JAE Programme

Junior Athlete Education Framework

WHAT IS IT?

Young people that are talented in sport show a higher ability than their peers in the sporting environment and are considered to be Gifted and Talented (G&T). These talented young performers face challenges in realising both their academic and sporting potential. The school plays a critical role in helping to support them.
The new Junior Athlete Education Framework (JAE) is designed to guide and help schools to provide this support for young talented performers within their school, as an
integral part of their whole school G&T. It supports the holistic talent development of these talented performers by focusing on developing the 5 abilities and how these vary
with the age of the young people. The 5 abilities are; physical, thinking, social, personal and creative.

 

The JAE Framework aims to:

· Provide a package of tools and resources to help schools provide talent development support for their 'talented in sport’ pupils.
· Ensure that schools are able to embed the support into their whole school G&T programme.
· Provide a holistic 5 ability based model which is meaningful to both the PE national curriculum and world class performance sport. 
The JAE Framework is based on "four pillars".These cover how schools can recognise, guide, support and inspire talented young sportsmen and women: JAE Pillar 1: recognising talent: Select the right young people onto the schools talent support program.
JAE Pillar 2: guiding talent: Guide young performers through the critical years of physical and mental development, and on to the correct pathway that allows them to realise their sporting potential as adults.
JAE Pillar 3: supporting talent Empower the school’s young talented performers with the
skills and support, to balance the conflicting challenges of their sport, studies and personal lives.
JAE Pillar 4: inspiring talent Inspire the school’s current and future young performers to
achieve their potential and to develop into role models, within the school and the wider community.

 

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

The overarching impact of the JAE programme was identified as an increase in understanding by schools, parents, and coaches of the unique pressures faced by talented young athletes. The impact of the JAE programme on gifted and talented pupils as perceived by respondents in 2007/08 reported
impacts in relation to
· raised awareness in the PE department of the additional needs of gifted and talented pupils (89% agree)
· the referencing JAE in schools’ self-evaluation process as positive (78% agree)
· improved provision of support for gifted and talented pupils across the school (76% agree).
Schools are also reporting added value in terms of both achievement and attainment, raising aspirations, and generating a culture of celebrating success.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

For further information about the new JAE Framework resources please email performance@youthsporttrust.org or visit our dedicated gifted and talented website www.talentladder.org