SPORTY students had a headstart on getting to know future classmates when four primary schools came together for an inaugural competition.
The schools – St Bede’s and St Gregory’s in Stockton, and St Augustine’s and Holy Family, Darlington – are all part of the Carmel Multi Academy Trust. Young athletes from each school met up at ‘big school’ Carmel College, in Darlington, for a morning of friendly competition on the track and field.
The children, from Years 5 and 6, took part in throwing and jumping contests and a series of sprint and distance running events culminating in relay races.
Megan Noble, 11, from Holy Family RC Primary, who won the girls’ 800m, said: “We don’t get the chance to race against other schools very often so this has been good.”
Year 6 teacher from St Augustine’s Primary Anthony McGeeney added: “It’s given the children a chance to see what secondary school is like and to make friends with students from the other academy trust schools, including those from Stockton who we haven’t competed against before, in a spirit of friendly competition.”
Event organiser Colin Gandy, a PE teacher based at Carmel College who also supports the delivery of PE at the primary schools, said: “Communication between the schools has been great and meant that today ran very smoothly for a first event.”
The Carmel College PE department was supported by students who helped manage the events and recorded results.
Trust chief executive Maura Regan added: “This kind of event is what being part of a trust is all about – children from different schools coming together for joint initiatives where they can get to know each other and also become more familiar with the college they may attend once they leave primary school.”
