Case studies
The Girls in Sport Intervention and Research Project
is an initiative of the Department of Education and Communities
in partnership with the University of Wollongong consortium
2008 – 2011.
© NSW Department of Education and Communities 2011
Re-production of this work in whole or part for educational purposes, within an educational
institution and on condition that it is not offered for sale, is permitted by the NSW
Department of Education and Communities
INTRODUCTION
The Girls in Sport Intervention and Research Project is a multi-component school and
community-based intervention research project aimed at increasing the moderate to vigorous
physical activity levels of girls in Years 8-10 by creating environments that encourage and
support the full involvement of girls in every aspect of physical activity.
In 2008 the Department of Education and Communities engaged a consortium of
researchers led by the University of Wollongong to carry out a three year longitudinal study
using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodology to measure the
effectiveness of strategies introduced in local school settings.
In consultation with academic researchers and supported by a Premier’s Sporting Challenge
Project Officer, intervention school action learning teams were encouraged to form a
committee to implement a range of strategies addressing the specific needs and interests of
girls in Years 8-10. A grant of $10000 per school was provided to support changes and
facilitate the study.
The intervention schools were pair-matched with control schools – based on the population
of Year 8 girls, socio-economic background characteristics and the organisational structure
of school sport – who agreed to maintain existing practice and policy during the study.
INTERVENTION
SCHOOLS
Picnic Point HS
CONTROL SCHOOLS
Elderslie HS
East Hills Girls HS
Riverside Girls HS
Warilla HS
Bulli HS
Grafton HS
Inverell HS
Narrabri HS
Richmond River HS
Colyton HS
Callaghan College – Waratah Campus
Glendale HS
Toronto HS
Gorokan HS
Greystanes HS
Mulwaree HS
Keira HS
Goulburn HS
Moss Vale HS
Manilla CS
Uralla CS
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Berkeley Vale Campus
Lambton HS
Following is a profile of the 12 intervention schools and an outline of the project work
conducted during the study. Each school has a plan, actions, outcomes and key learnings that
emerged from its involvement in the Girls in Sport Intervention and Research Project.
School 1: Colyton Trade School HS
Location: Metropolitan
Population: 840
NESB %: 36
ATSI%: 9
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
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Empower girls by raising self-esteem & improving body image
Raise awareness and use of local community sport facilities.
Actions:
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Engage local sport providers to inform girls of opportunities
Single-sex PE and sport groups available
Individual student card to monitor participation
Reward activities eg surf school
Outcomes:
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Low/nil cost activities for girls only
Higher rates of participation in PE classes and sport options
School gym designed for girls
Key Learnings:
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Engage parents in program
School 2: East Hills Girls Technology HS
Location: Metropolitan
Population: 930
NESB %: 23
ATSI%: 2
SES: Medium
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Scattered
Plan:
 Review existing sport model available to junior years
 Cater for diverse cultural groups
 Improve knowledge and group management skills of non-HPE
teachers in sport environment
Actions:
 Student Representative Council to run school based activities
 Professional learning workshops available for non-HPE teachers of
sport
Outcomes:
 Improved sport sessions matching
teacher delivery to students’
expectations
Key learnings:
 Build whole school profile
for program
 Integrate change into existing
structure of school
School 3: Glendale Technology HS
Location: Regional - urban
Population: 785
NESB %:
ATSI%: 9
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Increase attendance and participation of all girls at sport
 Reduce social barriers to girls’ involvement in sport
 Include girls in decision-making process
Actions:
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Discover and respond to girls’ interests
Offer exclusive girls’ sport choices for 2 terms
Track attendance data
Share responsibility to deliver lunchtime activities
Outcomes:
 Improvement in attendance and fractional truancy figures
 Enthusiastic support for special events eg Amazing Race
 Key teachers and senior students inspire girls
Key Learnings:
 Embed sustainable change in school management plan
 Offer diverse and challenging sport options to raise engagement
levels
 Involve senior student role models in new programs.
School 4: Gorokan HS
Location: Regional - urban
Population: 996
NESB %: 5
ATSI%: 12
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Reduce truancy and partial leave rates on sport day
 Improve engagement of girls in sport and physical activity
 Address gender construction that reinforces passive role of girls at
sport
Actions:
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Provide girls only sport options eg Zumba
Reduce length of sport seasons to increase variety
Offer community sport experiences
Consult students over barriers to participation
Outcomes:
 New sport uniform for girls
 Attendance at school carnivals up by 15% for Year 10 girls, sport
attendance improved
 More staff using new skills to deliver sport options
Key Learnings:
 Create a consistent message
 Share responsibility for delivery of
outcomes through committee.
