Comberton School Sport Partnership

Comberton’s Olympic Event: building on previous successes to deliver the biggest and best event yet during Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week!

Focus

  • Our aim was to excite and motivate children to take part in a range of sports whilst raising awareness of the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
  • We wanted all of the children involved to enjoy their day and leave having had an amazingly positive experience of sport.

Who took part?

  • 1,400 Year 4 pupils from the 44 primary schools in the SSP.
  • 120 sports leaders from our secondary schools.
  • The SSP’s School Sport Coaches and Young Ambassadors.

What is planned?

  • For the last six years we have held a very successful Mini Olympics Event for all Year 4 pupils in the SSP. This year, using the impetus of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, we wanted the event to become bigger and better under the title of an ‘Olympic Event’.
  • The activities took place on Tuesday 22 June 2010 at Wilberforce Road Athletics Track, Cambridge.
  • The day was supported by a Cambridge-based sports shop, who provided t-shirts for all of the children.
  • The day itself involved the children rotating around a series of 16 different stations where they got to try out a range of different and often new activities. These include a variety of Olympic and Paralympic sports, for example long jump, Boccia, hockey, javelin, hurdles and tennis.
  • Also included in the day was an opening and closing ceremony led by our Young Ambassadors and a music carnival around the track by Cambourne BLOCO, who are involved in the Cultural Olympiad programme.
  • Each teacher received a set of Olympic and Paralympic Value certificates to award to those children in their group who they think have best displayed the values of determination, excellence, friendship and equality.
  • In the build up to the week and the event, an Olympic Oath competition took place for participating schools, with children being asked to write an oath based on the Olympic and Paralympic Values. The winning oath was then read out during the opening ceremony by one of the Young Ambassadors.

Impact

  • Olympian, Jo Ellis, who was part of the Great Britain women’s hockey team in Beijing, was the special guest on the day: “It was incredible to see so many children taking part in sport – it’s such a great event. It is so important for children to take part in events like today and hopefully it will inspire them to take part in sport and teach them many valuable lessons in life.”
  • Claire McDonnell, Partnership Development Manager: “Sport can give children the experience to help them achieve their full potential in life as it is a great way of enhancing qualities such as teamwork, discipline, determination and fair play. Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week has helped build their confidence and stands them in good stead throughout their lives.”
  • Councillor Jaime Dipple, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Champion for the Olympics: “I am thrilled to see how many children across our district have the opportunity to be part of these Mini Olympics. There are so many amazing sports for the children to participate in and I hope we discover some of tomorrow’s Olympians!”

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