What's the format of your (secondary) school sports day?

[werlygiggler]

Just wondering how other schools manage their sports days, as ours has been scaled back a lot this year for various reasons.

Questions:
Is it whole-school, or just done by Key Stage or Year Group?
Just serious athletics events or fun/inclusive stuff too?
Is there more than one event going on at the same time?
Is it all organised and run by the PE staff, or do other staff get involved too?
How do they decide who does which race?
Does the rest of the year-group or school watch to cheer on their classmates, even if they're not taking part? If there a lot of standing-around watching, does that result in behaviour issues?

While it is less well attended than the junior school sports day many parents have carried on treating it the same.
Parents bring a picnic and the children can join them (generally they come grab some food then go off with their mates). If no parent can come they can have a school lunch.
The kids have picked the field sports they want to compete in and one or two or three races in advance.
After the picnic there’s a program of events run year by year, and the field events can happen same time also year by year. Track events and field events happen on different fields. The kids are divided by their four houses and have dressed in those colours (face paint, t shirts etc). There’s a tent for each house and that’s where the kids hang out waiting for their event. And yep the volume of cheering can be astounding!
Most events are fairly serious - everyone wants to get the points for their house. They do it all 100m, 200m, on up (1500m run another day as quite long). Relay races. Shot put, long jump etc etc. Tug of war even.
Whole thing lasts about four hours. They announce the winners as they go along. In the end the winning house gets to sing their house song (as loud as possible). It’s a nice end to the year. Everyone takes part - and the non sporty ones bringing up the rear get as much cheering as the winners.

Oh and it’s run by all staff - PE teachers do the time keeping and organising the events but the rest are there to cheer their houses on too and get involved with marshalling, getting the kids to the right place etc.

Ah and finally no behaviour issues at all! It’s a big crowd but they’re all there to have fun and support each other. It’s a good day. They do so many events that most kids find something they are comfortable doing and they self select which sport they want to compete in.

Most of the school (year 7 to year 10) sit around chatting.
A very small number of students run races. There are also some field events but they take place before the main sports day bit.
There is no bad behaviour, but not entirely sure of the point of it.

Usually it is a shit storm. Some staff find something 'important' to do so the minions are out on the field whilst others sit in classrooms or offices and drink tea!
No parents are involved and it is to do with houses and there is usually a loose programme to follow.
At the end then a few members of staff help tidy up the field whilst others just piss off. I hate it for that reason. I love the interaction with kids but other teachers who can't be arsed to participate and who are inconsiderate ruin it for me.

Is it whole-school, or just done by Key Stage or Year Group?

Whole school, though events are by year group (except sometimes relay when they pit 2 together)

Just serious athletics events or fun/inclusive stuff too?

Definite athletics, but it doesn't feel serious

Is there more than one event going on at the same time?

Yes - there will be one thing on the track, whilst other year groups are jumping or throwing

Is it all organised and run by the PE staff, or do other staff get involved too?

Organised by PE. Dept, but loads of other staff involved (whole school is there, so no-one is teaching)

How do they decide who does which race?

Each child gets to state preferences for 1x running, 1x throwing and 1x jumping event. Everyone does 3 events, except those selected for relay, who do that as a fourth. People usually get their preferences.

Does the rest of the year-group or school watch to cheer on their classmates, even if they're not taking part?

Yes - ish. Or they just meander round in packs

If there a lot of standing-around watching, does that result in behaviour issues?

Not that I've seen. As nearly all the staff are there, there are plenty of people ready to keep high spirits in check

At my old secondary school we had house captains in each year group (the children) sort out someone to take part in each activity for their year from long jump, to discus, to 100m. Nothing silly or 'fun' all proper events. The highjump and others would be done during the week at various times with no-one watching, but the track races and relays would happen in front of the whole school (no parents, but all students and teachers) for an afternoon of cheering on your team. It was fairly competitive and I always did my utmost to not be chosen for anything!!!!

Most of the children enjoyed it as they got an afternoon out of the classroom and there was good rivalry from the houses. I don't remember any bad behaviour or issues.

Whole school, friendly but serious. Kids decide in their houses, 3 from each house in each event. Max 2 events per student but everyone has to do the 1500m.everyone not competing has to watch, and everyone has a setting up and tidying away job.

School I worked in:
just athletic events
Morning given over to field events and distance races plus heats for sprints - some at the same time
Afternoon -finals of sprints and relays
Whole school watched afternoon only - no behaviour issues
Organised by PE staff but some others involved
Kids in form choose who does what, supported by form tutor - all year groups apart from yr 11

My kids school:
Everyone had to do something - decide within the form through a sports captain
No lessons all day - all watch the whole thing
just athletics events
don't know about the other questions for their school, sorry

I know my dc used to feel it was a 1/2 day off lesson,s sitting in the sun. No idea on the format though. Couldn't quite see the point of it myself.

Ours takes place on a Saturday . The whole school is meant to be there including all the teachers but there always seems to be a surprising amount of illness/essential external events that weekend! Kids compete for their form against the other forms in their year group. Track and field activities happen at the same time and the same 4 or 5 kids win everything. It is never as bad as I fear it will be (apart from the year of the torrential downpour) but it is frustrating as I would rather it happened on a school day!!

I don't exactly know what happens at the secondary school sports days, as parents are banned (I used to attend the primary school ones). I do know that it is only Years 7-9 (inclusive). Year 10 always do their work experience that week, and Year 11 have finished. Year 12 are studying too hard for sports day.
Up until this year the school has not had houses, so it was never about that (houses is a new inovation by new headmistress who comes from the private sector). DC competed as individuals. Everybody was required to sign up for a minimum of one activity, but could sign up for more. DS signed up for javelin only all three years. DD signed up for long and high jump (only form of athletics she does well). None of the "fun" activites found in primary school as far as I am aware (ie no egg and spoon race, I would know if there was as DS used to win it at primary school, no sack race, as that was a speciality of DD). Was used to pick DC to compete for school in some interschool athletics I think. Was one family in particular who used to dominate every year DS did it - a whole family who could run like the wind, from what I understand, and competed in every single track event there was. Then competed for the school at inter school events. However DD came second in the high jump last year, and it hasn't seemed to be a springboard for anything (DS never got anywhere in the javalin). The rest of the time they sit on the grass and chat, from what I can gather. DD took several books to read.

At the school my children attend it is a massively serious affair and all staff involved.

Track, some field and specialist events on the day others in the week building up to it. All the traditional events plus tennis, rowing machines, croquet and ultimate frisbee. Compete in houses and there is a cup to be won. No year 11 or 13 though.

Starts with parade and whole school warm up. Each house also runs a charity stall. Canteen does a BBQ. Face paint and glitter in house colours. Medals for winners etc etc. Students decide in their house groups who is doing what.

Very long detailed timetable as to when things take place!!

No parents- seems well run and enjoyed by all.