Over the last 12 months we have had the opportunity to do something new in schools. Inter-School Games Tournaments. And they’ve proved a massive success…
We’ve always known that kids (and grownups!) love a bit of healthy competition. That’s one of the reasons our school games days and programmes are so successful. The engagement of competitive fun on a level playing field for all means that we can get all kinds of students and teachers navigating educational and social barriers, whilst having a great time. It’s easy to do that in a single school (though 5 years ago we wouldn’t necessarily have said that) but how to make it something that can easily be introduced to neighbouring schools to help integrate wider communities. I suppose the fact that we even tried it was a sign of how far we’d come.
We have had the opportunity to try this out in a few different scenarios… and it has been an instant hit… we now have schools involved in regular, Inter-School competition, and always eagerly anticipating the next one!
Earlier in the year, thanks to our association with the fantastic Sheffield arm of the Children’s University, we were able to start something new with a large number of schools in that area. Essentially, each school were given a box of games specifically designed for the key stage appropriate to them, a gruelling training session* (fun gaming with coffee and biscuits that is!), and some of our own quick-play instructions to help them along. Back at school they introduced regular games clubs and got ready for their age group’s inter-school tournament, each of which was a resounding success.
Across the county in Barnsley, with the help of some very impressed headteachers, we also now have plenty of schools involved in various interschool tournaments. The games have become an integral part of many of their school days, not just in clubs, but in the classroom and in family learning workshops too. They are always eagerly anticipating the next tournament and it’s truly fantastic to see all the different schools having something to get excited about together, that they can benefit from individually every day too.
Each tournament has involved presentations of trophies, certificates and prizes, and the teachers have a great day too. Split between several schools, the cost becomes almost negligible making it that much more valuable and accessible and best of all, if you host the day, you don’t have to pay anything at all!
There’ll be plenty more info and examples of Inter-School tournaments appearing soon, but if you want to get ahead of the game and make the first move you can ask for more details right now. You’ll find our contact details right here!
