The skills children learn through archery will help them both on and off the field. It's a sport anyone can try and can be picked up quickly. Students who may not be the fastest or strongest in PE can experience the satisfaction of hitting the gold.
We think it is! Archery is a sport of skill, precision, mental stamina and determination. It’s a great addition to the PE timetable. A recent survey even found that archery is the sport Brits most wish (77%) they could have done during PE.
As well as being a great way to keep fit, archery can fit into the curriculum in other ways, it is an ancient sport which could bring a history lesson to life. Scoring and measuring shooting lines develop maths skills while tournaments allow classes to compete as teams.
Archery is a sport for all. It helps to build muscle endurance and flexibility, develop hand eye coordination and body strength. Archery teaches discipline, respect and self-control - something that carries over into pupils' attitude, work habits and other school activity.
Archery can also give students a strong sense of personal achievement. Girls and boys 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 non-sporty and semi-sporty young people, as well as those who wish to try something new.
Archery is an incredibly safe sport as long as a straightforward set of rules is applied. For both indoor and outdoor venues, the space used should not allow access to the general public except at specific and defined points. Normally, sites with a public right of way should be avoided. Temporary fences and cordons can be erected, and doors can be locked in indoor venues to ensure safety.
Archery is suitable for all ages and all students. Read our leaflet below on the benefits of introducing archery into your school.
For primary aged children we have a soft version of the sport with arrows fitted with suction cups instead of points. It has been designed so it can be delivered by non-archers and there is no training required.
As well as all of the necessary equipment, the Arrows Archery pack includes supporting literature consisting of a Guide for Teachers and activity cards. Short videos are available to provide further assistance of the different games that can be played. Around 3,000 schools currently take part in the Arrows programme.
Arrows Archery can be used for PE lessons, sports days and after school clubs. It’s a great way to provide a new challenge. The bows have a low draw weight and are easy to use, making them the perfect inclusive activity.
Kits can be purchased through our partner Clickers Archery or from school equipment suppliers. All of the kit has been tested to make sure it is indestructible. Every part of the Arrows kit can be sanitised with wipes or spray, even the strings!
Watch the video below from the Youth Sport Trust to see how you can deliver archery at your primary or special school:
Absolutely! Teachers and parents tell us archery is a great way to get young people interested in a sport that is a bit different. It’s great for building core strength and teaches focus and determination. It appeals to people who might not enjoy contact or team sports or those who enjoy gaming.
For schools who want to introduce archery there are a range of options:
Use our club finder to find a qualified coach or instructor to deliver the sessions. Many coaches will provide club equipment to use. It may be possible to form a school-club link, so archers showing potential could join the club if they wish. Your local County Sport Partnership, Sports Council or local Sports Development Officer may be able to help put you in contact with a club or coach.
We also have an Instructors’ Award which allows teachers to deliver archery sessions themselves. Upon completion of the course, learners will be able to deliver fun and safe target archery sessions for beginners in an education environment.
Archery is very proud to be part of The School Games programme and is committed to providing more competitive opportunities for young people. We have worked with the Youth Sport Trust to develop competition formats for intra and inter school competition at primary and secondary levels. We believe that by supporting schools and their networks to deliver the School Games more young people will be introduced to archery and enjoy further opportunities through clubs.
In the 2018/19 academic year, 145 archery school competitions were delivered, involving 8,902 inter school participants and 1,290 inter school archery teams. This is an increase of 20% of school participants engaged in archery school competition from 2017/2018.
Archery is one of the most inclusive sports around. It was one of the original Paralympic sports since it was first used as a means to rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.
The sport can be adapted for any ability and the process driven nature of archery appeals particularly to neurodivergent children and young people.
Watch the video below to see how young people with SEN took part in a School Games event in Derbyshire:
Archery GB has a Progress Award Scheme for new archers after completion of a beginners’ course. Archers can earn certificates as they progress in distance and score.
Email membership@archerygb.org to find out more about archery in primary or secondary schools.
