than a game - lta.org.uk

Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016 An overview of all the resources and support available to colleges

Funding partner

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Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016 Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016

Community Links“Tennis at QMC has been one of the most successful sports over the last ten years. We have a very good link with the local club, Totally Tennis, and in conjunction with them have raised the profile of the sport in the College, both from a participation perspective for staff and students, as well as a performance one. The College competes in all available tournaments and the students have annual trips to Wimbledon and the ATP World Tour Finals.”

Sarah Goldson Assistant Head of PE, Queen Mary’s College

Sport Study ProgrammesNewcastle College sports students received Tennis Leaders training ahead of them supporting at the Tony Blair Sports Foundation Year 3 Tennis Competition.

“It’s been great to link everything up between ourselves, the LTA and also Newcastle City Council. The courses have been really well received and we are looking forward to the students putting into practice their new skills and experience.”

Marc SteutelSports Lecturer, Newcastle College

Enrichment Support“The support from the Tennis Foundation has initiated a new tennis programme at our college which has helped to meet the needs of our students and provided a more fulfilling and purposeful sports programme. Tennis has been effective in helping students adopt a healthy lifestyle and it has also been effective in bringing individuals and groups of students together. Tennis at our college has provided a platform for many students to develop new friendships.”

Benji EvansCollege Sport Maker, Walford & North Shropshire College

Inclusive Tennis“We have seen almost all of the Skills for Work & Life students (approximately 100 students) engage with the tennis programme, with the majority of them attending each week. For us the vital factors affecting its success is that it was easily accessible to our students. By removing the often difficult barriers we enabled a larger cohort of students to access the programme.”

Kim HumphreySport Co-ordinator, Carshalton College

Enrichment Support“The FE tennis programme within Petroc has contributed hugely to the development and experiences our students receive during their education. It has supported our vision for student enrichment alongside offering key opportunities to increase employability. Through working in partnership with the Tennis Foundation and Tarka Tennis Centre we have been able to access qualified coaches to deliver regular tennis sessions. I also think the simplicity of the tennis formats on offer work well with students who wish to turn up and play. Exit routes with Tarka Tennis Centre and our in house academies have worked well with players having the knowledge to develop and experience several formats of the game.”

Stephen Berry College Sport Maker, Petroc College

Workforce Development“We have been offering more opportunities to play short tennis during lunch times and sports afternoons. Our students are also involved in the delivery of Tennis Festivals to local primary schools. The support from the Tennis Foundation has allowed our students to gain additional training and qualifications and learn a new sport. They now have the confidence to pass on this training and engage local primary children in tennis for the first time.”

Gary Anderson Sport Programme Manager, Scotland’s Rural College, Elmwood

@TennisFndation #fetennis

Colleges across Great Britain are using tennis as a tool to enrich and widen the student experience. Tennis can be enjoyed by everyone and it can be delivered in a variety of formats to support cross-college objectives.Choose tennis… for your enrichment programmes and to engage

and encourage your students to take part in physical activity more regularly.

Choose tennis… to train, develop and up-skill your learners for the future, giving them a step up when it comes to higher education or employability.

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IntroductionWelcome to the Guide to Further Education Tennis – More than a Game, which provides an overview of all the resources and support available to the Further Education sector from the Tennis Foundation and Lawn Tennis Association.

What can tennis do for my college?Tennis is fun, great for fitness and can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities. You don’t even need tennis courts to play – it can be played in sports halls, gyms or multi-sports areas and a range of adapted equipment and modified versions of the game are available, to ensure tennis can be played by everyone who wants to pick up a racket.

This year’s Guide to Further Education Tennis highlights how colleges across Great Britain are using tennis to enrich and widen the student experience.

Colleges can access a range of support and resources aimed across five key areas:

Sport Study Programmes Enrichment

Workforce Development Competition

Linking with Local Tennis Venues and Coaches

The Tennis Foundation first launched the Further Education Tennis Programme in September 2011, with the key objective being to grow and sustain the number of young people aged 16 to 19 years participating, competing, volunteering and coaching tennis. The Tennis Foundation is able to provide support to all further education colleges to help increase and improve tennis provision.

Regional LTA teams will identify colleges in priority areas, as well as colleges that have been proactive, to offer an enhanced package of support which will build upon the core offer. Selected colleges will be able to access up to £700 of revenue funding, allocated towards a detailed College Tennis Action Plan which links the college to their local authority’s tennis plan.

In return for the enhanced support, colleges will be expected to demonstrate their commitment to increasing regular participation and supporting workforce development.

The Tennis Foundation and the LTA are committed to promoting safe and inclusive tennis environments for all.

We do this by helping tennis people and venues to:

1. Recognise – the signs and indicators of abuse, neglect and discrimination, as well as recognise and respect diversity and individual needs of members.

2. Respond – to situations of abuse, neglect or discrimination, and be confident in taking positive action to meet the individual needs of members.

3. Refer – any safeguarding or equality concerns to their Welfare Officer and develop confidence and knowledge by seeking information, resources and support from appropriate individuals and organisations.

4. Record – concerns using the Safeguarding Concern Form, report discrimination and abuse and document success stories which help to share learning and promote best practice.

