"I would like to thank all the coaches for their dedication, hard work and making my son's week fun and enjoyable! Thank you very much...10/10"
Parent of Child attending St. Teilo's
"It's such a relief to leave my son knowing that he is in a safe, fun environment. Thank you Sportstars!"
Parent of Child attending Ysgol Glantaf
"The staff were extremely friendly and had a great rapport with the children."
Parent of Child attending course at Brecon High School
"A really good week - excellent value, the girls were really happy, we knew they were safe and the performance was great! This is our second time and we'd definitely come again."
Parent of Child attending Westbury-on-Trim Primary
"I brought four children to the scheme, ranging from 5 to 10. They all loved coming and ran in every morning. Excellent...10/10"
Parent of Child attending course at Amman Valley Leisure Centre
"I was a bit concerned about leaving my son as he's only just four, but the coaches were so friendly and confident it put my mind at ease straight away. Thanks all. 10/10"
Parent of Child attending course at Coleg Sir Gar
"The coaches have all been fantastic with the children - an excellent balance of fun, learning and discipline. They really manage to communicate with all the children regardless of their age or ability - very impressed indeed!"
Parent of Child attending course at Cardiff High School
"(Sportstars) supply extremely high quality planning, preparation and assessment cover and after school activities, all at a reasonable cost to already stretched school budgets".
Sian Voyce, Head Teacher of Hywel Dda Infant School.
"As a Headteacher I have been challenged by the latest educational reforms of providing good quality cover for staff while they have their 10% Planning Preparation and Assessment Time. I tried a range of providers before and themes for the pupils before employing the services of Sportstars... I have now decided to use Sportstars to cover all the schools PPA requirements for next year and have been very impressed with the company...the services they provide have been a real godsend to Headteachers and the quality of staff are of a high standard".
Jayne Edwards, Head Teacher of Bryn Celyn Primary School
"Sportstars has been working in Kitchener Primary school for the past year. The enthusiastic and energetic coaches are well trained and motivate the children in a wide variety of sports during the year. Sportstars also provide end of year reports for the teachers with whom they have been working."
Jane Evans, Head Teacher of Kitchener Primary School
"Sportstars is very well organised, has excellent coaching personnel, offers a diversity of sports and is excellent value for money! Sportstars has addressed the Health and Safety issues and the coaches have a code of conduct - both of which are so important where the safety and security are concerned'.'The work being done by Sportstars in schools and in holiday clubs, will play a major role in the fight against obesity and also encourage children to take a more active role in sport".
Peter Morgan, former Head Teacher of Eglwys Wen Primary School.
"We are a small school and it's been fantastic to receive fresh new faces bringing in their expertise. Sportstars is a very dependable company and we have never been let down. We had been having great difficulty covering PPA in the past but now we have no worries."
Angela Jones, Head Teacher of Mynydd-y-Garreg Primary School.
"I have been extremely impressed by the professionalism and enthusiasm of the staff of Sportstars. They enthuse and engage the pupils which will lead to them continuing to enjoy the benefits of sporting activities throughout their lives."
Chris Blatchford, Head Teacher of Glyncoed Primary School.
"We have been working with Sportstars since September 2006, when financial pressures meant we were unable to fund a qualified teacher to provide PPA cover. Coaches work closely within existing school policies and frameworks. They have proved extremely popular with our pupils and are highly respected by staff as they bring extra specialities into our school routines."
John Tobutt, Head Teacher of Gabalfa Primary School.
"The qualified coaches of Sportstars are making a significant contribution in our school, both through covering classes for PPA and also by raising standards of achievement across all year groups. With their detailed planning, accurate assessments and good class management, they have quickly won the respect of teachers and the trust of pupils. I recommend them highly."
Carolyn A. Evans, Head Teacher of Rhydypenau Primary School.
"Sportstars is a well organised and very efficient service. They have excellent coaches who cover the full range of the PE curriculum. Detailed lesson planning is provided and is tailored to suit our school's individual needs."
Mike Colcombe, Head Teacher of Hareclive Primary School.

Sports company appoints chairman to get ball rolling

23/04/10

A local sport specialist company has made a key appointment to its board as the company looks to roll out its services across the UK.

SportStars has appointed Paul Ragan, former chief executive of south Wales insurance broker Protectagroup as Chairman on the board of the Cardiff-based company.

Established in 2004, SportStars specializes in providing high quality sports coaching and holiday courses for children aged 4-12 across primary schools. Since its inception, the company’s growth has spiralled since the government’s introduction of structured planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time for teachers in 2005.

In 2009 SportStars took its services across the bridge, expanding its offering into the south West of England and opened its second office in Bristol.

Mr Ragan, who is currently running ‘Collateral Thinking’, a Cardiff-based business consultancy company, will work closely with founder and managing director of SportStars James Taylor to take SportStars to the next level, rolling out it services to geographical regions across the whole of the UK over the next five years.

On the appointment, managing director of SportStars James Taylor said: “Since launching SportStars five years ago the company has grown rapidly and we have established ourselves as the leading sports specialists in south Wales.

“Having built up a strong brand and reputation in the education sector in south Wales, rolling out the SportStars model to primary schools across the UK seemed to be the natural next step for the business.

“For SportStars the opportunities are endless, expanding our services will provide us with a platform to provide sporting opportunities for children with learning and physical disabilities. However to ensure this happens effectively, SportStars needs the support and knowledge from business entrepreneurs who have had experience in managing and growing a company successfully.

“Paul has a vast amount of knowledge of running a multi-million pound business and his experience will undoubtedly be of value as we embark on our five year growth plan.”

Added Paul Ragan: “SportStars is a well respected company in Wales and since launching five years ago has made real impact in the education sector. The success to date is a testament to the hardworking team of sport specialists the company employs. However I believe that SportStars and the services it offers has the ability to become a national company with a presence in education establishments across the UK and beyond.

“I am looking forward to working with James and the rest of team and I am delighted to be on board.”

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