netball across the city. We had great feedback from participants, and everyone went home having enjoyed the competition.

A St Peters pupil said - “I really enjoyed this because we played with another team which we rarely do”

Throughout the spring term, a range of leadership programmes have continued to support young people in developing confidence, responsibility, and key personal skills through sport and physical activity. These initiatives give students opportunities to take on leadership roles, work collaboratively, and help deliver activities for their peers and younger pupils.

A total of 116 Sports Leaders from local secondary schools played a vital role in supporting a variety of DCCT events this term. They volunteered at both secondary and primary SHA events, as well as large participation initiatives such as the Biggest Ever Girls’ Football Session and table tennis competitions. Their responsibilities included officiating, scoring, organising equipment, and ensuring events ran smoothly. They also delivered the Y6 Transition Programme, working with small groups of pupils who may lack confidence or find social interaction challenging as they prepare for secondary school. Leaders ran outdoor activity stations focused on teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

The T1 Rugby Young Leaders Course equipped students from three secondary schools: Chellaston Academy, Allestree Woodlands, and Lees Brook Academy, with the skills to deliver non-contact rugby sessions. Across the course, 285 students were introduced to T1 Rugby and its core values while developing leadership techniques such as giving clear instructions, demonstrating activities, organising equipment, and creating engaging practices. The young leaders will now plan and deliver a T1 Girls’ Rugby MegaFest for a local primary school.

The Mini Leaders programme has supported 134 Year 5 and 6 pupils in developing the skills needed to organise and lead physical activity for younger children. The programme includes a central training day, a lunchtime observation session in school, and an event-planning workshop with a DCCT coach. It will conclude in the summer term with the Mini Leaders Fundamentals Festival, where trained leaders will help deliver activities for invited infant schools.

After last year’s popularity, the Secondary Girls’ Football League was once again hosted across two venues: Lees Brook School and John Port School. The league is divided into three age categories: U12s, U14s and U16s.

A total of 51 teams from 15 schools across Derby City have taken part in this year’s competition. The league, which consists of three nights of football followed by league finals involving the top four teams from each venue, has seen 477 participants take part (a 23% increase from last year).

This year, we also had the honour of having two Derby County Women’s players, Lily Skeldon and Eve Shepherd, present our U16 Girls’ Football League winners’ trophies. They inspired the girls by telling them about their football journeys and encouraged them to keep practising and following their dreams.

Littleover Community School: “LCS have had a fantastic turnout of players this year. The standard of girls’ football continues to grow from strength to strength across the city, in comparison to a few years back. Congratulations to all the girls involved and we can’t wait for it to kick off again next year”.

DCCT are proud to champion girls' football and are working with our schools to provide equal access to football in schools. The continued growth of our Girls Football league has supported this mission, last year 81% of Derby secondary schools now provide equal opportunities for girls to play football in school.

This year, we have hosted primary and secondary handball competitions with the support of England Handball. Handball is a growing sport in the Derbyshire area and has seen an increase in school participation this year compared to previous years. We are working alongside England Handball to grow interest in handball among schools and to help the sport develop further.

In addition to last year’s U15 boys’ and girls’ competitions, we have introduced a primary mini handball and U13 boys’ and girls’ competitions, with 13 different schools taking part (7 primary and 6 secondary). A total of 237 students across primary and secondary schools have participated in this year’s competitions.

While the primary mini handball tournament does not lead to any follow-up events, the secondary competitions acted as county qualifiers for the regional finals which feature winning teams from Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire.

This year’s Derbyshire winners across all U15 and U13 competitions are John Flamsteed Community School.

Sam, a teacher from Griffe Field Primary School said: “The mini handball competition was well organised and set out. Clear instructions and rules meant the children knew how to play. They all enjoyed themselves and it was great to see them work together as a team, even when they were losing. The rules weren't too strict, so the flow of the games was not stopped.”

Also, from Griffe Field Primary School we have some quotes from the participants:

• "I liked how everyone got a turn in each match and how we played loads of different schools". – Logan

• " I really enjoyed the handball competition because we helped each other and we practised lots of different skills". - Khloe

• "I like that everyone was working well together and that they weren't pushing and shoving. I also liked that all my teammates got a chance with the ball". Renee

• " I really liked the way we played, and it was fun and the court was clean and like it was brand new equipment". - Musa

“It was good seeing so many boys and girls from Derbyshire taking part in the handball competitions this year. I am hoping we can grow the sport in the area even more next year. Thanks to the events team at DCCT for their support.”

- Guillaume, Handball Development Officer – England Handball

This term has placed a strong emphasis on the T1 In-School Programme and the delivery of several T1 Festivals across Derbyshire. In-school sessions focused on inclusive, game-based activities that introduced young people to rugby in a fun and accessible way. Schools could choose between TRY Rugby, a girls-only offer, or a mixed T1 Festival format, allowing flexibility to meet pupils’ needs.

A girls-only T1 Festival was successfully trialled at Landau Forte Academy Moorhead, with 24 girls taking part. The event received excellent feedback, with participants describing the games as fun, competitive, and confidence-boosting. Due to its success, girls-only sessions will now continue regularly at the school, creating a sustainable pathway for ongoing participation.

Feedback from participants said “I loved playing the T1 games, they were fun whilst also being competitive”. and “I loved how just the girls could all play rugby together!”.

