Sports Day - a bit late I know

[ben1234]

In my sons nursery year they had what I call a traditional sports day. Lanes marked out and then races against each other like running to get the bean bags and an actual running race and a relay etc.
This is what I did at Infant school and I know of schools that still do this.
He is now in year two.
Reception and years one and two this year and similar last year had events such as they individually walked a scooter five metres and then back again. Then with a hocky stick hit a cricket ball (not sure why not a hocky ball) round two cones and back. Throwing a tennis ball as far as they can too. and run literally about three metres and back and then the next childs turn. It was a shambles and half the children didn't get to have a go as they had to move onto the next event as they ran out of time.
Besides the shambles of it though I wondered how many schools do this sort of thing on sports day. Where there's no actual races with children winning or losing. Surely it's important they learn that it's ok to win or lose in life and it's not just the taking part that counts. So interested to find out how many schools still do actual races in their sports day and let the children or whatever age win or lose.

Our KS1 has a 'carousel' sports day. I think it's better from the pupils' POV as there is far less hanging around for a couple of bursts of 2 mins activity. And the teachers do a bit of discreet selection so the groups they go round in mean that even the uncoordinated have a chance to win. The winners got coloured tickets which they proudly posted in House boxes, and the overall winner was the House (plus house points for all tickets going forward into the whole school House totals).

Your problem here is that it was badly run, not that the concept was wrong.

Even without heat winners, all children getting to have a go at lots of activities is good. A shambles where they should be getting goes, but don't isn't.

(KS2 sports day is more like a traditional one. When children are a bit older and more mature, waiting for turns and clearer winners is OK, and I still get a bit teary remembering the boy with some obvious physical issues being cheered spontaneously by the whole school as he stumbled along the last bit of a race way behind everyone because finishing a race was, for him, a bigger achievement than anyone else winning. Children can be so lovely).

I think your schools house point system is how it should be. This is how it was when I was at Junior School. When I was at infant school we still did the traditional sports day and we had cards of 1st 2nd and third. I agree some children are not as capable as others for various reasons. I know as you said parents really do make an effort to cheer the ones that are say slower then others.
Some children are good at sports and this may be the only thing they can excel in compared to English and maths and they should be given the chance to show this.
I shall have to ask the reasons the school do the different events. The teachers I think we're somehow putting points down for each class but how when the children were not racing I don't know.
Like I said I was interested to find out how many other schools if any don't do the traditional races.

Both the DC's infants and juniors (2 separate schools) do sports day in the moving round different activities format.

At infants level not every child got to do every event due to time, but the teachers did carefully monitor it so that if your child missed one event they were first in line to do the next.

At juniors they are quicker and every child gets lots of turns!

I think this way is much better than traditional tbh - each child gets more turns to do something, plus even if you are not sporty you can contribute to your team. DD's team last year had quite a few children who were not naturally sporty and yet they won the event - mainly I think because they worked well together and everyone genuinely tried their hardest

My DCs sports day is a bit like this. I find it very tedious to watch, mainly because we're not allowed to move around with the children so you hardly see your own child. I think the children have fun but then it lacks the structure of a more competitive event. I used to love sports day at school. I've always been a naturally competitive person and it's stood me in good stead in life.

It's interesting to hear other schools do the same thing. I suppose what gets me is that at year one and what will be the same in year two they literally ride a scooter up a cricket wicket and back. There's no competition with another child or anything. Atleast have them do that event against another class as there are three classes in his year. Then a cricket ball with a hocky stick. Maybe just badly done by our school.
I'm understanding the different events but it worked ok for so many years I don't see the need to change it really

I agree being competitive is an important skill in life. We could follow them around each event but it was as you say so tedious when you knew along with other parents what they were doing was something they should do in reception year. But even then as I said at his nursery they did the traditional races and that worked fine when they were only 3.

Not a hockey ball because those are hard. A mishit that comes into contact with a body part will likely break or severely injure that body part.

We do team relays at several stations.

Yes maybe this is ok to do be done this way and atleast your school was still in a competitive way where as I couldn't see that at my sons.

It was a cricket ball though which is still extremely hard ? So not the reason Surely!
Plus they were going at such a slow pace and not against anybody so it is showing just a badly run sports day

My DCs primary school has a competitive sports day. Kindergarten included.

Each race has a first, second and third place and they get a sticker and stand on a podium whilst their name is announced.

It's a very "sporty" school. Love Sports Day.

This was changed a couple of years ago at the infant school I work at.

Now only EYFS have the carousel of events.
Key Stage 1 classes have competitive sport's days - running for their classes as a whole, and then also as a "house." One y1 and one y2 class make up a house, though they take part on different days.

1st, 2nd and 3rd stickers for individuals, participation tickets for the rest, trophy for the best house (combined Y1 and Y2) awarded in celebration assembly.

The children all take part in several events - no one child is allowed to be in every race for example, and every child must do at least 1 or 2 events. It is a fun event, with lots of support going on. Picnic lunch on the field afterwards.

Since making the change we now have so many more parents coming to watch. In the past few bothered - I think they thought it was like watching a PE lesson rather than a special event. Now we have loads of parents attending and supporting, and also the hotly contested parents races afterwards too.