The Tennis Foundation’s education team celebrated a successful night at the Education Resources Awards last week as they picked up two awards for their schools tennis resources.
The Tennis Foundation topped the category for the best Special Educational Needs Resource with our Inclusive Tennis Resource and the Best Early Years Resource with our Early Years Tennis Resource and Child Story Books.
The Education Resources Awards, organised by the British Educational Suppliers’ Association (BESA) celebrate the best in educational resources and products, and reward resources and services which make a practical impact on learning and the day to-day work of teachers in the classroom.
Since 2009, the Schools Tennis programme has supported nearly 20,000 schools across Great Britain with free teacher training, resources and free equipment, helping place tennis at the forefront of school sport.
Last week the Tennis Foundation launched their new Tennis in Education Strategy which aims to maximise young people’s personal potential through the sport. Existing programmes across schools, colleges and universities will be strengthened while the Tennis Foundation is now looking more closely at the off court benefits tennis brings to pupils, including increased confidence, improved attendance and higher academic achievement, in addition to the health benefits that come from playing the sport.
A new strand to the Tennis Foundation’s programme is in early years settings to provide two to five-year-olds with the fundamental skills of balance, agility and coordination.
The Foundation has also teamed up with the Youth Sport Trust to roll out the Beyond the Baseline social change programme following a successful pilot in 2014. The initiative sees former and current professional tennis players trained as mentors and sent into disadvantaged schools to inspire children on and off the court.
The Tennis Foundation’s Schools Tennis Manager Paul Williams said: “We are delighted to be recognised by the British Educational Suppliers Association for our schools tennis resources. To win against other such strong resources is very special.
“Many children first experience sport in school and therefore it is vital we support teachers to ensure that the first experience is fun and inclusive. Tennis is a game for everyone and we are proud to support teachers in helping deliver this.”
Find out more information about the Tennis in Education Strategy, and all the support we offer to schools, colleges and universities here.
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