OUR PROGRAMME
At the heart of Breaking Boundaries is a network of State School Cricket Hubs across Sussex.
Each hub is designed to become a centre for cricket within its local community, connecting schools, students, teachers, clubs and families through a joined-up programme of activity.
Each hub will benefit from:
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Professional coaching delivered by
Sussex Cricket Foundation coaches -
Improved cricket facilities and equipment
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Teacher training and development
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After-school and holiday cricket programmes
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Competitive festivals and representative fixtures
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Partnerships with local recreational cricket clubs
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Clear talent pathways for aspiring players
The model is inspired by the success of Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, widely recognised as one of the leading state school cricket programmes in the country.
Our ambition is to create a connected network that gives every child in Sussex access to high-quality cricket opportunities within reach of their local community.
CURRICULUM DELIVERY PROGRAMME
“Across the full school year, every student in school will receive between 6 and 12 weeks of cricket as part of their PE provision”
Working closely in conjunction with the school PE departments, a programme of cricket will be embedded into the PE curriculum at all our hub schools, aimed at eliminating the previously talked about barriers to entry within the sport.
Every student will have the chance to play the game, whether it be for the first time, as part of an ongoing discovery within the sport, or as a player who plays the game already and wants to progress their skill level and potentially progress within the game professionally.
Our teacher CPD engagement ensures we’re focussed on a longer-term approach that can sustain participation for future years and inspire the students to have a passion for cricket, regardless of their previous experience, or background.
Our coaches help plan the sessions so that cricket is seen as a sport anyone can play and by working with the PE departments, but also being in the schools daily, they can build a programme that is understanding, relevant and standard-appropriate to all of the students, whilst ensuring it can achieve the schools’ expectations around the needs of the curriculum.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
“We are creating an opportunity and ambition focussed framework for all students to play within, so they can embrace and learn the game”
Whereas our curriculum provision will ensure accessibility is unquestioned for each and every student within all our schools, our extra-curricular provision is there to ensure those wanting more, have the opportunity to get it.
Standard-appropriate clubs and opportunities outside of curriculum time are put in place to satisfy demand, whether that be before-school clubs, after-school clubs, supervised lunchtime sessions, or 1:1 sessions with our coaches. The extra-curricular offerings are there to provide more access to the game in a way, and at a time that suits everyone.
Clubs are run for all year groups across the school, both boys and girls, with the introduction of multiple clubs per year group being phased in to ensure there is a standard-appropriate opportunity for all levels of the game within the school.
We are creating an opportunity and ambition focussed framework for all students to play within, so they can embrace and learn the game, within an environment that is comfortable and safe for them and their stage of development.
Clubs and extra-curricular sessions are being delivered by our coaches, as well as in conjunction with the existing school PE staff, who themselves have had great success in growing the demand to where it is and now being able to super charge the drive for increased participation.
ACCESS FOR ALL
Outside of our hub school focus, it’s important that all other young people from across the County have access and visibility of the opportunities we’re looking to provide.
We want no student in Sussex to be further than 35-40mins from an opportunity to be involved.
REGIONAL FRANCHISE DELIVERY
Initially, we are running a Y7/Y8 and Y9/Y10 boys team, and a Y7-Y10 girls team out of each hub venue. Based on advice from the schools themselves, the girls age side will be a broader age range to start with, but the intention is to split this into the same breakdown as the two boys’ teams, within 18-months.
These sides are aimed at the next step on the performance ladder and are a way of unearthing hidden talent, embedding a Talent ID framework across our state school system, and supporting the higher end performers to continue their journey within the game and support them to push for representative opportunities and more.
All secondary schools are invited to nominate their strongest players from across the three teams and open assessments are held, before squad selections are made. We look to align both the programme of delivery and the assessment criteria against the County Pathway Talent Framework, ensuring collaboration is in place alongside the County District programme, Pathway Leads and County age group managers.
These sides are then offered weekly sessions, based at the hub venues across the entirety of the school year, both indoors and out.
There will be half-term activity camps across the year, open to all players from across all the schools, irrespective of any individual selections and all the “partner” schools from across the local community will be offered the chance to have taster sessions, staff CPD, master-class sessions and a support within their cricket provision, across the school year, depending on individual need and areas of targeted focus for growth and engagement.