Cornelius Vermuyden School
Opening Schools Facilities Funding
Embarking on a journey to enrich their extracurricular offer, and foster greater community engagement through their sports facilities, Cornelius Vermuyden has flourished through Opening Schools Facilities funding with support from Active Essex.
Recognising the barriers hindering many pupils’ access to community clubs, the school seized the opportunity to expand its extracurricular offer. Leveraging the Opening Schools Facilities (OSF) investment programme from the Department for Education (DfE), Cornelius Vermuyden School has facilitated partnerships with sporting organisations. These partnerships not only enable the delivery of activities but also empower local solutions to foster long-term behavioural changes, particularly in areas where physical activity is needed most.



Utilising core #MoveWithUs principles and ensuring youth voice was at the centre of empowering their students, sessions were designed to resonate with young people.
From girls-only mindfulness sessions to engaging activities like badminton and rock climbing, the activities cater to diverse interests. Notably, rock climbing has emerged as a particularly popular activity, even engaging parents in sessions. Whilst Friday sessions have emerged as a highlight, offering a fitting conclusion to the school week.
Key learnings
It's important to take time to reflect and understand the learnings from work undertaken, to focus on ways to improve in the future.

Youth voice at the heart
Asking opinions of young people encourages more positive experiences in physical activity.

Different environment settings
Children thrive in different settings, some with competition, others a more relaxed pace.

Inclusivity and accessibility
Facilitated sessions must foster inclusivity and enjoyment, by accommodating diverse abilities.

Community engagement
Importance of leveraging physical activity as vehicles for broader community engagement.
This OSF programme has provided safe and enjoyable avenues for physical activity beyond traditional lesson times. With climbing proving especially popular, the OSF funding has paved the way for promising avenues of growth, fostering collaborations with the Youth Sport Trust and local clubs, all driven by the aspirations of the school’s pupils.Tom Weller, Active Essex Assistant Relationship Manager
