The Village School PE teacher determined to improve opportunities for special needs students in Grenada
The Village School PE teacher Jonathan Bath with schoolchildren with special educational needs in Grenada. - Credit: Archant
A PE teacher from a Kingsbury school is determined to further enhance the wellbeing of students with special educational needs after an eye-opening trip to Grenada.
Jonathan Bath – who teaches at The Village School – was tasked with developing the PE curriculum and growing disability sport during a visit to the Caribbean country between May 6 and May 14.
Working with Otis Roberts, chief executive of the Jason Roberts Foundation, and Rob Burton of the Disablement Association Hillingdon, Jonathan visited several special needs schools to deliver a range of programmes based on sport.
This included crickets sessions for students at the Lime School, playing videos of his PE sessions at the Village School back in Brent to pupils from the Victoria School as well as taking kids to the Kirani James Stadium for a disability sports fun day.
As a result of his trip to Grenada, Jonathan will be fundraising to provide equipment for the country’s special needs schools over the next few months, as well as developing their PE programmes long distance.
“The week in Grenada was an incredible experience and one that will stay with me forever,” said Jonathan “It was inspiring to see the fantastic work the foundation has created with its partners.
“I felt privileged to be able to teach the amazing students on the island and enhance their physical education and wellbeing.
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“The impact of such events are huge it was great to see the students smiling and engaged throughout.
“I’d like to thank my school and the foundation for making this trip possible.”
The Grove Park school has been working with the foundation since last year and has provided football coaches to support College of North West London students at Willesden Sports Centre through their partnership with John Lyon.
“It was a pleasure meeting Jonathan,” said Grenadian special education unit officer Jennelyn St John. “The ideas put forward were both timely and relevant.
“The schools are in need of having more structured PE programmes and we are grateful for the intervention, as is the unit. We will collaborate and make this a reality and we want to say thank you to Jonathan for this initiative.”
