Trio launch sports platform for young children

Shaun Fox, Andrea Springthorpe and Jonny Nolan from Huddersfield have invested more than £200,000 to establish Sporting Age.

The digital platform uses data from a series of benchmarking tests to produce stage-appropriate PE lesson plans that ensure schoolchildren are being taught at the correct level of ability in PE and sport.

The launch of Sporting Age comes following results released last week from the annual National Child Measurement Programme.

Mr Fox said: “The National Child Measurement programme results show that a record number of 10 and 11-year-olds are now classed as severely obese.

“We firmly believe that a lack of confidence and competence in physical activity and sport among some children is a significant contributor to these statistics.”

Ms Springthorpe said: “Many UK primary schools conduct what are commonly known as reading age benchmarking tests to help teachers and parents identify the correct level of reading material for each child to develop their core literacy skills during their early years.

“We spotted a gap in the market to use our backgrounds in physical education to develop Sporting Age in a similar vein.

“Purchased on a license basis by schools, the software is accessed through a computer or tablet and will enable staff to consistently benchmark and identify levels of physical ability among pupils so they can ensure every child is participating in regular physical activity that is being taught at the correct level for them.”