ISLE of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) enjoyed a dream trip to Twickenham as they were honoured ahead of England playing Wales after graduating from the CBRE All Schools programme.
IPACA adopted the CBRE All Schools programme in 2013 and have since successfully engaged with girls and boys aged between 11 and 16-years-old.
IPACA introduced children to the sport, by running rugby training sessions during curriculum time and after school, so that thousands more pupils can experience and enjoy rugby throughout England.
Through the All Schools projects IPACA director of sport, Dan Kinsey, has introduced rugby to the island and he has seen it go from strength to strength.
“Before I was head of department there was no rugby on the island at all,” he said.
“The CBRE All Schools programme allowed us to get rugby established in the school and in the community.
“We’ve got close links to Weymouth Rugby Club now, playing at all levels from primary right through to secondary.
“My favourite things about rugby are the core values that you see right through from the grass roots, all the way up to the international level with respect and discipline being the key elements to the game.”
IPACA pupil Ben Kinsey joined his director of sport at Twickenham and highlighted the importance of the growth of rugby on the island.
He said: “In Portland I was the only person that really played rugby, but now there are more players so it’s a lot more social now.
“It was amazing to meet Jonny May, he was really nice and interested in my rugby.
“Rugby means more opportunities to meet with my friends, play, go out and practice kicking with them.”
With the help of IPACA, the programme, now in its fourth year, has seen over 130,000 state school students actively participate in rugby union across England, of which 35 per cent are female, according to research by Sheffield Hallam University.
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