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WORKING WITH YOUR SCHOOL

Since 2005 we have established great relationships with schools in and around London and the Home Counties. When we are successful with grants and funding, we reach out to schools that we identify as those who would benefit most from early intervention and offer our fully funded 10-Week Programme to you. If your school is one of our priority areas for funding - we will contact you by email - please look out for our correspondence. Otherwise, contact us today to book our programme in your school next term.

FAQs
FOR FUNDED 10-WEEK PROGRAMME IN SCHOOLS

About Our Programme

How long is each session and how long does the programme last? Each session lasts 50 minutes, with the full programme running for 10 sessions. We normally deliver one session per week over 10 weeks, although we can sometimes work with schools to deliver two sessions per week where timetables allow.

How many pupils can take part? Each programme can accommodate up to 30 pupils. This is the maximum group size that allows our coaches to deliver the programme safely and effectively while giving pupils the attention and support they need.

What age groups can participate? Our programme is designed for young people aged 9 to 18.

Isn't boxing a bit dangerous? Our programme is entirely non-contact. Pupils learn boxing-based movements, combinations, pad work, footwork, skipping and fitness exercises without hitting another person.

Does the programme have to take place during lesson time? Yes, and this is purposeful. Delivering our programme in the school day removes barriers such as transport, attendance and confidence, and allows us to reach young people who benefit most from early intervention. We work with schools to fit the programme around the timetable and minimise disruption to other classes.

Is the programme really free? If your school has been selected and offered a funded SweetScience programme, there is no cost to the school or pupils for that programme. We work hard to achieve funding via donations, fundraising events and awards from grant applications.

Choosing Pupils

How do we choose which pupils take part? We encourage schools to create a mixed group of pupils, rather than selecting only those who are already struggling. We want to work with a combination of pupils, including those who are doing well, those who may need a confidence boost, those experiencing difficulties with behaviour or emotional regulation, and those who could benefit from early intervention. A mixed group can work extremely well, bringing together pupils with different strengths, personalities and experiences. The aim is to create a group where pupils can learn from and support one another. Schools may also prioritise young people who face additional barriers, including disadvantage, low confidence, poor mental wellbeing, SEND or vulnerability to negative influences.

Can girls participate? YES! Our programme is for everyone.

Can pupils with behavioural difficulties take part? Yes. This is exactly why early intervention matters. We don't expect every pupil to arrive perfectly behaved or already motivated. Our programme is designed to help young people develop discipline, emotional regulation, confidence and better decision-making. Please let us know any relevant information beforehand so the coach can understand the needs of the group and work with the school appropriately.

Can pupils with SEND take part? We work with pupils with a range of additional needs and are happy to discuss individual requirements with the school beforehand. Please let us know about any specific needs, adaptations or safeguarding considerations before the programme starts so our coaching team can plan appropriately and safely.

What if a student doesn't want to participate? We won't force anyone to take part. However, our coaches are experienced at encouraging young people who may initially be reluctant, and we will make every reasonable effort to help them feel comfortable and give the programme a chance.

Practical Arrangements

What space do you need and what do students need to wear? We need a suitable indoor space such as a gym, sports hall or large activity room where pupils have enough room to move safely. We can deliver sessions outdoors if necessary, provided the school has a safe and appropriate space, weather permitting. There is no need for pupils to change into sportswear. They should simply wear comfortable school clothing and suitable footwear that allows them to move safely.

Do pupils need boxing gloves or other equipment? We provide everything needed for the sessions, including boxing gloves, pads and skipping ropes. Our coaches bring the equipment with them to each session.

What happens if the school has an assembly, trip, exam or another event? When booking your 10 sessions, please make sure you’ve considered teacher training days, school holidays, trips, exams and other planned events, so that we can get all 10 sessions in the diary from the start. We understand that school timetables can change and sometimes things come up unexpectedly. If this happens, just let us know and we’ll do our best to arrange an alternative session where possible, to keep the programme on track.

What happens if a session has to be cancelled? Let us know as soon as possible - and we’ll do the same. Where a cancellation is unavoidable at short notice, for example because of an emergency or circumstances outside the school's or the coaches control, then we'll work with you to rearrange the session where possible.

Can the programme be delivered at different times of day? No. We prefer to keep each cohort at the same time and on the same day each week. Consistency is important for young people and helps establish routine, familiarity and good attendance.

Coaches, Safeguarding & Welfare

Are SweetScience coaches DBS checked? Yes. All SweetScience coaches are DBS checked, with Enhanced DBS checks as our standard.

Who is responsible for safeguarding during the sessions? Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. Our coaches receive safeguarding training and SweetScience has a Designated Safeguarding Lead. SweetScience coaches follow our safeguarding procedures and manage safeguarding concerns arising during delivery, while the school retains its usual safeguarding responsibilities for its pupils.

What happens if a pupil discloses something to a coach? Our coaches follow the SweetScience safeguarding procedure for responding to disclosures and concerns. Any safeguarding concern will be handled appropriately, recorded and reported through the correct safeguarding channels. We will work with the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead in accordance with our policy and the school's procedures.

Impact & Feedback

How do you measure the impact of the programme? We use a combination of pupil self-assessment, the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index Questionnaire and feedback from school staff to measure the impact of our programme. We look at areas including wellbeing, confidence, emotional resilience, stress management and how participants feel about themselves and their ability to deal with challenges. We also record attendance and feedback from teachers and school staff.

Do teachers have to complete forms? We value teacher feedback because you see students in the school environment every day. We may ask for feedback on pupils' engagement, behaviour or changes you have noticed during the programme. We also love testimonials - so we will ask you to email us with a paragraph or two about your experience.

What happens to the information collected? Information is used to measure and improve our programme, demonstrate its impact to our funders and help us understand what works for young people. We handle information in accordance with our data protection and privacy policy and do not use individual pupil information for publicity without the appropriate permissions.

After The Programme

Can we book another 10-week programme? Absolutely! We cannot guarantee future funded places, as this depends on the grants and funding we receive. However, schools can choose to fund another 10-week programme themselves if they would like to continue the programme when no funded place is available.

Can we run an after-school club? We can explore after-school clubs where we have an available coach. These sessions are not normally covered by funded school programmes, so there would usually be a charge to parents/school depending on the arrangement. If you're interested, talk to us and we'll see what we can arrange.

Can SweetScience deliver enrichment days? Yes! We love delivering enrichment days! We can provide boxing-based activity days, workshops and motivational sessions tailored to your school and students. Enrichment days are separate from funded 10-week programmes and are charged to the school. Income from this helps fund our work.

How can we support SweetScience Foundation?

We are a not-for-profit charity - continued funding is what allows us to deliver our programme into schools and reach young people who may otherwise miss out.

There are lots of ways schools can support us, including:

  • Choosing SweetScience for paid enrichment days or additional programmes

  • Sharing our work with parents, governors and your wider school community

  • Fundraising for us with sponsored challenges or events

  • Telling other schools about our programme

  • Making a donation via our PayPal link to help fund future programmes

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