On the 8th March 2023, the King Edward VI Aston School Sports Partnership hosted The Biggest Ever Football Session for primary and secondary girls across the partnership. This is a national programme run by the Football Association and the Youth Sport Trust to lobby for equal access to football for girls during curriculum and extra-curricular time.
24 primary teams and 20 secondary teams took part in the festival, with 506 girls participating in the tournament. Representatives from the Football Association and ex England Lionesses, Faye White and Laura Bassett were also in attendance.
Despite snowfall throughout the day, all the games were played in a great spirit, with schools representing a country playing in this year's women's World Cup, being held in Australia and New Zealand.
After a very close first round stage, the four teams who won in their groups, progressed to the semi-finals. In the primary event, the bronze medals were shared between King Solomon International Business School and Mansfield Green Primary. In the gold medal match, Paget Primary overcame Conway Primary to win the title of the Biggest Ever Primary Football Session Champions 2023!
As the snow continued to fall, 20 secondary schools competed in 4 different pools. George Dixon Academy, King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls, Holy Trinity School and Washwood Heath Academy all won their groups and headed into the semi-finals.
Former England Lionesses Faye White & Laura Bassett
In the bronze medal match, King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls and Washwood Heath Academy shared the bronze medals, with George Dixon Academy pipping Holy Trinity School to the gold medals.
Helen Tonks, Partnership Development Manager at King Edward VI Aston School, commented "All the matches across the day were played in a great spirit, with some exciting talent on the pitch. Well done to all the girls who took part and a big thanks to the FA, Sport Birmingham, our referees, Aston Villa FC, young leaders from Hall Green School and to all the staff who supported the event."
Highlights were shown on ITV Central News as well as live radio interviews with some of the staff and girls at the event. A future case study will be produced by the FA and Youth Sport Trust in due course. Across the country, 285,000 girls took part in the Biggest Ever Football Session - enough to fill Wembley Stadium three times over!
The event also coincided with International Women's Day and an announcement made by the government, that young people will be entitled to a minimum of 2 hours of physical activity per week in schools - an initiative started after the European Championships by Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy.
The partnership will be hosting another Girls World Cup Event on 4th July in the lead up to the Women's World Cup being held in Australia and New Zealand.
Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
