For the purposes of the needs analysis, an interview was conducted with the placement supervisor at NK school, which provided an insight into the participants characteristics:

• All participants have been selected by the PE department for demonstrating talent within PE lessons.
• Most of the participants have achieved level 5 grades as part of a benchmark assessment.
• All of the participants have achieved at least level 4 grades.
• All participants currently play or are involved in a variety of sports

The supervisor was then shown, and asked to read over the multi-ability competencies (see Appendix C) which will be used to assess the participants abilities within the four areas of personal, social, creative and cognitive. The following factors were revealed by the supervisor:

• Currently the most of the pupils selected for the club continually demonstrate high levels of personal competencies, ranging between level five and seven.
• The area that would probably require most work [improvement] would be cognitive skills.

The Analysis

The analysis took part over three stages, these were as follows:

Stage One: Qualitative analysis

This section of the analysis involved a hour long multi-skills session which focussed upon assessing the four main areas of the spectrum (personal, social, cognitive and creative). This session was recorded with the consent of the school and later analysed to inform the current placement.

Stage Two: Quantitative analysis

At the end of the multi-skills session, the coach distributed a copy of the multi-ability wheel (see placement info) to each participant. The participants then completed the four relevant sections of the wheel under the supervision of a trained researcher. This process involved the researcher guiding the participants through the wheel by verbally reading out the relevant competencies for each section. An example of a completed wheel is available under the initial assessment tab, whilst the combined data table listing the attained competencies for each individual can be located under the quantitative analysis tab.

Stage Three: Interpreting the data

The following conclusions were reached as a result of the analysis process:

Strengths of the group:

• In line with the supervisor’s comments; it was evident that the majority of the participants showed advanced personal skills during the needs analysis session (see video one – in particular, pay attention the female participant wearing all-black who shows great leadership and organisational skills to organise her group).
• Moreover, the group also showed consistent exceptional attacking play throughout the game situations (see video two).
• A high number of participants were also good at defending during activities (see video three).
• The participants involved have been identified as the ‘top-end’ of the school’s gifted and talented in PE programme.

Weaknesses of the group:

•  The participants are less competent at performing the cognitive skills and activities.
• Some participants found it difficult to demonstrate an appropriate balance between attacking and defensive competencies during game situation.
• During questioning, most of the participants found it difficult to respond to the coach’s questions of: “what could you have done differently in the last play to have achieved further success?”
• Furthermore, most of the participants found it difficult to verbally reflect upon their own performance.

The results of the analysis were then formulated to provide the basis for the scheme of work.

Video One: Example of personal ability

Video Two: Example of attacking play

Video Three: Example of defensive play