Primary school children from County Durham started the new school year in style, as they took part in a bespoke sports festival and team building session organised by Foundation of Light.
250 children from Blackhall Primary School took part in a range of activities – including football, dance and table tennis โ designed to create a positive start to the new academic year by having fun with friends and meeting their new teachers in a relaxed and informal environment.
Headteacher Mrs Clark said โWe have had an absolutely fantastic day. The idea is that some children feel a little bit apprehensive about coming back to school, whereas other children are very confident.
Weโre trying to get everyone excited about being back, so weโve worked with the Foundation of Light to create a sports day, which is also a team building day, based on a carousel of age appropriate activities.
โThe children have come here really excited, all in their brand-new PE kit. The Year 4โs were particularly pleased as they started with football this morning, and I saw some of the Year 1โs kicking a ball into a bouncy castle โ a childhood dream on a first day of school.
โI feel that we have achieved what we hoped, as the children were so excited getting onto the bus this morning and sitting next to their friends – yes in their new classes and yes with their new teachers but on their very first day after six weeks off, they are not feeling scared, theyโre not sat behind a desk worried about what the next instruction is. They are having fun; theyโre learning; theyโre being healthy. What more could you ask for?
โToday, just looking around, going in every room and seeing the childrenโs faces I can see that they are having a fantastic time. I really recommend it to any school.โ
To view the interview in full visit our YouTube channel.
To find out more about arranging session for school groups, get in touch with our Sport and Play Coordinator David Dowson via david.dowson@foundationoflight.co.ukย or call 0191 563 4743.
Written By Kay James
4 September 2019