Contents Introduction .............................................................................. 05

Sport Study Programmes ......................................................... 06

Enrichment ................................................................................ 08

Sports Leadership and Workforce Development ................... 12

Workforce Development Progression ..................................... 14

Competition ............................................................................... 16

Linking with Local Tennis Venues and Coaches .................... 18

College Tennis Self Review....................................................... 22

About Us The Tennis Foundation is Great Britain’s leading tennis charity. Our vision is a sport which is truly inclusive and accessible in every kind of community. Our aim is to provide opportunities to encourage people to maximise their potential through tennis. We work closely with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and a wide range of partners from across all sectors to deliver our vision and aim. For more information please go to: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk

The Tennis Foundation are delighted to report that during 2014-2015, we supported over 230 further education colleges through our Further Education Tennis Programme core offer. In addition to this, the regional LTA teams supported over 80 colleges through the enhanced package of support which builds upon the core offer.

We have developed an offer of resources and support to increase the opportunities for young people to both enjoy tennis and to learn through the sport.

College Tennis Self ReviewIn this year’s guide you’ll find a self-review tool to audit your current provision and provide further ideas on how to use tennis to enrich and widen the student experience.


To complete your self review, please turn to page 22.

Quick guide to tennis productsThe following products are already proving popular in colleges:

touchtennis - A modified version of tennis using smaller courts, shorter rackets and sponge balls - our key product for recreational players and ‘tennis newbies’ in colleges and universities.

Cardio Tennis - A fun, sociable group fitness class set on a tennis court which can alternatively be delivered in a sports hall.

Timed Tennis - A simple competition format based on playing short timed matches, making it easy to plan and set up intra-college competitions.

Tennis Leaders - A tennis themed leadership course which can be delivered by college sports staff. Tennis Leaders is the first step on the tennis pathway for volunteering and assisting with the delivery of coaching and competitions.

Free resources and promotional

material for colleges to run intra-college

Timed Tennis Competitions

College sports staff can access free resources to

deliver the Tennis Leaders modules. These

can be incorporated into Sport Study

Programmes.

College sports staff can access a free three-hour

Cardio Tennis Teacher Training Course to provide

them with the skills and resources to set up Cardio Tennis at the

college

A range of downloadable

resources available on the Further Education pages of the website, to support

colleges to incorporate tennis into Enrichment

and Sport Study Programmes

A free tennis equipment pack for

all colleges wishing to run touchtennis as part of

their enrichment programme (limited to one per college and

if the college has not previously received one). If accessing a free equipment pack, the college will

be required to complete a simple online monitoring

form twice per year.

offercore

Access support through our

Available to all colleges

Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016 Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016@TennisFndation #fetennis

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Sport Study ProgrammesWe have developed a wide range of study resources which are easily accessible via our website. Sports staff are now incorporating tennis into Sport Study Programmes providing greater variety for learners.

A number of colleges are now building touchtennis into the Practical Sports unit so more learners can access the modified version of the game.

Colleges are also delivering the Tennis Leaders course as part of the Sports Coaching and Leadership in Sport units, culminating with the learners delivering local primary school competitions and festivals.

Links to Qualifications Working closely with the further education sector, the Tennis Foundation has produced an online resource called Links to Qualifications which provides support and guidance to sports lecturers and students alike. The resource provides direct links to a variety of useful documents and resources mapped against BTEC Level 3 Sport units, providing innovative methods of study, research, delivery and assessment in a way that is engaging and sector-specific. There are great ideas that will help bring tennis to life in your classrooms and practical areas of study, as well as support the delivery of your qualifications. Links to Qualifications highlights where British tennis resources can support the delivery of vocational study in further education and we hope that it will prove a valuable resource for both staff and students. A number of colleges are already using the resource and have signposted the link on their Virtual Learning Environment systems.

Student Self-Study Support The Links to Qualifications document can support learners as well as lecturers in researching tennis and national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) as part of a qualification.

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Links to Qualifications 2015 BTEC Units

More than a gameFunding partner

Case Studies

The Links to Qualifications document can be accessed at: wwww.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation

The College of West AngliaOver the past four years tennis has expanded from being a sports student’s only activity to engaging a large portion of the wider college community. Much of the success has been down to the staff and College Sport Maker, Sara Edwards, seeing the positive impact tennis can have on the student experience. Sara tells us how tennis has become so popular at the College of West Anglia.

The tennis equipment provided by the Tennis Foundation has helped to introduce these students in particular to tennis - ESOL, Foundation, Uniformed Services, Childcare and Construction students, have all participated in weekly sports activities including forms of tennis such as Cardio Tennis. These sessions have taken place either at the College Sports Campus, at local parks or at the main college site. With no sports facilities at the main college, the pop-up tennis nets have been a great resource, not only for the groups participating, but also as a great advertising tool to attract new players. The tennis sessions have been coached either by student leaders or local tennis coaches with the tutors assisting where possible. To help the tutors understand the game of tennis they have been invited to attend the Inclusive Tennis Teacher Training Course and additional teacher training courses. The feedback from the tutors has been extremely positive with the majority asking for more tennis specific courses.

As well as the tutors receiving additional training, over 60 student sports leaders have completed the LTA Tennis Leaders award. Since completing this award students have gone on to coach primary and secondary students, coaching a variety of skills and organising tennis games and tournaments.

Newcastle CollegeThe sports staff and students at Newcastle College have worked with Jo Cunliffe from the LTA regional team in their area to support the Tony Blair Sports Foundation (TBSF) Year 3 Tennis Competition.

With the increased pressure to find the vital volunteers to help run schools competitions, Jo used Newcastle College to support with delivery. This fitted with Newcastle College’s aspirations to further the opportunities for the Tennis Leaders they were training as part of the enhanced college offer.

