Little Common School Wins Active School of the Year at Sussex Sport & Physical Activity Awards 2024

For the third time, Little Common School in Bexhill-on-Sea has been awarded the prestigious Active School of the Year title at the Sussex Sport & Physical Activity Awards.

Recognised as a ‘beacon of best practice,’ Little Common School has earned this award for its exceptional commitment to integrating physical education (PE), school sport, and physical activity into the core of its educational approach. 

The school’s efforts have significantly contributed to improving students’ physical health, attendance, academic achievement, behaviour, and overall well-being.

Assistant Head Katie Chapman (pictured in the middle), who accepted the award on Thursday, November 28, at the 1st Central Ground in Hove where the ceremony was held, said: “We believe that physical activity plays a key role in ensuring our students are engaged, motivated, and ready to learn. 

“At Little Common, PE is never cancelled—pupils receive two hours of high-quality PE weekly.

“It is our third time winning this award, and what that shows is that we’re not just stopping and just being complacent about what we’re delivering. 

“We know that in an ever-changing landscape where children aren’t being as active as they should be, we continue to drive forward for our pupils to ensure they are active. 

“So winning the award really just shows that we are doing the right things for pupils, and we feel really proud of that.”

It’s not just the pupils who benefit—the school’s ‘Get Active’ family challenges engaged more than 1,400 participants last year, helping families meet activity targets and fostering a greater understanding of the importance of being active. 

The school’s approach goes beyond traditional PE lessons. 

Little Common School promotes active travel, which has increased by 26 per cent, and runs active lessons, a variety of enrichment activities, and an ‘Active Class of the Term’ competition to keep students motivated. 

The introduction of daily sensory circuits has helped pupils regulate their behaviour, improve their attendance, and start the day positively.

In total, 87 per cent of pupils have participated in extracurricular clubs, including 100 per cent of Pupil Premium pupils. 

A particular focus on listening to students’ voices has resulted in a diverse range of extracurricular activities, such as girls’ football, yoga, and stacking cups, inspiring 340 less active pupils to get moving.

Katie said: “We are incredibly proud that 98 per cent of our pupils say they enjoy PE, and 58 per cent of them now participate in external clubs and activities in Bexhill.” 

In addition to the Active School of the Year award, Little Common School has received several other accolades this year, including an outstanding rating in the East Sussex Healthy Schools award, its second School Games Platinum Award, and its sixth Quality Start Platinum Plus Award.

Little Common School’s continued success underscores the importance of a holistic approach to physical activity in schools and highlights the significant positive impact that engaging students and families in active lifestyles can have.

For more information about Little Common School’s initiatives, please visit www.littlecommon.e-sussex.sch.uk

To listen to Katie Chapman talking about what they as a school do to help develop high-quality PE, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1orTBVp1aU&t