Hillingdon schools came together for a brilliant primary Panathlon event on Thursday, 9th October.
Hosts Oak Wood also provided a fantastic group of young leaders who kept the event running smoothly.
And the feedback was incredible.
“I loved the basketball game,” said Abigail. “I’ve never scored points before and I got nine points for my team! It made me feel very, very proud of myself.”
Robert was a fan of kurling, and added: “I was so excited to come to a high school. I was a bit scared of the big hall but everyone was kind to me and we got to do lots of fun stuff.”
One team captain, Elsie, said: “We all cheered each other and supported each other. We also clapped the other teams at the end, and then we won! I can’t believe it!”
“I didn’t really think I’d be good at anything but I was actually good at everything!” said Lenny, and Eliab declared: “I’ve never won a medal before. My mum is going to be so happy. I’m going to wear my medal forever!”
One young person even said: “I wish I could come here every day!”
Becci Cooke is school games organiser for the area, based at Barnhill Community High School. Hillingdon have been working with Panathlon for over 10 years, firstly at primary level but also in the last three years at secondary level, engaging both special schools and mainstream SEND students.
And the figures are impressive, with over 300 pupils involved across 31 schools, both primary and secondary.
“We love working with Panathlon,” says Becci, “they offer an opportunity to Hillingdon students who may not otherwise get the opportunity to represent their schools.
“They ensure their events are fully inclusive and supportive so that all children go home with smiles on faces – they love receiving medals.
“It really does make a difference to the lives of the children who take part in the event and also to the leaders who get the opportunity to take responsibility for running an event.”
