Cornwall Multi Academy Trust Celebrates National Award Success

The Multi Academy Trust (MAT), which serves 36 primary schools across Cornwall, was presented with the national children’s charity’s Outstanding Multi Academy Trust Practice Award during a ceremony in Telford on 1 March.  

As national data showed children’s mental health is in decline, the Trust committed to prioritise PE and wellbeing across its 36 schools. It has implemented a PE and wellbeing network for staff to share best practice and brought together 300 of its teachers and leaders to refocus curriculum content. 

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: 

“The Youth Sport Trust would like to congratulate Aspire Academy Trust, the winner of our Outstanding Multi Academy Trust Practice Award. The Trust has demonstrated a huge commitment to the important role of PE, play and sport in improving young people’s mental health.    

“This generation is moving less, spending more time online and has experienced major changes in their lives following the Covid-19 pandemic. On top of this, increased social inequality amplified by the cost-of-living crisis are creating a ripple effect on their school and home life. It is thanks to changemakers like the staff across the Aspire Academy Trust that children will grow up healthier and happier.”   

The Youth Sport Trust Annual Awards dinner was themed around ‘A year of Changemakers’ following the success of the Lionesses and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games heroes who helped to inspire a generation and movement across grassroots sport. It took place at the Telford International Centre. A total of nine awards were presented by host, TV personality and author Radzi Chinyanganya.    

On winning the award, Sian Hall head teacher at St Breock Primary School, who is also responsible for PE and wellbeing across the Trust in Cornwall, said: 

“We want to operate a great programme of events to make sure all children get access to competition events at all levels and can take part in physical activity, we’ve looked at sedentary behaviour and are creating more active lessons, so all children are getting 60 active minutes a day. By taking this approach the attitude children have towards learning is great and we’ve seen a difference in their happiness levels. 

“What we have achieved is fantastic and it has been great for me on a personal level to see the difference it has made. To have over 300 teachers and leaders driving this message home and focusing on wellbeing in the curriculum has been brilliant. If we don’t get this right, we won’t have happy and healthy learners.” 

The wider Youth Sport Trust 2023 Conference takes place in Telford today (2 March) with hundreds of headteachers, school sport professionals and businesses in attendance. The event will see Dr Alex George, former A&E now TV doctor and Youth Mental Health Ambassador for 10 Downing Street, and author of ‘A Better Day’ give an opening address alongside other high-profile speakers including a virtual address from the Secretary of State for Education, Nick Gibb MP.    

Attendees will also have the chance to network, make new connections, and take part in workshops. For more information please visit www.youthsporttrust.org/conference-2023     

ENDS    

Full list of Award winners: