Friday 22nd May 2026 - What a brilliant day at Filham Lake in Ivybridge! We welcomed pupils from two Plymouth primary schools for a fishing session, and the fish certainly cooperated—lots were caught throughout the day. It was wonderful to see so much excitement, confidence, and enjoyment as the children learnt new skills and connected with nature.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Department for Education, has this week confirmed investment of more than £1bn over the next three years in PE and school sport.
More young people will have access to high quality PE and school sport under the government’s new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity.
The government is investing over £1 billion in school sport over the next three years, including funding for the new Partnerships Network, improvements to school sports facilities and support for primary schools as we move to the new approach.
Backed by £580 million and set to be fully up and running from Spring 2027, the Network will replace the existing PE and Sport Premium and put an end to the one-size fits all model that has failed too many children for too long, while meeting the ask of leading voices in sports education.
On Wednesday 20 May, we were delighted to host our PSSP Secondary and Special Schools Girls’ Football event at Harper’s, bringing together young people from across our partnership for a morning of sport, teamwork and enjoyment. With three teams in attendance, we adapted the format of the event to ensure all participants had as much opportunity to play as possible. A flexible round-robin structure was used, with short 10-minute matches played repeatedly, allowing teams to face each other more than once and maximise game time. To round off the morning, we mixed players from all schools into two larger teams for a full-pitch game on the main field. This was a fantastic way to encourage new friendships, build confidence and promote teamwork across schools, reinforcing the inclusive spirit that is central to our PSSP events. While football skills were on display throughout, the event also shone a light on the social benefits of sport. It was a great opportunity for participants to connect, support one another and enjoy being active in a welcoming and supportive environment. The morning concluded back in the clubhouse, where all players were recognised for their efforts and presented with certificates – a well-deserved celebration of their participation and enthusiasm. A huge thank you goes to the Sports Leaders from Stoke Damerel, who once again supported the event brilliantly by refereeing the matches with professionalism and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming inclusive events—be sure to check the PSSP calendar for what’s coming up in Term 5!
Mrs Claire Cormack
PE Specialist Teacher
Plymouth School Sports Partnership
Tuesday 12th May 2026 – Another exciting afternoon at Plympton Academy today as our Sports Leaders hosted our annual Y1 Cricket festival. We had 4 teams today: Chaddlewood x 2, Plympton St. Maurice and St. Matthew’s. Prior to their arrival, the sports leaders completed their training so they were ready to welcome our guests and get them underway immediately. First off, the leaders organised a warm-up game for each team which is designed to develop their fielding skills and an awareness of when they need to chase the ball. After that, it was on to batting skills and learning when/how to score runs. Then it was time to get competitive… In a variation of Kwik Cricket, we looked at how many runs each school could score as a team over 3 rounds. It was fantastic to see so many children enjoying playing and having so much fun with their teammates. The more we played, the more everyone improved and soon there were some high scores coming in. There were quite a few superstars in our midst as well, so we will be signposting to our local cricket clubs! At the end of the event, we said a huge thank you to the Plympton Academy sports leaders and everyone who took part received a well-deserved certificate. Congratulations to all the children taking part today – what fantastic team work – we hope that you all enjoyed it. I can’t wait for our next event – check out the PSSP website to see what is coming up.
Mrs Cormack
PE Specialist Teacher for Plympton Academy and the Plymouth School Sports Partnership.
Wednesday 06th May 2026 – Another huge turnout today for our termly PSSP Secondary Inclusion Football event at Harper’s. 10 teams came along to take part in our friendly yet competitive event which focusses on Teamwork, Respect and Fun. Represented today were All Saint’s, Coombe Dean, Tor Bridge High, Heles, Plympton Academy, Stoke Damerel and Cann Bridge. We have a slightly different format that we utilise to support one player on each team: down either side of the pitch, we create a channel which means that 1 player can play unopposed and support their team from there. This works incredibly well to develop confidence and as a team tactic. Throughout the morning we use a round-robin format so that each team gets to play everyone else. 5 points are awarded for a win/ 3 points for a draw and 1 point for a loss. Once again we were fortunate enough to be supported by the amazing Sports Leaders from Stoke Damerel – they referee and score all of our games as well as supporting the teams and making sure the event runs smoothly so everyone can have a good time – thank you so much Leaders and thank you to Miss Plumpton for organising them for me. At the end of the morning, when all the games have been played, it is my pleasure to announce the results – today this proved easier said than done as we had several schools finishing on the same points. To decide the final order, we looked back over the number of goals scored throughout the tournament so that we got the results…congratulations to Coombe Dean who were our overall winners today, and well done to everyone who took part – you played brilliantly and represented your school admirably – well done everyone. A special well done to the students from Cann Bridge, I know that for many of you this was your first time attending this event and you played brilliantly! Thank you to all the teachers/staff for bringing your teams along – can’t wait to see you all at the next one.
Mrs Claire Cormack
PE Specialist Teacher
Plymouth School Sports Partnership.
On Thursday we welcomed Eggbuckland and Plymstock to a very windy DHSB in the finals of the annual Y7 cup.
