The recent research quoted in the national press
regarding the pressures girls face when trying to participate in sport at
school is clearly a valid one for many, but it is something we challenge
successfully at Canford. The opportunity to participate in regular sport at
Canford is a feature across all the year groups and both genders. Of course,
there are some pupils who don't necessarily wish to play competitive sport and
in such instances a meaningful involvement in a sport which can be pursued for
life is very much the preferred option. Our senior girls and boys have the
opportunity to participate in a professionally run exercise programme which
includes various gym based activities and also music and dance classes three
times a week where challenging choreography and high intensity workouts create
a chance to be competitive with oneself. Sports such as badminton, swimming,
squash, real tennis and golf are all activities which can be embraced beyond
the school walls, well into later life and the take up amongst female pupils is
high. Two of our 1st team
four golfers last year were girls and others are coming up through the ranks. We
are very fortunate to possess outstanding facilities and the combination of
enthusiastic male and female teaching and coaching staff create a positive
environment which allows novices and experts across the whole pupil body the
chance to develop their skills and fitness. There are certainly competitive
opportunities and active encouragement for all pupils who wish to represent the
school in these sports but equal scope is given to all those wishing to
participate for purely recreational reasons.
The notion of girls suffering from lower levels of
self-confidence and esteem within sport might well manifest itself within the
traditional masculine areas of strength & conditioning and fitness. At Canford we have instigated female only
sessions for junior girls which have armed these participants with the movement
ability and technique to lift weights safely and progressively. This has been
so successful that senior girls have the self-confidence to lift alongside
their male peers without fear of being patronised or sneered at. The S&C
room is very much a gender neutral environment and with young male and female
staff leading these sessions the female pupils see themselves as worthy and
equal participants. An attitude which is transferable to many other arenas.
The anxiety and worries associated with exams are often
cited as reasons for girls dropping out of sport and there has certainly been
concern from some pupils and parents at wanting more time to study during the
summer term. However, such concerns have been represented equally amongst boys
and girls and when evaluation of exam performances is carried out it is
frequently the highest academic achievers who have also been the keenest sports
participants. We actively encourage a balanced approach in an environment where
focused academic study is critical but having other outlets including physical
ones are essential to pupils’ wellbeing, especially at times of high stress.
There is a significant body of evidence reinforcing the importance and value of
maintaining a regular programme of exercise and sport during exams and this is
a message we wholeheartedly endorse for all our girls and boys, and is one
which all embrace. With 12 tennis teams amongst the girls, 5 female crews
within the boat club and tens of female athletes competing against other
schools during the summer term our programme of competitive sport for female
pupils is comprehensive and is reinforced during the winter and spring with more
than a dozen teams for both hockey and netball plus two lacrosse teams
frequently playing matches alongside those many others who engage in more
individual sports and physical programmes.
Young, aspirational female pupils see themselves as the
equal of anybody and when accolades and achievements are highlighted they are
rightly quick to point out any discrepancies or perceived inequity in the attention
given. The weekly sports update we produce at Canford is firmly stocked with
reports of outstanding performances and application across the genders and this
is reflected at end of term assemblies, sports dinners and presentation
evenings. Rewards and recognition undoubtedly help boost self-esteem and not
just for the highest achievers. In an
area when stress and deteriorating mental health is more prevalent amongst our
teenagers than ever before sport and exercise should be used as a release from this
issue not as a fuel for it. Our duty as educators and coaches is to create
positive environments in which all pupils, regardless of gender, can thrive.
This is and will remain a central aspect of our ethos at Canford.