Key Successes: Increased exposure for the college

Early intervention through establishing a College Tennis Action Plan and setting up a Tennis Leaders course within the Sport Study Programme

16 students being identified and supporting at Level 2 schools competitions

Link to TBSF means they have the potential to access coaching bursaries

Helps to maintain the reputation of the high quality competition

Further increased interest in tennis for the students

“Attending the Tennis Leaders course has helped me to grow as a tennis coach; I learnt new skills and techniques and why we specifically coach this way. The Tennis Leaders award gave me the confidence to coach tennis and since completing I have achieved my Level 1 Tennis Coaching Award.”

Sam RobinsonLevel Two Coaching and Leadership Course

“Over the four years we have been lucky enough to secure support from the Tennis Foundation and LTA, we have been able to engage more than 1200 learners with tennis playing either the traditional format of the game, modified versions or through volunteering in the sport. Without their support we would not have been able to see such a positive impact on our students.”

Sara EdwardsCollege Sport Maker


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“We have introduced touchtennis to a number of students who had never tried it before, and, thanks to the partnership with Manchester Met University, we can provide a coach who makes the sessions enjoyable to attend. Another positive is the students we have signed up to the Tennis Leadership Course and they will support the delivery of local tennis events.”

Sam NightingaleCollege Sport Maker The Manchester College

“I’ve never seen my students so interested and engaged during a sports enrichment session as I have with this Cardio Tennis scheme. Their level of concentration and commitment to the coach, the content and ethos of sessions has exceeded my expectations!”

Lisa HillmanLecturer in Leisure Studies

EnrichmentIs your college looking for creative ways to encourage your students to take part in sport more regularly?

Try touchtennis and Cardio Tennis to get your students hooked on being active.

touchtennis (a new updated version of Short Tennis)

Playing tennis is great fun and by using modified equipment and space, everyone can achieve, whether they have played before or not. Mini Tennis (or Short Tennis) is an established modified version of the sport that has assisted many young children to develop their skills before heading onto the full court. Seeing the immediate benefits of using shorter rackets, softer balls and smaller courts has encouraged us to introduce these modifications to the more mature learner, making tennis more accessible for people of all ages and ability levels. In September 2015 we are launching touchtennis as our key product for recreational players and ‘tennis newbies’ in colleges and universities.

Another great benefit of touchtennis is that you don’t need a tennis court – it can be played in a sports hall, on badminton courts, any large indoor space, or even on a free strip of car park.

This modified version of the sport will allow more further education students to participate at a level that is appropriate for them, which improves their achievement, making them want to play again.

touchtennis is completely inclusive, disabled people can play against their non-disabled friends and take part in inclusive sessions and/or impairment specific sessions. A number of colleges are linking up with their local Disability Tennis Network and incorporating tennis into enrichment programmes for their foundation learners and learners with a disability.

A range of 70 touchtennis activity cards covering warm-ups, basics, drills, tricks and competitions are available to download online via our further education web pages. You will also find a variety of resources, ideas and formats for organising intra-college competition.

Cardio Tennis Cardio Tennis is a tennis inspired workout played to up-tempo music.

It’s a fun group activity that features drills and games providing a high energy workout and it is suitable for everyone from those who haven’t played tennis before to more advanced players. By using low compression balls, it allows everyone to have a great cardio workout whilst being able to achieve and improve tennis skills at the same time. Cardio Tennis is completely inclusive allowing disabled people to participate at different ability levels.

Staff Training: The three-hour Cardio Tennis Teacher Training Course has been developed to provide college sports lecturers and secondary school PE teachers with the knowledge and skills to deliver Cardio Tennis within a college or school environment.

The Tennis Foundation provide annual funding to the LTA Regional teams to enable lecturers and teachers to attend courses for free. Contact your LTA Regional Office to book onto a local course.

“The Tennis Foundation and LTA have been very proactive with helping us to offer tennis on our enrichment programme. Through the support of local qualified tennis coaches we have seen steady numbers accessing tennis on our enrichment programme and this has resulted in tennis becoming a permanent feature on our enrichment timetable.”

Vicky Froud College Sport Maker Fareham College

More info... Find out more about

touchtennis and Cardio Tennis and download resources at: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation - select: Enrichment Support

Contact your LTA Regional Office for details of local coaches who are trained in delivering Cardio Tennis, or details of how to book staff onto a Cardio Tennis Teacher Training Course at: www.lta.org.uk/in-your-area - select: County

To access a free touchtennis equipment pack (limited to one per college and if the college has not previously received one) please contact the Education team: [email protected]


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EquipmentThrough our Core Offer to colleges we are able provide a free equipment pack for any colleges wishing to run touchtennis or Cardio Tennis as part of their enrichment programme (limited to one per college and if the college has not previously received one). All colleges accessing a free equipment pack will be required to complete a simple online monitoring form twice per year.

“touchtennis Tuesdays have been a fantastic way to engage students in a new activity which ordinarily we would not be able to offer. It’s great that it can be set up anywhere and does not require a dedicated sports facility. Students enjoy the ‘drop in, drop out’ approach that this activity offers.”

Kim Eschbaecher College Sport Maker, City College Plymouth

Free Tennis

Equipment Packs

Each pack contains:

30x Small 21” tennis rackets

30x Outdoor low compression balls

30x Indoor sponge balls

1x 6m tennis net

1x Roll of barrier tape (can be used to extend your net)

“Sport England fully support the great partnerships that the Tennis Foundation and LTA continue to build with further education colleges. Tennis is one of the most popular sports delivered by colleges funded through our ‘Active Colleges’ investment. This is largely due to the broad and relevant menu of opportunities and resources that the Tennis Foundation has developed through working closely with the sector to ensure the offer is appropriate for both colleges and students. Creative products such as Cardio Tennis and Tennis Leaders have been successful in engaging and developing students as participants, competitors and leaders and we look forward to continue working with tennis this year to ensure more students enjoy and benefit from this work.”

