21/11/2023

Giles up for Secondary School of the Year in national cricket awards

The outstanding contribution that Giles Academy makes to promoting sport in school has been recognised as we have been shortlisted for ‘Secondary School of the Year’ in a national cricket awards event.

The prestigious ‘Chance to Shine’ awards ceremony will be taking place at Lords Cricket Ground in London at an evening event on Wednesday 22nd November 2023. Giles Academy have been shortlisted for ‘Secondary School of the Year’ as one of only three schools out of over 300 participating secondary schools from across the UK.

Chance to Shine is a national charity to spread the power of cricket throughout schools and communities by giving children the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket. Using one of the fastest growing sports that is fully inclusive has enabled our students to develop skills like communication, leadership and perseverance that will benefit them throughout their life.

It is not difficult to understand why our school has been shortlisted for the award as there has been so many exciting opportunities made available for our students.

A Leadership Cricket Group was set up for Year 9 and 10 students (to develop talented sports players into future sports coaches), there is an after-school Girls Cricket Club for all years (enabling girls of all ages to get involved in cricket for the first time) and students have competed in matches against other schools in Lincolnshire.

Also, in the summer, students were invited to Trent Bridge in Nottingham to watch the Women’s Ashes against Australia, deliver coaching to primary children in the ground and were even interviewed on Sky Sports.

Prior to the awards ceremony, representatives from Chance to Shine visited Giles Academy to see students in action as they prepared coaching sessions to record a profile video that will be aired at the evening event.

Miss Belcher, Head of School said “Mrs Cooper and Mr Dodd have been instrumental in delivering all of the activities for our students and encouraging the promotion of cricket in the school. I would also like to thank Katie Falkner, Girls Development Officer from Chance to Shine for working with our students and giving them the opportunities to develop their leadership skills and confidence. To be shortlisted out of over three hundred secondary schools in the UK is a testament to their hard work and dedication.”