With the Autumn term underway and the London Scottish community team back in action in a number of local schools, we are keen to ensure that the programme moves from strength to strength.
Last season the community programme worked with 45 schools and offered regular rugby sessions to over 3,000 children and young adults. This season I want to ensure that we go one better and that we continue to grow and promote the game of rugby union in and around the South West London area.
The (community) boys are now into their second or third week of delivery in the schools that we are working in and the benefits are already beginning to show through a number of new recruits joining our thriving mini & junior teams.
During the Autumn term we will be working with 12 schools, nine of them primary schools and the other three secondary schools. The bulk of our delivery is based around primary schools to help grow the game at grassroots level but also to ensure that we continue to build from the bottom up here at the club. The way I see it is that it is our job to work with schools and teachers to educate them about the game of rugby from as young an age as possible.
Our secondary school delivery this term is a little different as we are working in partnership with the RFU providing rugby for the pupils at three sites through the CBRE All Schools programme. Via CBRE All Schools programme, England Rugby identified an opportunity to work with local rugby clubs to deliver a positive legacy for one million children through rugby and its core values, by introducing the sport to 750 secondary state schools who haven’t traditionally played the sport.
Every season we sit down with the RFU to discuss our objectives for the club for the forthcoming season and this year one of the objectives identified was that we need a little help to grow our U15s girls section. After sitting down with RFU Rugby Development Officer Ty Sterry and Community Rugby Coach Jack Pattinson we formulated a plan to ensure that by the end of the season we will have a self sustaining U15s girls section that will play as part of the London Scottish junior section.
The delivery block will last a duration of 40 weeks and will run as a combination of curriculum time and extra-curriculum time delivery to ensure maximum outreach and to ensure that we get as many girls playing the game as possible!
I'm thoroughly looking forward to working with the programme and look forward to seeing the benefits to the club both on and off the pitch from working with such a great organisation.
Should you want any more information about the London Scottish Schools and Community programme contact me at ross.peacock@londonscottish.com.