Katie Mitchell Head of Further Education, Sport England

Case Studies

Solihull College uses ‘pop-up tennis’ to promote enrichment sessionsIn a effort to drum up some interest for the new lunch time Short Tennis sessions, Natalie Wilcox (College Sport Maker) decided to use the concept of ‘pop-up tennis’ to take tennis to the students, showing them what fun they can have with a sponge ball and short racket on a small court!

Natalie has been thrilled with the success, “This has been a fantastic marketing tool to promote the weekly Short

Tennis sessions to students from all areas of the college. We have ‘popped up’ in the canteen, the student centre, the main entrance, the sports centre and the sixth form centre, this has enabled us to reach areas of the college with students who are typically disengaged. This has had a positive knock-on impact, with Short Tennis being one of the best attended sports sessions at the college!”

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Weymouth CollegeWeymouth College were keen to diversify their tennis offer and provide enrichment tennis sessions for students on Foundation Learning courses.

The college had a clear goal from the start and the project clearly cut across a number of cross-college objectives - study programme provision, inclusion, volunteering and community links. The Tennis Foundation provided additional funding to support costs for the festival, Tennis Leaders training, kit and weekly sessions. The key to making the project a success was the effective communication and planning between the college staff, in particular Ben Heath, who drives the college tennis programme, local coach Julien Lawes and the special schools themselves.

The impact of the project was huge as it engaged many people within the college with Foundation Learners receiving weekly tennis coaching and sports students attending Tennis Leaders training to enable them to deliver sessions at local special schools. The media department also created a video and used this as a project within their course qualification. Ultimately this project showcased how tennis can enrich people’s lives and serve to be much more than a game! Ben Heath felt that the project made a real difference to the students who trained as Tennis Leaders:

“This is a great opportunity for our students to learn how to work with a wide range of abilities, adapting their plans and delivery to meet the individual needs of the participants. It is also a brilliant addition to the tennis programme we have been working on with the Tennis Foundation over the last four years.”

By working in partnership with the Tennis Foundation, Weymouth College wanted to achieve the following:

Provide weekly tennis coaching sessions (6 weeks+) for students with learning disabilities

Strengthen their successful link with Weymouth Tennis Club

Run Tennis Leaders training for sports students

Deliver a tennis festival for their Foundation Learners and invite students from two local special schools to attend

Students who attended the Tennis Leaders training were to support this event being delivered by Weymouth Tennis Club

Create a short video to capture the festival

Following the festival, students who attended the Tennis Leaders course were tasked to put their skills into practice and continue to provide regular tennis sessions at the college and for the two special schools in the local community

Build upon the above on a yearly basis


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Student Tennis AmbassadorsIf you want to promote tennis at your college why not recruit a Student Tennis Ambassador, or a small team of ambassadors, to support staff with promoting and delivering your tennis enrichment sessions? Your ambassador does not have to be a regular tennis player but they could be a proactive sports leader with an interest in tennis, who can help to drive tennis participation in the college.

A few examples of their role could include:

Promoting tennis as part of your enrichment programme (including traditional, touchtennis or Cardio Tennis)

Promoting these opportunities at Freshers Fair and throughout the year

Leading some of the enrichment activities which could be ‘tennis tasters’, lunch clubs or intra-college competitions

Leading a small group of ambassadors to help set up student-led activity

Taking a lead role to help your staff train and mentor sports leaders to support primary school tennis activities e.g. festivals, competitions, curriculum support

Colleges being supported at a local level through our enhanced offer are eligible to apply for funding to support the training of their ambassador (a personal development award of £200, which can be used towards a Level 1 or Level 2 Coaching Award).

We are launching the Tennis Ambassadors Network to support the growing number of Tennis Ambassadors in colleges and universities. All ambassadors will be invited to attend regional training in October, followed by networking events, further training opportunities and signposting to work placements and volunteering opportunities.

Sports Leadership and Workforce DevelopmentWe know that colleges want to set their learners up for success in the workplace, not to mention success in college and life generally. Tennis can provide opportunities for learners to develop a variety of transferable skills and build confidence through vocational experiences; this can give them a step up when it comes to higher education or employability.

Choose tennis… to train, develop and skill your learners for the future.

Tennis Leaders Tennis Leaders is the first step on the tennis and sport career pathway for volunteering and potentially, paid employment. It has been designed to offer a wide range of opportunities to young people aged 13 years plus, providing them with enhanced leadership skills and experience.

The Tennis Leaders content can specifically contribute to the following BTEC Level 3 Sport units: Sports Coaching, Leadership in Sport and Organising Sports Events.

Tennis Leaders can now be delivered by qualified and active teachers or lecturers, as well as licensed and registered coaches (Level 3 upwards) without the need to go on any specific training. All you need is the Tutor Workbook and Tennis Leaders Workbooks which are available free of charge from your LTA Regional Office.

There are five Tennis Leaders modules but you need to complete the Core Module first before working through any of the additional four modules. As a minimum, to receive their free certificate and t-shirt, learners will need to complete the Core Module plus one additional module.

Core Module - Introduction to Tennis (3 hours)

Additional Modules (2 hours each):

• Helping at a competition

• Helping at your school

• Volunteering at your tennis venue

• Leading a practice session

Deliver the Tennis Leaders modules and deploy your sport leaders to support activity in local primary schools or community tennis venues.

