Archery in schools - Archery is a fun and educational activity for young people to take part in. Archery teaches discipline, respect and self control - something that carries over into pupils' attitude, work habits and other school activities. There are a number of ways to introduce archery to young people; deliver Soft Archery in primary schools, get involved as part of the School Games, set up your own club or Archery Activity Partner, qualify to deliver traditional archery or find support from local clubs and coaches.
Archery is a sport for all. It helps to build muscle endurance and flexibility, and develop hand-eye coordination and strength. Archery teaches discipline, respect and self control - something that carries over into pupils' attitude, work habits and other school activities.
Archery can also give pupils a strong sense of personal achievement. Young people of all abilities can participate. Coaches and teachers involved in school archery have found that pupils who do not normally participate and enjoy sports-related or extra-curricular activities seem to love and are good at this sport - it is a great option for young people who don't consider themselves particularly sporty, as well as those who just want to try something new. There are a number of ways to introduce archery to young people; deliver Arrows Archery in primary schools, get involved as part of the School Games, set up your own club or Archery Activity Partner, qualify to deliver traditional archery or find support from local clubs and coaches.
Arrows Archery has been created for primary schools to introduce young children to archery in a fun and safe way. It has been designed to be delivered by teachers and sports coordinators who have no formal archery experience or qualification.
This ‘mini’ version of archery provides teachers with child-friendly equipment and resources to get you started quickly and easily. Simple ideas for activities and competitions are provided that can be used in PE lessons, across the curriculum, in out-of-hours clubs and as part of the School Games. The equipment and resources provided make it possible for teachers to deliver archery in almost any setting in school.
Arrows is also the format recommended for the School Games at a primary level so have a look at the competition formats you can access.
Consider setting up an Arrows after school club, or how about arranging a competition with another local school?
Take a look at our Arrows Guide to Archery and Arrows Sharp Shooter videos for some more information and inspiration!
You can purchase Arrows Archery sets to use at home, in schools or care homes or anywhere else!
Many archery clubs provide taster sessions or beginners courses for schools. To find out if a club near to you can inspire the children, use our club finder tool.
You could also consider delivering archery to the children yourself! The Instructor Award is suitable for non-archers who want to deliver archery in a school environment , and our Session Coach (Level 1) coaching courses are suitable for those with experience who want to help archers progress further.
To set up an affiliated Archery GB school club that is covered by Archery GB insurance, the club must be set up in accordance with the Rules of Shooting.
To find out more information speak to Membership Services.
A school is an obvious place to promote your club, encourage more young people to try archery and often a good place to hire a sports hall or playing field. A link between an education establishment and a community sports club, to work together to meet the needs of young people, providing them with new and varied opportunities, is therefore a valuable arrangement for both parties.
A key part of a ‘school club-link’ is providing appealing opportunities for young people to make the step from playing sport in school and further education settings – a time when many young people dropout of sport – to regular and lifelong participation in sport in their own time within their community.
Establishing club-links gives young people the opportunity to continue participating in sporting and physical activity throughout their lives. It allows them to make the most of their experiences in both settings, to try out new sports, feel comfortable in a club setting and as a result makes them more likely to continue participating once they leave school or college.
Find out in advance who the right person to contact is. Contacting the school/college with a name of someone in particular often increases your chances of getting through. This can be found by looking at the school/college website to find out who is the Head of PE or sport coordinator. Keep a record of this person's name and contact details for future reference.
Demonstrate awareness. Safety is high on a school's agenda so ensure you highlight how you will ensure the pupil's safety at your club.
Offer taster sessions. Schools/colleges are often interested in free services provided by professional organisations with high quality coaches so if possible be open to offering free introductory/taster sessions
