Who is our guest?
Sajid Akram brings a wealth of experience and passion to his roles at Chandos Primary School. With eight years of teaching under his belt and 18 months as the assistant PE lead, Sajid's dedication to enhancing the physical education landscape is evident. His journey began as a local to the school, and despite moving further away, he remains deeply committed to the community he serves. Sajid's background in teaching and his role as a PE lead uniquely position him to drive innovative strategies and programmes that engage pupils in physical activity.

What do we discuss?
In this podcast, Sajid highlights the critical role physical activity plays in the educational journey of children and young people. He emphasises that physical education is not just about building muscular strength but also about developing fundamental skills such as balance, coordination, and confidence. According to Sajid, sport has the power to improve a child's confidence, social skills, and overall well-being, making it an indispensable part of their upbringing.

One of the recurring themes in our discussion was the challenge of financial constraints and bureaucratic red tape. Sajid pointed out that while pupil premium funding may seem substantial initially, it quickly diminishes once various expenses are accounted for. This financial pressure often limits the ability to provide necessary equipment and facilities, such as cricket nets and playing fields. Despite these obstacles, Sajid and his team continue to find creative ways to engage pupils in sports, using minimal resources and focusing on the fundamentals.

Sajid shared some innovative approaches that have been successful at Chandos Primary. A notable example is the transformation of the traditional sports day into the Chandos Commonwealth Games. This initiative spreads various sports activities over two weeks, allowing pupils to compete in diverse events, from football to cricket and more. By assigning countries to year groups and fostering genuine rivalries, the event encourages a healthy competitive spirit among pupils.

Who is our guest?

Stephen Clarke has been a school governor for 15 years in the Staffordshire three-tier school system, firstly at Primary School, then Middle School and finally High School. He then stepped up to the challenge of being Chair of Governors back at the Middle School in 2019 and shortly after helping to guide the school with the Headteacher strategically through the COVID crisis, remote learning, and several risk assessments!

Outside of the school environment, Stephen has over 25 years of experience in education technology and running award-winning multi-million pound small to medium enterprises. This included managing teams of sales, marketing, finance and technical people. He has his own Education Technology business providing communication Apps for schools, offers consultancy services to other Education technology companies to provide them with insights and help them grow and is undertaking a part-time MBA at Keele University.

What do we discuss?

· Accountability in School Governance

· Communication and Engagement

· School Inspections and Governance Involvement

· Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Governance Support

· Preparation for OFSTED Inspections

· Emotional Support and Well-being in Schools

· PE Subject Importance and Governance Involvement

· Key tips for PE subject leads

Who’s our guest?

Luke Brown launched the Spiral Free Run CIC in Late 2016 during his time studying at university and has been working multiple jobs simultaneously since. In April 2021 he took the leap of faith to turn the company into a CIC (Community Interest Club) and run full-time.

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He has been training Parkour for 10 years now. Parkour was only just beginning its rise back in 2011 and therefore he quickly realised that if he wanted someone to train with, He was going to have to inspire and help them on their journey also. Luke began teaching a few close friends who came to become part of the original Spiral Freerun team. He began officially coaching in 2014 and have worked hard to transfer as many of his skills (both Parkour and non-Parkour related) to those around him to benefit others.

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Luke is responsible for the entirety of Spiral Freerun and its running on a day-to-day basis. He oversees employing and organising the team to run as a well-oiled machine and continues to provide their services to a high standard to the community.

What do we discuss?

• Personal Experiences
• Teaching Approach and Strategies
• Educational Impact and Development
• Importance of CPD and support
• Significance of a physically active ethos in schools
• Tip for influencing PE and Sport in schools