Panathlon’s ‘virtual’ in-school competition format was launched for 2020/21 in response to Covid-19 restrictions preventing us staging any external events.
We decided that if we can’t get the schools to come to us, we should go to them! We distributed resource packs, activity cards and instructional video clips to staff at participating schools so they can run events themselves using existing school equipment. All the activities are skill-based and designed for schools to deliver the Panathlon fair play ethos through simplified and varied competitions which will develop confidence and self-belief in every individual.
There are separate activity packs for primary, secondary and special schools. We have also added ten-pin bowling, New-Age Kurling, boccia, table top, swimming (for both 5m and 10m pools), football, tennis, cricket and an outdoor summer programme. Additionally, schools have trained their own Young Leaders and pupils have taken part in live Q&As via Zoom with Paralympic and para-international athletes.
Each school submits their results and sends monitoring forms to a Panathlon representative. We then send back certificates and medals.
We have received hugely positive feedback from the 583 schools in England, North Wales and Northern Ireland who participated in Virtual Panathlon during 2020/21. Overall, an amazing 45,845 pupils took part during the academic year, despite the ravages of the pandemic, changing restrictions and in defiance of national downward trends in opportunities to participate for disabled people. Read our full annual report here.
Primary schools
Secondary schools
Special Schools
Ten-Pin Bowling
New-Age Kurling
Ten-pin bowling
Boccia
To download PDFs which give an overview of our ‘virtual’ in-school activities, click the relevant link below:
- Primary PDF (Overview Sept 2020)
- Secondary PDF (Overview Autumn UK)
- Special Schools PDF (Overview Autumn 2020)
To download PDFs which give an overview of our virtual swimming programme, click the relevant link below:
For further information or to join our virtual programme, please contact your local School Games Organiser or email entries@panathlon.com (the entry process and event deadlines will vary from county to county).
On receipt of entry Panathlon will send you full resources including video clips, comprehensive rules, score sheets and certificates and stickers.
