Cribden House, a specialist SEND school in Rossendale, has embraced Panathlon into its weekly schedule — and pupils’ practice paid off handsomely this week at our Lancashire County Primary Final in Blackpool.
Having competed in Panathlon events for the last three years, Cribden House started a lunchtime Panathlon club this academic year so pupils could train for (and compete for selection in) upcoming events.
Staff have also formed a network of local primary and secondary special schools who arrange Panathlon-style competitions against each other. These connections have spawned further competitive inter-school SEND fixtures in dodgeball, football, badminton and boccia – a fabulous example of Panathlon’s positive ‘ripple effect’ on participating schools.
Having won their local primary multi-skills competition, Cribden House qualified for our county final on 10th March at Blackpool Sports Centre. They finished as clear winners, becoming Lancashire county champions and earning themselves a ticket to our North West Regional Final in the summer term.
The inaugural Lancashire County Primary Final was one of an amazing 82 competitions across all 12 Lancashire boroughs this academic year kindly funded by Active Lancashire. In the autumn term alone in 2024/25, there were 43 Panathlon competitions in Lancashire with 2,361 participants – more than in the entirety of 2023/24!
Cribden House is just one of hundreds of schools across the Red Rose county whose pupils are revelling in the opportunities to take part in competitive sport.
PE Lead Ryan Standandring said: “When we first took part in a Panathlon three years ago, it was the first competition of any kind we’d entered as a school for a long, long time. All of the competitions were mainstream and outside of school hours, so they weren’t accessible for us at all.
“Since then, we’ve taken the activities such as new-age kurling, boccia and bowling back to school and practise on Friday afternoons. Everyone is allowed to join in the training sessions and we specialise in the six weeks leading up to a particular event.
“We now use the sessions as a selection process, so those who behave the best and try their hardest in the sessions get to come to the competitions. It might seem harsh, but it gives them a focus — and it’s worked. The behaviour has improved for all of these children. I’m a firm believer that you have to lose as well as win. They all want to try their absolute best to get in the team.”
Those finely-honed skills were very much in evidence in Blackpool, and there were even tears of joy when Cribden House were announced as winners ahead of silver medallists Stanley Primary (representing Blackpool) and third-placed Trinty St Michael’s Croston (Chorley), who also progress to the North West Primary Final.
“They very much knew that they were Team Rossendale today,” revealed Mr Standandring. “This is the only event where they can compete with other schools and win a medal. Now they want to do it again. The impact you see on these children’s confidence from winning something is absolutely massive. Teamwork is a massive thing too. They take all that into the classroom, form new friendships and excel in other ways.
“One of these children was crying at the start of the year because his brother, who’s a good footballer, had been taunting him because he wasn’t in a school team. But he got into our Panathlon team, so he was absolutely delighted!”
Mr Standandring has set up a local network of special schools (two primaries and three secondaries) who have friendly fixtures between each other, all inspired by Panathlon. “We mix their Year 7s with our Year 6s. We’ve now got three or four events every half term. We all absolutely love it,” he said.
Stanley Primary, who reached the county final last year and finished runners-up in Blackpool this year, have also been practising Panathlon disciplines in school time. “It’s given them confidence to try sport and PE, whereas they might have otherwise shied away from it,” said PE Lead James Ashworth. “Because of Panathlon, they’re more willing to demonstrate their skills in front of other children in school.
“Winning the Blackpool competition made them want to aim higher. They were so motivated to come back and try the county finals. It is about taking part, but there is that element of winning too and it’s made them want to be better and push themselves.”
Becky Chadwick, PE Lead at bronze medallists Trinity St Michael’s Croston, said: “Our children are like superstars in school today. Everybody knows they’re going out to Blackpool to represent Chorley.
“They deserve to be here. Just because they have SEN, that doesn’t mean they can’t be interested in sports and get the chance to compete and progress. It’s just a different pathway. It’s no lesser of a platform.”
Andy Clark, Active Lancashire’s Schools Participation Officer, said: “We’re absolutely delighted at the growth of our primary Panathlon programme this academic year. For this age range, it’s about developing positive habits and being part of something they will want to come back to. I want these kids to think, ‘I’ve had a brilliant time. How can I keep being active?
“I think we’re also helping give schools the confidence to deliver better SEND PE and sport provision. Ultimately we want no kid to be left behind, and these events definitely help us achieve that.”