Both sides had good spells throughout the game and showed great grit and determination to get the win.
It was Eggbuckland who broke the deadlock Midway through the first half after a throw in was controlled and cooly converted past the goalkeeper. Plymstock kept going and their efforts were rewarded with an equaliser with 15 minutes to go. With chances coming for both sides in the remainder of the game, both goalkeepers pulled off some magnificent saves to keep the game tied. The game finished 1-1 resulting in penalties to decide the tie. Heroic saves from the Eggbuckland keeper grasped the win for Eggbuckland in a very closely contested game. Well done to both teams! Final score 4-3 Eggbuckland on penalties,
We are really pleased to share the good news that Tamsin Lucas will be taking on the role of School Games Organiser for the PSSP with immediate effect, continuing through to the end of this academic year.
We were delighted to introduce an exciting new addition to our calendar this year with the KS1 Primary Schools Cheerleading Event, held today. This vibrant and energetic event brought together young pupils from across the city to celebrate movement, teamwork, and creativity in a fun and inclusive environment.
As a brand-new event for 2026, the cheerleading festival was designed to give Key Stage 1 children the opportunity to perform, build confidence, and experience the joy of physical activity in a supportive, non-competitive setting. Schools arrived full of enthusiasm, and plenty of smiles.
The atmosphere throughout the afternoon was electric, with children encouraging one another and proudly demonstrating the routine they had been practising at the end of the event. The event highlighted key values such as teamwork, cooperation, and self-expression, while also helping to develop fundamental movement skills.
The event provided for all pupils to participate, regardless of experience.
The addition of cheerleading to the programme reflects our ongoing commitment to offering diverse and engaging activities that inspire a lifelong love of physical activity.
It was a fantastic celebration of energy, creativity, and young talent—well done to all the schools and pupils who took part. Also, a massive thank you to the young sports leaders who supported the event from DSHG you were all amazing - Picture below.
Wednesday 29th April 2026 – Today was our first PSSP Inclusion Football event for this Term. 4 teams (Pomphlett, Cann Bridge and 2 teams from Courtlands) came along to take part in our very relaxed and friendly Football festival. We had two willing volunteers with us today to referee and score – huge thank you to Jacob (PSSP) and John for making this such an enjoyable event for all of the children. We played a round-robin format which meant that everyone had an opportunity to play against all of the other teams. At these events, 5 points are awarded for a win, 3 points for a draw and 1 point for a loss. At the end of the morning, when there are lots more red cheeks than when we started, the scores are announced and we do a certificate presentation in the main room. Congratulations to ‘Courtlands B’ who were our overall winners today. Well done to everyone who took part, I hope you enjoyed it and would be keen to come along again. Thank you to all of the staff for bringing your teams along – I hope to see you at another inclusion event very soon.
Mrs Claire Cormack
PE Specialist Teacher
Plymouth School Sports Partnership
Today we delivered a successful Y5&6 Quadkids Athletics event at Foulston Park, bringing together pupils from six primary schools for an afternoon of fun, competition and physical activity.
Quadkids is a unique athletics format designed to introduce young people to the core skills of track and field. Throughout the event, pupils competed in four disciplines: sprinting, endurance running, throwing and jumping. Each challenge encouraged participants to demonstrate a range of athletic abilities while developing confidence, resilience and teamwork.
The event welcomed enthusiastic teams from across Plymouth, with pupils showing excellent sportsmanship, determination and support for one another throughout the afternoon. The inclusive nature of Quadkids allowed all participants to have an equal opportunity to contribute to their team’s overall score, regardless of individual strengths.
Alongside the physical benefits, the event supported wider outcomes linked to teamwork, leadership and positive behaviour. Pupils represented their schools with pride, embraced healthy competition and celebrated personal and collective achievements. Results will be sent out to schools by the end of the week.
The PSSP team would like to thank all participating schools, staff and the sports leaders from Coombe Dean for their support in making the KS2 Quadkids event such a success. Events like this play a vital role in inspiring young people to enjoy physical activity and develop a lifelong love of sport.
Today KS1 children took part in an exciting QuadKids athletics event, enjoying a morning filled with energy, enthusiasm and fantastic sporting effort.
QuadKids is a multi‑activity designed to introduce young children to athletics in a fun and accessible way. Pupils took part in four different activities, including running, throwing and jumping events, giving everyone the chance to take part, try something new and celebrate their abilities.
The children approached each activity with great determination and smiles on their faces. It was wonderful to see how they listened carefully to instructions, tried their best and encouraged one another throughout the event. There was a real sense of teamwork and positivity, with pupils cheering on their classmates and celebrating everyone’s efforts.
For many children, this was their first experience of a structured athletics event, and they should be extremely proud of how well they represented their class and school. The event helped to develop key skills such as coordination, confidence, resilience and sportsmanship.
A big well done to all of our Key Stage 1 pupils for taking part so enthusiastically. Thank you also to the staff and adults who helped to organise and support the event, ensuring it ran smoothly and was enjoyable for everyone.
It was a brilliant morning of physical activity and fun, and we are very proud of all the children who took part.
