Surrey School Sports Partnerships
Walton Leigh School Sports Day
In July, Sue Frett, County Secretary for Special Olympics Surrey was invited to the Walton Leigh Sports Day which took place in Queens Road, Walton on Thames. I was very excited about attending because we were presenting 10 Special Olympics 'T' Shirts to the students who had already joined the largest sports organisation in the world for people with learning difficulties.
Linda Curtis, Head Teacher said 'We are all very excited and very proud to be part of the Special Olympics movement. We currently have 10 students that have become athletes and we expect more as the year goes on. We welcome to Motor Activities Training Programme that is going to be introduced into the school for those that have more profound disabilities'.
Walton Leigh is a community special day school for students with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. In September 2008 it became a Specialist School for Cognition and Learning. It is a co-educational secondary school that caters for students between the ages of 11 and 19.
Special Olympics Surrey are working very closely with Carolyn Duffy, Assistant Sports Development Officer for the Borough of Elmbridge to extend the sports programme at Walton Leigh.
MATP programme a success at Walton Leigh School
Walton Leigh is a community special day school for students with severe and profound and multiple learning disabilities. In September 2008 it became a Specialist School for Cognition and Learning. It is
a co-educational secondary school that caters for students between the ages of 11 and 19.
This is a quote from Natasha Egan, Senior Teacher at the school who Sue Frett, County Secretary of Special Olympics Surrey has been working closely with for many months..
“Our work with Special Olympics Surrey has opened up a whole range of opportunities for our students allowing them to explore their strengths and talents and also allow them to share their experience
and have fun. Currently we have 11 students that are now to become athletes within the Special Olympics movement.
Special Olympics Surrey is helping our students develop skills that they can take with them into adult life when they leave Walton Leigh School. Parents have been so excited about our work with SOS
Through the MATP programme, we are beginning to explore relevant and focused opportunities for students who have more complex needs where traditionally they find it hard to access sporting activities.I think I should close by giving you a quote from Star Trek……Data said ‘Even though we might not reach our ultimate goal the effort exertedin trying to get there yields its own rewards’
Natasha Egan, Senior Teacher/P E Co-ordinator, Walton Leigh School,Walton on Thames.
County Secretary visits Phillip Southcote School
The County Secretary of Special Olympics Surrey, Sue Frett was invited by Paul Sheppard, Partnership Development Manager of North Surrey School Sports Partnership,to the Philip Southcote School, Year 11 Celebrations of Achievement 2009 Awards on Thursday 25th June. Sue commented that it was great to see the students with learning disabilities leaving school, all with positive thoughts as to what they wil be doing next in their careers. Most of them are going to Brooklands College at the start of the new term in September. Quite a few of them already are great athletes in swimming, football and running. The purpose of the visit to the Philip Southcote School was to introduce Special Olympics to some of the teachers.
Richard Horton, Head Teacher of the School said "We are looking forward to working in close partnership with the North Surrey School Sports Partnership and Special Olympics Surrey. This will give to our students the opportunity to access coaching and training facilities which would normally be denied to them".