School 5: Goulburn HS
Location: Regional - rural
Population: 560
NESB %: 3
ATSI%: 3
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Create strong “brand” for girls sport
 Improve resources and environment to improve engagement
 Involve staff across faculties
Actions:
 Re-structure HPE class organisation option
 Source “pink” products
 Build community links
Outcomes:
 Improved staff morale
 Directory of community providers
 “GLAMA” noticeboard
Key Learnings:
 Involve P & C to access wider community
support
 Develop relationships with local provider
to meet specific needs of girls.
School 6: Grafton HS
Location: Rural
Population: 920
NESB %: 1
ATSI%: 8
SES: Mixed
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Scattered
Plan:
 Improve staff enthusiasm for sport
 Encourage girls to take leadership roles in sport
 Increase girls’ confidence in physical activity sessions
Actions:
 Single sex HPE and sport classes offered as option
 Sport equipment available at lunchtime
 Professional development sessions for staff
Outcomes:
 Increased participation and less refusals in HPE lessons
 Improved links to community sport providers
 Lower student: teacher ratios for new sports
Key Learnings:
 Access professional learning
opportunities in local area
 Ensure executive support to assist change.
School 7: Lambton HS
Location: Regional - rural
Population: 1059
NESB %: 11
ATSI%: 1.5
SES: Mixed
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Achieve more equitable gender balance in school sport participation
 Survey teacher and student attitude toward sport
 Raise awareness of local facilities
Actions:
 Use data from surveys to inform activities for Staff Development
Day
 Hold forums for girls to promote personal choice
 Games for Understanding method adopted in more HPE classes
Outcomes:
 Student council informs on sport choices
Key Learnings:
 Inform whole school staff of rationale for change
 Value student voice in decision-making process
School 8: Manilla CS
Location: Rural
Population: 369
NESB %: 0
ATSI%: 16
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Whole school to be included in changes
 Focus on staff skills in managing and delivering sport
 New house system
Actions:
 Ongoing professional learning for sport staff
 Girls committee directly influencing sport choices
 Lunchtime activities run by students
Outcomes:
 Weekly sport resource for teachers
 Significant boost in attendance and engagement levels
 Community involvement in school sport program
 New sport uniform for girls
Key Learnings:
 Overt principal support is essential
 Apply strategies across whole school
 Discover talent in local community
School 9: Mulwaree HS
Location: Rural
Population: 742
NESB %: 2
ATSI%: 3
SES: Mixed
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Integrated
Plan:
 Create a “sport” option for Year 8
 Offer girls more leisure/non- competitive options in HPE and sport
 Promote awareness amongst families and local community
Actions:
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Change carnival programs to include novelty events
Student and staff survey to identify interests
Seek local support for girls only activities
Establish sports council
Outcomes:
 Year 8 sport a fixture in timetable
 HPE curriculum adapted to reinforce “healthy moving” message
 Girls given higher priority for sport choices
Key Learnings:
 Offer leadership roles to girls
 Adapt activities and uniform to local conditions
School 10: Narrabri HS
Location: Rural
Population: 600
NESB %: 0
ATSI%: 10
SES: Mixed
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Amend male-dominated sport program
 Address welfare issues through GLOW program
 Offer appropriate seasonal activities
Actions:
 Lunchtime program for girls offered in new facility
 Non- teacher provider resent program option
 Engage local academic to facilitate change process
Outcomes:
 Project included in key messages of school-based PBL initiative RISE (Respect, Involvement, Success and Engagement)
 SES cadet program encouraged girls to participate
Key Learnings:
 Find a project “champion
 Appreciate the inertia caused by
tradition
 Seek key drivers of change.
School 11: Picnic Point HS
Location: Metropolitan
Population: 960
NESB %: 17
ATSI%: 1.5
SES: Mixed
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
 Change system for sport choices
 Vary sport options to respond to girls’ interests
 Invigorate culture of participation in school sport
Actions:
 Specialist instructors hired to meet girls’ needs
 Create a Girls in Sport student committee involving all year groups
 Information sessions for staff
Outcomes:
 Weight gym open to girls
 Decrease in sport truancy rates
 All “House” sport options abolished form school program
Key Learnings:
 Use data to inform change
 Represent a range of student interests on committees
School 12: Warilla HS
Location: Regional - urban
Population: 1200
NESB %: 15
ATSI%: 6.5
SES: Low
Organisation of sport for Year 8: Traditional
Plan:
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Improve access for girls to playground facilities
Introduce alternative HPE options to motivate girls
Offer “taster day” experience in local community
Allow HPE uniform to be worn to school
Actions:
 Videotape students to quantify girls’ participation levels
 Increase variety of girl-friendly sport options
 Design dance/gym resources and facilities for lunchtime use by girls
Outcomes:
 Improved faculty understanding of gender impact in physical
learning environment
 Refined scope and sequence in HPE
 Engaged local community sport providers
Key Learnings:
 Set realistic targets and timeframe for change
 Embed new practices and opportunities into regular sport program.
The Girls in Sport Intervention and Research Project has been a
successful partnership between the NSW Department of Education and
Communities, individual schools and universities.