More info... Volunteering in tennis is a

great way for young people to build upon their skills and experiences and increase the opportunities available to them in employment. There are lots of ways young people can get involved in volunteering in tennis including helping to organise competitions, becoming a Tennis Leader or attending a young volunteer event.

Find out more about Tennis Leaders at: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation - select: Workforce Development.

To order your free Tennis Leaders resources please contact your LTA regional office, contact details are available on the back cover.

Free Tennis Leader

Workbooks available

“I’m not a regular tennis player but through doing my Tennis Ambassador training course and the Tennis Leaders programme I have improved many of my leadership skills. I am now able to lead confidently and motivate people to play tennis.”

Milena Benedetto Student Tennis Ambassador at Weymouth College

British Tennis Youth GroupBritish tennis now has its very own youth group for young people aged 16-25. The group work with the Tennis Foundation and LTA on the development of new offers and campaigns aimed at young people. Members of the group represent the interests of the young people in the sport at a national level, and also decide which ideas and projects get financial support through a Youth Legacy Fund. Tennis Ambassadors in colleges and universities will be encouraged to apply during 2016 when we open the next round of applications.


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Inclusive Tennis Teacher Training CourseMany disabled young people have the ability to participate fully in tennis, with little or no adaptations. However, for some pupils with more limited functional or physical abilities, tennis activities can be adapted to ensure that all young people enjoy their experience and can achieve. To support special school teachers, and those teaching disabled young people in mainstream education, we have developed a package of innovative training, resources and equipment.

This course is available to be delivered to a group of further education students and/or further education teaching staff and it will provide a practical understanding of how tennis can be adapted and delivered to a class of children with a range of abilities in a small space. It can also specifically contribute to the following BTEC Level 3 Sport units: Sports Coaching, Leadership in Sport and Current Issues in Sport (see Links to Qualifications document).

A number of colleges have already accessed this training course and as a result, the students have supported with delivering tennis sessions for young disabled people within their own college and local special schools.

Coaching ApprenticeshipThe LTA is working in partnership with tennis venues and employers to offer Coaching Apprenticeships at Level 2 and Level 3.

This is an innovative programme developed for young people aged 16-24 years who want to pursue a full-time professional career in coaching.

Delivered through the Government’s apprenticeship scheme, it offers effective training and coaching qualifications and includes specialist mentoring by coach education tutors. The apprenticeship also provides a work-based learning pathway, offering the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’.

More info... Find out more about the

teacher training courses at: www.tennisfoundation. org.uk/furthereducation - select: Workforce Development

To discuss setting up a course at your college or to access a place on a local course, please contact your local LTA Regional Office - details at: www.lta.org.uk/in-your-area - select: County

Find out more about our Coaching Apprenticeship programme at: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation - select: Workforce Development

“Tennis is now firmly established as a option at Barnet and Southgate College (BSC). If you are a good, passionate or committed Tennis player and want to improve your level of play and start your journey towards employment within the game, BSC is the place to facilitate that. We have been assisted in this process though some financial support and perhaps more crucially, networking. Our partner club (Hazelwood Sports Club) was identified through the LTA as well as our coach education partners (inspire2coach).”

James Edgerley Sports Development Officer, Barnet and Southgate College

“The inclusive tennis teacher training course has given staff the knowledge and skills to provide a more inclusive environment for our tennis sessions at Derwen College.”

Stephen Evans Sport and Leisure Coordinator, Derwen College

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Workforce Development ProgressionIf your college are already organising tennis related leadership and volunteering opportunities you might like to consider some of the options under this section to extend provision. There are three teacher training courses that are aimed at up-skilling teachers, but we can also offer tailored versions of these courses to colleges who wish to train up their staff and students if they are supporting the delivery of tennis in local schools.

Colleges being supported at a local level through our enhanced offer may be eligible for funding to cover the LTA Tutor fees for delivering a course on the college site. Colleges supported through our core offer should contact their LTA Regional Office about how to access places on local courses.

Primary School Teacher Training CourseThis three-hour course course is available to be delivered to a group of further education students and/or further education teaching staff and it will provide a practical understanding of how tennis can be delivered in primary schools. It can also specifically contribute to the following BTEC Level 3 Sport units: Sports Coaching and Leadership in Sport (see Links to Qualifications document). The course offers an insight into the structuring of a primary schools tennis session, the modifications that can be employed, and the range of innovative resources available to engage and instruct participants. Students who attend the three-hour course are provided with a range of Primary Schools Tennis resources to help them further with their studies.

Secondary School Teacher Training CourseThe three-hour course is available to be delivered to a group of further education students and/or further education sports teaching staff and it will provide a practical understanding of how tennis can be delivered in secondary schools. It can also specifically contribute to the following BTEC Level 3 Sport units: Sports Coaching and Leadership in Sport (see Links to Qualifications document).

This course is also recommenced for further education sports teaching staff if they are interested in delivering tennis as part of the BTEC Level 3 unit: Practical Individual Sports. Students are offered an insight into the structuring of a secondary schools tennis session, the modifications that can be employed, and the fun and exciting drills used to engage and instruct participants. Students who attend the three-hour course are provided with the Secondary Schools Tennis resource, to help them further with their studies.


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Competition Senior Students CompetitionTeam Tennis Schools is a programme of three nationally organised competitions that provides further education and secondary school students with the opportunity to play regular competitive tennis and to represent their schools and colleges.

