What a year it was for another Norfolk School Games. Over 18,000 young people took part in level 2 competitions in the year across all 8 school sports partnerships. This year alone saw nearly 3500 children compete in 22 events, 15 of which were level 3 competitions. With such a variety of sports on offer, there was something for everyone.
Events for the year included, cricket, netball, cross country, angling and athletics and it was fantastic to see so many young people accessing competitive sport. A new addition to our programme was the Primary Schools Quadkids competition which saw KS2 pupils compete in 4 different athletic events. 130 pupils took part in this competition having qualified at level 2 and it proved to be such a popular event that it will back for this year and open to even more pupils for their chance to compete. As well as this, there were alternative sports days for secondary school pupils who might not normally engage in school sports. Sports included skateboarding, climbing and cycling. We hope that by providing a variety of sports, young people found something that they enjoyed and can continue with.
Special Schools also took part in inclusive festivals and games across the year. Panathlon events were popular and supported by fantastic young leaders who always encourage those with special educational needs. The carousel structure to the days allowed children to experience different inclusive activities and it is always great to see the excitement this event brings to those who attend.
Our largest and one of the most popular and eagerly anticipated finals in the school games diary is cross country. With over 600 pupils making the final each year, we were delighted to be able to host this years at a new venue, in the beautiful surroundings of Holkham Hall. We are thrilled that the event will take place in Holkham again this year and look forward to welcoming a new group of runners at our winter finals weeks.
The School Games aim is to keep competitive sport at the heart of schools by providing engaging opportunities for young people to help them develop as characters, realise their potential and continue their pathway to an active, healthy, happy and prosperous life. We hope that the young people go away feeling excited to take part and wanting to do more. If you would like your school to be part of the school games this year, then get in contact with your school games organiser. Their details can be found on this page.
With the new academic year starting this week, it won’t be long before level 2 competitions start again across the county. We are looking forward to welcoming you to a brand-new year of Norfolk School Games.
