Health and Fitness
Our Approach
The Health and Fitness curriculum at ACE Tiverton provides opportunities for our students to:
- Adopt a fitter and healthier lifestyle
- Develop competence to be effective participants in a wide range of physical activities
- Understand the importance of a healthy diet
- Learn how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.
All students at ACE Tiverton are timetabled to have 2 Health and Fitness lessons per week, consisting of a combination of practical and theory lessons.
During practical lessons, students participate in a wide range of physical activities including:
- Circuit Training
- Football
- Handball
- Cricket
- Training in our fully equipped school gym
Theory lessons incorporate the ‘healthy living’ strand of our curriculum with the aims of:
- Developing students’ knowledge to help them make sound decisions when facing risks and challenges in a variety of situations, while also promoting spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of learners at school and within society.
- Providing students with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships.
Case Study: Sports Leaders Programme at ACE Tiverton
At ACE Tiverton, the Health and Fitness qualification pathway provides students with the opportunity to develop leadership, communication, and organisational skills through sport. The pathway is structured to allow students to work towards a Level 1 Sports Leadership qualification in Year 10 and progress to a Level 2 Community Sports Leadership qualification in Year 11. This progression equips students with the knowledge and confidence to plan, deliver, and evaluate sporting activities in both school and community settings.
Programme Delivery
The Sports Leaders programme is embedded across the school year and linked closely with extra-curricular provision. Students apply their learning through practical opportunities, leading and assisting with:
- Breaktime activities – small group sessions designed to engage peers in sport and physical activity.
- Friday Electives – part of ACE Tiverton’s extra-curricular programme, where Sports Leaders have delivered activities such as football, strength and conditioning, and recreational sessions like “Walk in the Park.”
These experiences allow learners to practise leadership in real-time settings, developing key transferable skills such as teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, and reflective practice.
Wider Impact
In addition to supporting activities within school, sports leaders play an important role in school-wide events. They have contributed to the successful delivery of ACE Tiverton’s Sports Day, demonstrating responsibility, initiative, and the ability to manage large groups of students effectively. Furthermore, Sports Leaders have extended their impact beyond ACE Tiverton by assisting with Sports Days across other schools within the Transforming Futures Trust, highlighting their readiness to apply their skills in wider community contexts.
Outcomes
- Level 1 Sports Leadership (Year 10): Students build foundational leadership skills, learn how to lead small groups, organise simple activities, and develop confidence in their ability to engage peers.
- Level 2 Community Sports Leadership (Year 11): Learners refine their leadership practice, planning and delivering structured sessions independently, and evaluating their effectiveness. This qualification prepares them for further education, training, or employment by embedding transferable skills such as communication, organisation, and responsibility.
The Sports Leaders programme at ACE Tiverton has demonstrated clear success, with students achieving strong outcomes and staff observing noticeable improvements in confidence, resilience, and engagement. The Sports Leaders pathway continues to make a positive contribution to the culture of sport at ACE Tiverton. By creating opportunities for students to lead within both the school and the wider community, the programme empowers young people to take responsibility and develop skills that extend far beyond sport.
