Moor House School and College from Oxted in Surrey were the victors in the National Panathlon Special Schools Swimming Final at the London Aquatics Centre, beating six other schools who had travelled from as far away as Lancashire and Manchester to compete at the prestigious London 2012 venue.
Moor House secured victory with a series of outstanding performances across the race program, with Stormont House of North London in second and last year’s winners Park Academy from Blackpool in third.
With gold medals proudly hanging around their necks, they sent voicenotes to Panathlon staff from their team bus as they travelled home singing ‘We are the Champions’.
Hayley Chilcott, swim teacher at Moor House, welling up with tears of joy, said: “That was amazing! To be Panathlon champion across all schools in the country who have competed across the qualifying local events…I can’t put it into words! We held the regional qualifier at our school so that has just built up the excitement.”
Ros Johnston, support staff at the school and team minibus driver, described it as the “best thing they had ever won,” adding: “So proud of them, it is a real boost for the students as they come back to school with shoulders back, heads held high and real sense of achievement amongst the group!”
Shauna Graham, deputy head, said that the victory is a remarkable achievement for Moor House School and College, showcasing the incredible talent, teamwork, and resilience of its students.
“This prestigious accomplishment highlights the dedication and commitment of both students and staff to excellence, not just in academics but also in extracurricular and community-building activities. It represents a celebration of the school’s ethos, providing a nurturing environment where every individual can thrive and reach their full potential. Such recognition also serves to inspire the wider community, raising awareness of the outstanding contributions made by special schools and the importance of inclusivity in education.”
Last year’s winners Park Academy again made the most of their trip to the capital and went to see other
London landmarks like they did last year, taking in the Tower of London this time round and allowing the extension and development of the children’s worlds.
The Young Leaders for the competition were all pupils from Great Baddow School in Chelmsford who
worked alongside Pentland Brands staff. Sally Smith, teacher in charge, said: “This is really rewarding.
You can tell that the kids really love it and being able to offer our leaders these experiences is like gold.”
Tony Waymouth, Panathlon COO, said: “The opportunity to again get special schools to participate in this final allows children to experience the thrill of an Olympic venue where other champions have been made, to experience London and showcase SEN and disabled children’s achievements.”
We thank Pentland Brands for their support of Panathlon’s swim programme and this Finals day.
For a full collection of images, please see gallery.
