Last updated at 12:41, Thursday, 31 July 2008

ASPATRIA’S Beacon Hill Community School is one step away from being named the country’s best school for developing football.

TOP TEAM: Beacon Hill student's and PE teachers Lynn Trussell and Adam Young with their award for being the North East Charter Standard Secondary School of the Year

It will represent the Football Association’s north east region - which includes Cumbria - in the national Charter Standard final.

Beacon Hill reached the north east final after becoming the Cumberland FA's top school - an award it also won last year.

At the north east final they beat off competition from secondary schools from Durham, Northumberland, Westmorland and North Yorkshire.

The Charter Standard recognises schools that use football for boys and girls both in and outside of curriculum time.

For the third year Beacon Hill has delivered a junior football organisers course for its pupils.

The course is for 14-16 year olds and aims to give the young leaders an insight into football coaching, refereeing and event organisation.

As well as the course the school has also offered its young leaders the chance to put into practice what they have learnt by not only organising a football festival for the local primary schools and by holding regular after-school coaching sessions where leaders have run football sessions for some local primary school kids.

The school have also led the way in the implementation of a new version of five-a-side called Futsal.

The game, which is the only format of small sided football that is recognised and supported by FIFA and UEFA, places considerable demand on technique, movement, tactical awareness and fitness and is said to have influence the early development of players such as Ronaldinho, Robinho and Ronaldo.

This year the school took part in Cumberland FA’s Futsal pilot scheme, which ran in the west of the county.

The scheme saw pupils from Year 7 receive a number of free coaching sessions, which lead up to a small competition.

Due to the success of the pilot, the school then decided to offer the game to all its pupils as both an in house competition and as a breakfast club.

Football development officer for Cumberland FA, Ben Snowdon, praised the school for their work.

He said: “During my time with Cumberland FA Beacon Hill School has really been a key partner within our education programme.

“This award will only go some way in providing the school, its PE department and pupils with the recognition they so richly deserve.”

First published at 19:44, Thursday, 24 July 2008
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk