Potential skills2achieve Pilot with the NHS

This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR).

GoTech Group plc / Index: AIM / Epic: GOT.L / Sector: Software

21 February 2017

GoTech Group plc

 (“GoTech”, the “Company” or the “Group”)

Potential skills2achieve Pilot with the NHS

GoTech Group plc (“GoTech”), the sports and wellbeing focused technology company, is pleased to announce that the Company is in discussions with the National Health Service (the “NHS”) which is looking to support a potential pilot with circa 200 schools nationwide to assess the impact of skills2achieve (“S2A”) in the health education of 4-11 year olds in the fight against childhood obesity.  As part of the discussions, it is proposed that Sportsdata Limited, a subsidiary of GoTech, will work closely with the NHS to develop evidence based and associated case study material, which may be used by the NHS to endorse a national roll-out of S2A.

 S2A, developed in partnership with leading charity for sports-driven and educational programmes, the Youth Sport Trust, is a programme for young people that monitors and tracks pupil progress  across four themes of Healthy Me, Social Me, Thinking Me and Physical Me. Focused on engaging children’s motivation and commitment by putting pupils in control of their own progress, the programme aims to develop more positive attitudes towards healthy, active lifestyles, emotional wellbeing and self-efficacy.

It is anticipated that circa 70% of the schools in the proposed pilot would be in areas of deprivation and circa 30% in areas of non-deprivation.  It is further anticipated that there will be opportunities for cross-fertilisation of school practice to develop key learning and development opportunities for senior leaders among different school structures. 

The pilot will be subject to the Company and the NHS (or one of its subsidiaries) entering into a formal agreement and a further announcement will be made in due course.  The Company is hopeful of being able to finalise the terms of the pilot with the NHS by the end of June 2017, so that S2A can be implemented in the 200 schools in time for the commencement of the 2017/2018 academic year.

GoTech Managing Director, Gail Ganney, said, â€œWe believe that the NHS’s interest in S2A raises its profile and demonstrates the exciting opportunity for it to be used as a tool that can help combat key health issues facing the population today.  Entering into this pilot will be a further step towards achieving our ultimate objective of engaging up 20,000 primary schools and 5.5 million 4-11 year olds on the programme for health and physical activity, thus allowing a sea-change of attitude and a systemic change in the current health status of the UK for the next generation”.

“Our company strategy remains to be disruptive in transforming the way people participate in, coach and watch sports, whilst seeking to increase activity, participation and social connectivity at all levels.  To this end, we are exploring other opportunities which are complementary to our existing products.”

**ENDS**

For further information, please visit www.gotechgroup-plc.com or contact:

Gail Ganney	GoTech Group plc	Tel: [phone]
Virginia Bull James Reeve Liz Kirchner	Allenby Capital Limited	Tel: [phone]
Duncan Vasey Lucy Williams	Peterhouse Corporate Finance	Tel: [phone]
Lottie Brocklehurst Grace-Anne Marius	St Brides Partners	Tel: [phone]