All competitions begin locally and culminate in a national final. The national finals are organised by the LTA and Tennis Foundation.

The Senior Students Competition is particularly well positioned for further education students, as it covers the school years 11-13.

The aim of this competition is to encourage lower-rated and more recreational players to play competitive tennis and to provide the team with an opportunity to compete in a national final.

The entry period runs from June to September with local league matches being played October through to December. Winners of the local leagues progress to the knock-out rounds which start in January. The national final takes place in March.

All competitions are free to enter and only four players are required for a team!

There are three events to enter: boys, girls or mixed

The boys and girls events require four players - the format is four singles and two doubles rubbers

The mixed event requires two boys and two girls in a team with the format being four doubles rubbers

Fair PlayFair Play in tennis has always been an important value and the Tennis Foundation and LTA are committed to ensuring that the tennis environment is fair, open and inclusive at every level in the sport. The Tennis Foundation and LTA use ‘Enjoy.Respect’ as the two overarching values to represent Fair Play.

Find out more at: www.lta.org.uk/FairPlay

Intra-College CompetitionWe have a dedicated competition section of our website which is there to support college staff and Student Tennis Ambassadors to set up a variety of intra-college competitions. Competitions can last from one to three hours and they can be individual, doubles or team based events.

Timed Tennis To help enrich the ‘student tennis experience’ the LTA and Tennis Foundation have developed a new college tennis competition product. Timed Tennis is suitable for mixed gender groups and can be run on a variety of formats catering for both intra-and-inter-college competition. Timed Tennis is a fun way to play quick fire tennis matches and we will be encouraging colleges to run touchtennis events using smaller courts, shorter rackets and sponge balls, making it ideal for recreational players or ‘tennis newbies’. Timed Tennis can be run in a variety of formats – team events, singles or doubles competitions. The Timed Tennis format is also ideal as you can plan exactly how long matches will last and therefore the overall time your competition will take.

Colleges can benefit from a free promotional pack, prizes and equipment incentives by signing up to our College Timed Tennis Offer 2015-16. Colleges will be offered a ‘Timed Tennis pack’ in return for delivering a minimum of three Timed Tennis sessions over the 2015-16 academic year and submitting the results from these sessions to the Tennis Foundation.

It’s a great way for students to put into practice what they learn on the Tennis Leaders award and perhaps you could task a BTEC Sports group to organise a Timed Tennis competition as part of the BTEC Unit: Organising Sports Events.

If you recruit a Student Tennis Ambassador, you could task them to organise termly competitions as part of the enrichment programme.

Informal competition is also a great way to encourage students and staff from different faculties or departments to meet. You could run a fun charity event over Wimbledon or even set up some staff competitions to add some action during staff training days!

If you are keen to develop more inter-college competition you could set up some recreational level team events, with local colleges entering teams of four players and compete using the Timed Tennis formats which can be downloaded from the website.

More info... Find out more about the

Senior Students Competition at: www.tennisfoundation. org.uk/furthereducation - select: Competition

To find out more about intra-college competition formats and downloadable resources, please visit: www.tennisfoundation. org.uk/furthereducation - select: Competition

Colleges will have the opportunity to sign up for free promotional packs and equipment incentives if they commit to running regular timed tennis events throughout the year, for more information keep an eye on the website

“The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College hosts a Timed Tennis competition each term, often in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent College in order to increase numbers and gain some healthy competition between two local colleges. We have delivered five Timed Tennis competitions over the last two academic years with a total of 32 students from the City of Stoke-on-Trent College taking part. The further education tennis programme has enhanced tennis greatly at our Sixth Form College for students of all abilities and experiences.”

David HardwickCollege Sport Maker, City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College

We are all responsible for making tennis enjoyable, fun and safe.

Make sure you’re supporting the Fair Play values to enjoy respect.

Fair PlayeNJoy.resPeCt

eNJoyTennis is your sport so enjoy it. Love the game

Be a good sport when you win, lose and watch matches

Be a role model, behave as you expect others to

Create a safe, fun and fair tennis environment

resPeCtTennis is a game for everyone, respect others

Take responsibility for your actions

Learn and follow the rules and the Fair Play values

Call the score and lines loudly and fairly; leave it to the offi cial to resolve problems.




eNJoyTennis is your sport so enjoy it. Love the gameBe a good sport when you win, lose and watch matches

Be a role model, behave as you expect others to Create a safe, fun and fair tennis environmentresPeCtTennis is a game for everyone, respect others

Take responsibility for your actions Learn and follow the rules and the Fair Play values Call the score and lines loudly and fairly; leave it to the offi cial to resolve problems.




eNJoyTennis is your sport so enjoy it. Love the game

Be a good sport when you win, lose and watch matches

Be a role model, behave as you expect others to

Create a safe, fun and fair tennis environment

resPeCtTennis is a game for everyone, respect others

Take responsibility for your actions

Learn and follow the rules and the Fair Play values

Call the score and lines loudly and fairly; leave it to the offi cial to resolve problems.

“Timed Tennis has been a great package which has provided us with everything we need to run regular weekly fun sessions for our students. Timed Tennis has enhanced students’ experience at the college and enabled them to socialise and make new friends with students on other courses.”

Katie StapletonCollege Sport Maker, Amersham & Wycombe College

Colleges have been getting hooked on running Timed

Tennis competitions.

Here’s what they had to say about it:


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Case Studies

Carshalton College and Sutton Tennis AcademyThe aim of the tennis programme at Carshalton College was two-fold - firstly, they wanted to provide disabled students the opportunity to have a go at tennis and secondly, it was to raise awareness of the local tennis outlets that were available to them. The local tennis provider Sutton Tennis Academy offers a strong disability programme, however, none of the students were aware that the sessions were available or that it was something they could attend.

