Active Schools Virtual Awards: Primary School Volunteer of the Year

Rebekah Smith

The children of Kirkliston PS adore Rebekah, she has the most caring manner and she has a way of making everyone feel important. She has been an active PEPAS (Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport) member and is compiling a syllabus to marry that of the high school. She has introduced some new clubs into the extra-curricular programme including a morning Fitness Class and a Running Club for pupils. Rebekah has been working closely with her Active Schools Coordinator to identify pupils requiring a scholarship to be able to participate in activities as well as creating a Sports Council who she keeps very involved with all things sport at school.

She also appreciates the role of celebrating and recognising sporting achievements. Rebekah has organised an Annual Sports Recognition Awards Ceremony that encompasses house points which children can gain across the course of the year.

Brendan Creaney

Brendan is the sporting backbone of his school. He is the PE specialist and class teacher, sports council representative and PEPAS representative, Active Schools link and also now voluntarily runs 3 after school clubs. He volunteers a minimum of 4 hours a week each term and leads on the Sports Committee and takes the school football teams each Saturday morning. Brendan works very closely with the school’s ASC and is always keen to encourage more pupils to take part in sports. He wants to break down barriers and offers these activities free for all pupils. An additional total of 55 pupils now take part in Active School’s clubs each week this year entirely because of Brendan.

Nothing is ever too much for Brendan. He works incredibly hard with a passion and belief that all pupils should be able to access sports and physical activity.

Mark Douglas

Mark Douglas is Victoria Primary School Sport! Mark is a fulltime PE teacher at the school and is the go to man for anything to do with school sport. In terms of Active Schools, Mark is heavily involved in what’s going on in the school. Each term he coaches 3 sessions per week for both lunchtime clubs and after school clubs.  When he’s not leading a club he is on hand to support if needed. He also leads the P4-5 and P6-7 football teams on Saturday mornings. To summarise, Mark is involved with an Active Schools club every day of the week except from a Sunday!

Over the past two years, Victoria PS Distinct Participants – individual pupils involved in school sport - has grown from 17% to 42%. Without Mark’s involvement, his enthusiasm and his relationship with his pupils, the school would not have seen this sizeable growth of pupils getting involved in sport and physical activity.