Katie Jones, teacher at Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn in North Wales
“I’ve been at this school a long time and it was so frustrating when there was nothing tailored for our pupils with autism… So when we went to the first…
“I’ve been at this school a long time and it was so frustrating when there was nothing tailored for our pupils with autism… So when we went to the first…
“It’s had a massive impact on the kids. It’s accessible and there’s no fear of failure in it, which is so important for our pupils.”
“Seeing the children so happy and appreciative of the supporting role we play for them and seeing their smiles is what really make it a special experience.”
“My first impressions of Panathlon? I absolutely love it! I can already see the potential and it’s huge. This will give us that element of progression we’ve been missing.”
“The kudos those children had among the whole school community for going away and winning a tournament was incredible. It sent a really positive message to everyone else.”
“Panathlon has really developed the children’s teamwork and their confidence and self-esteem has rocketed. They’ve been so proud sharing their amazing achievements in assembly with the rest of the school.”
“It was very proud to go up on stage in assembly and show my achievements to the rest of the school. I was very excited, overjoyed and a bit overwhelmed!…
“Winning the qualifying event has driven our children on to want to achieve more. Beforehand they were sometimes a bit reluctant, but now they think, ‘I’ll have a go.’”
“Coming to Panathlons gives us ideas for differentiation in PE. We use the ideas to adapt PE lessons and make them more inclusive.
“Getting to the final really changed their confidence levels and the way the rest of the school perceives them. When they got back to school, they got a standing ovation…
“Panathlon is about celebrating the individual progress, effort and achievement of all those involved. It’s a perfect mix of ability and inclusion.”
“Our children get to compete with other deaf children just like them. It is so important for them to feel valued and connected to the wider deaf community.”
“What a fantastic, well organised event. The staff were welcoming, warm and enthusiastic and had planned a huge number of activities for the children. The games were varied and accessed…
“The reward the children get from medals and trophies at Panathlons blow every other competition away. They are phenomenal. It is so important to kids to have that visual recognition…
“This is an unbelievable opportunity to compete at what is quite a high level for them. It gives them a place where they can use their abilities. They get so…
“Panathlon’s impact really became clear to me during lockdown. The impact of it not being there was huge. We really felt the absence… The progression through the qualifying rounds is…
“In life in general, not just sport, we’ve always made it clear to our kids that the more you practise and the more determined you are, the better the result…
“This is going to have an amazing impact on their confidence. They are like completely different people here. Their self-esteem has gone through the roof! Celebration assembly tomorrow is going…
“We don’t underestimate the importance of these events, because sometimes these children face challenges on a day-to-day basis that we can barely comprehend.”
“The children are all unique and wonderful in their own ways but this competition means they can all participate and their achievements are celebrated. We’ve never seen anything like it…
“This has been awesome! Lockdown felt like I was trapped in a cage, but today it feels like the cage door has opened.”
“Many thanks for organising such a fabulous event. We loved every minute of the gala and it was well worth the journey from Bristol and getting up so early. Some…
“This is like Christmas for our pupils. It’s the best thing these children have with regards to sporting and life opportunities.”
“When the children returned from the Panathlon competition they were on an absolute high and brimming with confidence. We’ve really seen in PE lessons that they are more confident in…