18

Linking with Local Tennis Venues and CoachesColleges can link up with local tennis clubs, parks and indoor centres to assist in delivering a wide range of activities including enrichment, team training and competitions.

Once you have got your staff and students hooked on playing tennis in college, the partnerships you build with local tennis providers can help to extend the opportunities for staff and students to further their enjoyment, skills and experiences by continuing to play tennis in the local community.

Developing a link with a local tennis venue brings many benefits to colleges, including:

Increased opportunities for your students to play tennis outside college

Opportunities for work experience placements and volunteering

The college profile raised in the community

Shared facilities and equipment

Access to qualified and experienced tennis coaches who can up-skill staff and support delivery

Enhanced enrichment activity

Healthier and more physically active students, improving standards across the college

Hosting a Tennis Satellite Club on the college site

Increased awareness of exit routes for players, coaches and volunteers

Establishing a Tennis Academy Programme linked to the Sport Study Programme

Assistance in achieving targets, standards and recognition

Tennis Satellite Clubs The Tennis Foundation and LTA have developed a number of Tennis Satellite Clubs in partnership with schools, colleges, tennis venues, County Sports Partnerships and Sport England.

Tennis Satellite Clubs aim to:

Bridge the gaps between school, college and community sport

Grow the number of 14-25 year olds taking part in sport for at least 30 minutes per week

Reduce the number of young people dropping out of sport

These clubs will be targeted at 14-25 year olds and involve a tennis venue delivering regular sessions on a school, college or university site to help more teenagers play tennis.

The Tennis Foundation have developed a package of guidance and resources supporting tennis venues to establish and deliver these clubs based around three key themes: Playing, Leading and Competing.

If your college is interested in hosting a Tennis Satellite Club then contact your LTA Regional Office or County Sports Partnership.

More info... You can search for local

tennis venues and coaches at: www.lta.org.uk/in-your-area - select: County

Your LTA Regional Office can also assist with this process

For more ideas on how to extend tennis provision and make links with local venues and coaches, please go to the ‘College Tennis Self Review’ section at the back of this guide

“The strong link with the local club has been the key to the success of tennis at Chesterfield College. Students are within walking distance of top of the range indoor and outdoor facilities, quality coaching and a high class tennis experience at Chesterfield LTC. There is no wonder our students look forward to going back each week to take part in coaching sessions, intra-college competitions and leadership courses.”

Will Hughes College Sport Maker, Chesterfield College

“Working in collaboration with Sutton Tennis Academy we were initially able to arrange for two groups of students to attend four weeks of coaching. The first three weeks would take place on college site with the last session taking place at Sutton Tennis Academy, as a way of introducing the students to the environment. This quickly grew to include a third block of coaching which meant that all students in the Skills for Work & Life programme had the opportunity to attend the coaching sessions on offer.

To ensure the success of the programmes we looked at addressing a number of the barriers confronting students’ engagement. These included scheduling it during the day time during gaps in the timetable, working with support workers to encourage students’ involvement and supporting students when travelling to Sutton Tennis Academy.

Now nearing the end of the coaching blocks we have seen almost all of the Skills for Work & Life students (approximately 100 students) engage with the programme at some point, with the majority of them attending each week. For us the vital factors affecting its success is that it was easily accessible to our students. By removing the often difficult barriers we enabled a larger cohort of students to access the programme.”

Kimberley HumphreyCollege Sport Coordinator


20 21

CoachesA number of colleges are building links with local tennis venues and coaches to set up coaching experience, volunteering and work experience for their learners. These links are providing valuable opportunities for learners to develop transferable skills which will enhance their employability. This is a two-way partnership as it also helps tennis venues to boost their workforce and identify potential new coaches.

Colleges who are interested in building tennis coaching qualifications into their Sport Study Programmes are encouraged to make contact with the LTA Coach Education Centres, further details can be found on the LTA website under the ‘coach and teach’ section.

1. Qualifications

A qualification represents the level of training a coach has received and the level of skill to which they have been assessed.

The LTA’s current Coaching Pathway is shown below:

1 1st4sport LeveL 1 AwArd in CoAChing Tennis

coach

1st4sport LeveL 2 CerTifiCATe in CoAChing Tennis

1st4sport LeveL 3 CerTifiCATe in CoAChing Tennis

Lta senior cLub coach

Lta senior performance coach

Lta master cLub coach

Lta master performance coach

Get involved in tennis as a volunteer

Lta tennis Leader

Licen

ced

registered

2

3

4

5

2. Coach Accreditation

Coach Accreditation is issued by the LTA to coaches and coaching assistants who meet a range of requirements relating to safety and training. It is an easy way for parents, players and clubs to identify those coaches and assistants who are appropriately qualified and have the knowledge, competence and skills to perform specific roles. There are two levels of coach accreditation; registration and licensing.

Registration is the basic level of accreditation issued to those who are safe to practice. Licensing is the top level of accreditation issued to those who are qualified, safe to practice and take part in regular training through continuous professional development.

The coach accreditation scheme offers support to coaches to ensure all those taking part in the game have an enjoyable and safe experience which helps sustain the positive image and reputation of the sport.

