YEAR 9 STUDENTS LEAD BIGGEST EVER FOOTBALL SESSION – AND A FAMILIAR FACE VISITS! 

The ‘Biggest Ever Football Session’ is an initiative set up by England Football to provide a day of celebration and activity to inspire and empower young people through girl’s football. It also serves as a great way to celebrate International Women’s Day and to give older students a fantastic opportunity to take charge by organising and running the day, building essential leadership skills. 

The day was planned and led by a group of 16 Year 9 students who have been training as Sports Leaders since September and then more formally as Girls Football Activators as part of the ‘Barclays Game On – GO Lead’ programme since the end of January. 

13 teams of Year 3 and 4 girls from 11 different primary schools – almost 130 girls in total – attended the Biggest Ever Football Session as part of the #LetGirlsPlay campaign at Richmond School and Sixth Form College. 

The Activators ran skills sessions for the pupils, covering the basic skills of passing, receiving, dribbling, tackling and shooting. They then ran a round robin tournament giving everyone a little taste of competition with the main focus on having fun, getting involved and developing new skills. 

The teams attending the afternoon session were also treated to a visit from Rishi Sunak who joined in one of the games and then stayed for the presentation. 

Mrs Southgate, joint Lead Teacher of PE and main organiser of the event, said: “The Activators were outstanding. Their energy and enthusiasm were contagious and they were superb role models for the children. Their months of hard work and careful planning paid off and they provided a fun, inclusive football festival for the Year 3 and 4 girls in a bid to inspire the next generation of female footballers.” 

Thanks to all 11 primary schools for attending: 

BAWB, Brompton-on-Swale, Bolton-on-Swale, Colburn, Croft, Hawes, Hipswell, Michael Syddall, Reeth & Gunnerside, Richmond Methodist and Wavell  

Thanks especially to our wonderful team of Activators for making the Biggest Ever Football Session such a success! 

Nia Aston 

Jess Clapton 

Bea Corrance 

Maya Grant 

Chloe Mae Hanratty 

Rose Harris 

Alice Rhodes 

Tegan Smith 

Hannah Southworth-Gedye 

Layla Stead 

Evie Tasker 

Grace Tasker 

Mereseini Tikomailepanoni 

Lucie White 

Chloe Wilford 

Chloe Wood