The Return of Sports Day – Sprints, Eggs, Spoons, Skipping Ropes and Wellie Wanging!
Sports day this year will take place on Thursday 7th July. This is the only date that can be used at this time owing to a vast array of other planned activities, including school trips, visits and other off-site events.
As a result of non-movable Year 6 transition days, this will mean that some (not all) Year 6 children will not be on site. We will attempt to make an alternative arrangement for these children to compete in a similar style event before the end of the academic year. This would not necessarily be open to parents though.
MORNING
Reception, Year 1 and 2 will start at 9:15am: Parents should enter via the path (by the car park/chicken pen gate off Ashbourne road). A member of staff will be there to point parents in the direction of where to sit and to secure the entrance – gates will close at 9:15am. Late arrivals will need to enter via the reception entrance. Parents dropping their children off at school and then wishing to wait on the field may do so.
AFTERNOON
Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will start at 1:20pm. Parents can enter via the path (by car park/chicken pen gate) from 1:15pm A member of staff will be there to point parents in the direction of where sit and to secure the entrance – gates will close at 1:20pm. Late arrivals will need to enter via the reception entrance.
IMPORTANT: Please do not ask your child to come over the track away from the class teacher / their seating area. Whilst this may appear harmless, it makes tracking and monitoring children difficult and make them likely to miss events.
What is sports day and why is it important?
As you are likely to be aware, I am a firm believer that ‘Sports Day’ should be fully competitive in nature, allowing those children who achieve physically to be celebrated on a par with those with academic success.
Winning and losing is an important lesson in life, managing expectations, recognising the need to apply oneself, respecting the efforts of others and promoting physical and mental wellbeing, are all fundamental aspects of life in and beyond school; these should therefore be developed and nurtured. For this reason, children will again be competing in traditional racing events and receiving recognition for individual achievements, as well as celebrating determination and commitment in those who apply themselves, regardless of outcome.
Arrangements
There are no changes to previous years’ format. Owing to numbers of pupils in school, the day will be split into two events (Infants & Juniors). I appreciate that this can be inconvenient for parents with children in different year groups; however, over 310 pupils with adults competing in a range of events cannot be done in a single morning.
Parents are permitted to watch the events, however, owing to the high numbers that attend, it will not be possible to provide seating. You will however be allowed to bring seating of your own, picnic rugs or similar to sit on. An area will be allocated for you to sit, close to the track by the path.
Time allowing, there may be an opportunity for a ‘parents race’; a chance for parents to lead by example, have fun and be a part of the school community. We may be able to persuade some staff to join in too!
Events will include: Sprint, sack race, skipping, egg and spoon and a new event of ‘wellie wanging!).
Who will race?
Races will be open to all pupils and all will be encouraged and permitted to enter in as many events as they wish. Races will be run in heats, with 1st, 2nd and 3rdplaces awarded for each event. As the events will be open to all, there may be more heats in some events than others but this will allow all to compete at a level they feel comfortable with. We will run as many races as time allows.
A final note on conduct
The key purpose of Sports Day is to allow children to enjoy physical activity and give an opportunity for the community to join in a key event in the school year. Please remember this. Encourage the children in a positive and sporting manner and ensure that all children’s efforts are celebrated. We are the role models and need to be mindful of this. Positivity breads success.
The school is a non smoking site and this includes the use of E cigarettes. Please feel free to bring drinks with you; however, alcohol is not permitted on school site on Sports Day. Parents using offensive, argumentative or abusive language will be removed from site.
Amenities
There will be access to toilets for visitors, but this will require staff supervision to and from the facilities. Please do not attempt to enter the school without staff guidance.
Poor weather
In the event of poor weather, the event will be postponed until such time the field is dry.
USE/TAKING OF IMAGES (PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO) IN SCHOOL FOR PERSONAL USE
Ashgate Primary School follows the guidance on the 'Recording of Images' issued by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
“Common sense guidance by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) aims to dispel the myth that data protection prevents parents from taking photographs of their child and friends at school events”.
“Photographs taken purely for personal use are exempt from the Data Protection Act”
PARENTS MAY TAKE IMAGES
However, we do ask parents to recognize that children are, and will always be, considered a 'vulnerable group', requiring special considerations; we therefore ask that those taking images:
• to ensure the 'focus' is on their child/children
• to ensure images that include other children are not distributed to a third party* without consulting the parent/carer of those children (This is not the responsibility of the school)
*Third parties in this circumstance includes social network web-pages, such as 'Facebook' and 'Twitter'. Please keep the safety of young children in mind at all times
Should you have any questions regarding personal photography in school, please feel free to talk to the school and or consult the guidance issued by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) www.ico.gov.uk.
NB: The school is required by Data Protection Act to consult parents prior to official photography that may be distributed to a third party and or used for official school use, such as the internet website and brochure/prospectus use. Please ensure that the details held at school are up to date.
Peter Seargent. Headteacher