Both forms of accreditation mean that a coach or coaching assistant has met the following criteria:

A minimum level of qualification

A satisfactory DBS (formerly CRB) enhanced disclosure (repeated every three years)

A valid Emergency First Aid at Work Certificate and a requirement to keep this up-to-date

More info... For more information

about coaching, please visit: www.lta.org.uk/coach-teach


College Tennis Self ReviewUse this self-review tool to audit your current provision and provide further ideas on how to increase the opportunities for your learners to both enjoy tennis and to learn through the sport.

The self-review covers five aspects of college sport:

Sport study programmes

Leadership and volunteering

Enrichment and extra-curricular

Talent identification, development and support

Community sport and facilities

The above areas are also detailed in the document - ‘Towards Outstanding: National standards for College sport’ (available from the Association of Colleges).

Tennis can be used across the college as a driver to support learners to progress, gain knowledge, skills and develop as individuals. Colleges can use the self-review tool as evidence towards Self-Assessment Reports (SARs) and improvement planning.

Choose tennis… as a driver for college improvement, giving learners experiences within and beyond the curriculum that will help them to develop valuable social, vocational and life skills.

Sport study programmes

Staff use tennis themed curriculum resources/Links to Qualifications resource (see LTA website)

Deliver Tennis Leaders modules and deploy leaders to support activity in local primary schools or community tennis venues

Work with community tennis venues to provide work experience opportunities

Include touchtennis/tennis as a block on the Practical Individual Sport unit

Encourage staff to attend a 1st4sport Level 1 or Level 2 Coaching Tennis course

Link with an LTA Coach Education Centre to deliver tennis coaching qualifications for your learners

Work with a local qualified/ accredited tennis coach to up-skill staff and support delivery

Leadership and volunteering

Deliver Tennis Leaders modules and deploy sport leaders to support activity in local primary schools or community tennis venues

Sports leaders supporting delivery of enrichment activity and intra- college Timed Tennis Competition

Appoint a Student Tennis Ambassador to promote and deliver enrichment activity and intra- college Timed Tennis Competitions

Work with a local qualified/ accredited tennis coach to up-skill staff and support delivery

Enrichment and extra-curricular

Contact the Tennis Foundation for a free tennis equipment pack if you have not already received one

Deliver touchtennis in your sports hall as part of your enrichment programme - informal ‘pitch up and play’

Use the concept of ‘pop-up tennis’ to run tennis tasters or promotional sessions in different spaces around college – a great way to promote your enrichment sessions and show the flexibility of tennis!

Deliver tennis on site if you have tennis courts, or develop a link with a local tennis club or venue to access facilities - many local authority park courts can be accessed free of charge

Include touchtennis on the enrichment programme for your Foundation learners and learners with a disability

Staff can attend a free three-hour Inclusive Tennis Teacher Training Course, giving them the skills and resources to deliver inclusive sessions

Deliver Cardio Tennis as an alternative fitness class

Staff can attend a free three-hour Cardio Tennis Teacher Training Course, giving them the skills and resources to deliver Cardio Tennis which can be delivered in a sports hall or on tennis courts

Deliver intra-college Timed Tennis Competitions – singles, doubles or team events. Run termly competitions.

Ensure delivery of tennis is inclusive so all learners can participate and enjoy

Talent identification, development and support

Set up a Tennis Academy Programme offering learners the opportunity to train and compete regularly during the week alongside their academic studies, by linking with a local tennis venue and qualified/accredited coaches

Signpost talented young players to join a local club or work with qualified/accredited coaches

Enter the national Team Tennis Schools Senior Students and National Championships events

Enter the AoC Sport National Championships

Link with an LTA Coach Education Centre to deliver tennis coaching and officiating qualifications for your learners that will help them to progress in their sport

Community sport and facilities

Open up your facilities to a local community club or run a Satellite Club on the college site

Develop a link with a local tennis club or venue to access facilities - many local authority park courts can be accessed free of charge

Link with a local university to offer joint tennis opportunities for FE/HE learners

Find out if your local university has a University Tennis Coordinator or Tennis Ambassador who can support with joint provision

Work with community tennis venues to provide work experience opportunities and progression onto tennis coaching Apprenticeships or employment

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We’d love to hear your plans for promoting tennis at your college and to hear what has already been a success!

Why not tell us via Twitter: @TennisFndation #fetennis

If you have any good photos of your students playing or leading tennis activities please email them to us at: [email protected]

Please ensure you have obtained suitable permissions from the participants and only send in high resolution photos, so we can use them in our publications.

Find out moreThe Tennis Foundation The National Tennis Centre 100 Priory Lane Roehampton London SW15 5JQ T: 0845 872 0522 E: [email protected] W: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk

Keep up-to-date with us via social media:

Guide to Further Education Tennis 2015-2016@TennisFndation #fetennis

@TennisFndation

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Please contact the Tennis Foundation to request this document in an alternate format.Produced by The Tennis Foundation | Charity No. 298175 For more information visit: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation

Photographs supplied courtesy of Getty Images and James Jordan Photography.July 2015

Supported by

For more information on British tennis’ Further Education Programme in your local area please visit: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/furthereducation or contact:

Region Counties Covered Email

East Bedfordshire Berkshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Essex Hertfordshire Norfolk Northamptonshire Oxfordshire Suffolk

[email protected]

Midlands Derbyshire Herefordshire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire

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North Cheshire Cumbria Durham & Cleveland Isle of Man Lancashire Northumberland Yorkshire

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South East Kent Middlesex Surrey Sussex London

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South West Avon Cornwall Devon Dorset Gloucestershire Hampshire Isle of Wight & CI Somerset Wiltshire

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Scotland All [email protected]

Wales All [email protected]

than a game - lta.org.uk

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