Date: Friday 7th Jul
Time: 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm
We are looking forward to our Sports Showcase Day next Friday, weather permitting. It will be the third year we have run this whole-day celebration of sport and PE. Now is a useful time to explain to our newer families why we follow the Quad Kids format, instead of the more traditional egg and spoon, sack race
variety.
To provide you with the context. We moved away from the more traditional sports day format during Covid. During 2021/2022, we were still working under Covid preventative measures. However, we were able to work within the guidance and offer the first of our Sports Showcase days. Parents were able to attend, albeit under strict supervision. The children remained in their Covid bubbles and joined in activities based on the Quad Kids Start programme where each child takes part in a round-robin of four athletic type events, sprint, run, jump, throw. QuadKids Start, suitable for primary school children, is designed to be a fun introduction into team athletics. More importantly, it is a simple, effective and inclusive way of getting more children to participate in physical activity – it offers all our children the ability to have a go. The feedback we received from the children after the 2021 event was startling! It became clear that some of our children do not enjoy the pressure of taking part in individual races.
They felt uncomfortable at being “watched” by the crowd, particularly so if they were not very athletic or competitive. For a minority, it induced real anxiety to the point that they would not attend school or not take part in the races. The children also really enjoyed being active all the time as a more traditional sports day with lots of individual races, also means a lot of sitting around and waiting for the next race. Other benefits described included: working as a team and earning house points, being able to be competitive but in an individual way and being cheered on by fellow house teammates.
It is for these reasons, which are wholly child-led, we are returning to the Quad Kids Start format.
Having said that, this year, we are re-introducing a fun race at the end of the Quad Kids competition for those children who wish to take part and there may even be a chance for a mums and dads racetoo!