T1 sessions also featured within our Alternative Sports MegaFests, where 660 children took part in mixed activities. These events provided a introduction to T1 rugby and helped prepare pupils for its planned introduction into the curriculum next academic year.

The Year 7 T1 Girls MegaFest at Lees Brook Academy welcomed four schools and 48 participants. The event was planned and delivered by eight Lees Brook Young Rugby Leaders, who demonstrated strong organisation, communication, and leadership throughout. Year 7 pupils engaged enthusiastically and enjoyed developing their T1 skills.

The Year 9 T1 Rugby Series took place over three fixtures at Rolls Royce Rugby Football Club, involving four secondary schools and 45 players. As the first competitive T1 rugby event in Derbyshire, it was a major success. Volunteers from Rolls Royce RFC supported officiating and coaching, strengthening links between schools and the local club. Chellaston Academy will now progress to the Midlands T1 Rugby Series Final.

Looking ahead to the summer term, T1 MegaFests will continue, planned and delivered by Young Rugby Leaders for Key Stage 2 pupils. Girls Cluster T1 Festivals will also be introduced, with secondary school leaders organising events for local primary schools. This approach aims to strengthen partnerships, increase girls’ participation, and support the sustainable growth of T1 rugby across the county.

Our Black, White and Green programme has been expanded this year, with funding received through a partnership with Vaillant UK meaning we’re able to work with more schools than ever before and allowing children access to the programme through our schools offer.

Black, White and Green is a social action programme linked to nature, environment and sustainability and aims to raise awareness of climate change in an engaging way. Through a range of discussions and activities, children explore ways to support nature and consider how schools and football clubs can reduce their carbon footprint. Children also plan and take part in a social action project, inspiring them to have a positive impact in their community in a sustainable way.

‘Our social action project with Derby County brought real joy to our pupils; they were fully engaged throughout, and planting trees became a highlight of their experience— helping them see how even small actions can make a big difference.’ - Gemma Keresztury, Teacher, Grampian Primary Academy.

During spring term, Year 5 pupils at Grampian Primary Academy took part in the programme which culminated in a trip to the Woodland Trust’s Young People’s Forest at Mead. The children’s hard work meant that around 250 native trees were planted within the former open-cast mining site, contributing significantly to the Woodland Trust’s vision of creating a vibrant and diverse community woodland in the area. Not only can this woodland be enjoyed by families and walkers as a picturesque landscape, but the trees planted by the children will go on to capture carbon, produce oxygen and provide important habitat to a variety of different species as well as promoting stewardship in the young people who helped create it.

For more information on how your school can get involved, please contact: community@dcct.co.uk

‘I really enjoyed Black White and Green, my favourite part was planting the trees!’ – Year 5 pupil, Grampian Primary Academy.

On Thursday 12th March, The Derbyshire Active Schools Network (DASN) held the inaugural Spring Games at Derby Arena. DASN is the collective of 9 School Sport Partnerships from across Derbyshire, and the Spring Games brought together representative schools from each district to compete in a range of county finals. 100% of teachers rated the atmosphere of the event as very good.

The aim of the games is to bring a large-scale festival feel which was achieved by including 8 County Finals in the event. These included; Mini-Basketball, dodgeball, indoor rowing, inclusive multi-sport & boccia.

469 pupils competed over the day, with 31.3% of these students having additional needs. This emphasised the inclusive nature of the games that enabled all young people to achieve success.

Congratulations to all the winning schools. We look forward to welcoming schools to the Summer Games at Trent College on Friday 10th July.

“The children of St Werburgh’s were ecstatic at the prospect of being in the DASN rowing final. As soon as we they saw the professional set up, did their warm ups & understood what was being asked of them their confidence grew. This showed straight from the first race. Their efforts, concentration & incredible team work shone throughout the afternoon. The staff at the event were fantastic, explaining everything thoroughly to children & encouraged them in every single race. Not only this, it was tough physically so they ensured all the children were ok after each race. It was a fantastic afternoon & for the children to come in 2nd place was a quite remarkable achievement. Thank you to all staff who provided such a brilliant event.” - Mr Metcalf, St Werburgh's CofE Primary School.

Small Schools Basketball

1. Newton

2. Denby Free School

3. Blackwell

Inclusive Multisport KS2

1. Markeaton

2. Highfield Hall

3. New Bolsover

Y5&6 Rowing

1. 1st: Ripley Junior

2. 2nd: St. Werburghs

3. 3rd: Swanwick

3/4 Dodgeball Finals

1. 1st: Coton in the Elms

2. 2nd: Mundy

3. 3rd: Curzon

Large Schools

1. Riddings

2. St Lukes

3. Ashbourne

Inclusive Multi Sport KS3

1. Tibshelf

2. St Andrews

5/6 Dodgeball Finals

1. 1st: Street Lane

2. 2nd: Holbrook

3. 3rd: Christ the King

“The event was great. All the needs of the children were taken into account. The games were fun and challenging, the students running each game communicated very well with the children.” TeacherHighfield Hall Primary School

Mon 20th & tue 21st april

Celebration of Dance

Wednesday 29th April

School Games Application Window opens

monday 1st June

Deadline for Girls Football Surveys

monday 8th June

Primary Schools Network Briefing

thursday 18th june

primary track & field