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Pupils try range of activities during National School Sport Week

9 July 2008

The week-long celebration of PE and school sport saw hundreds of children and young people take part in events in school and at local leisure centres and outdoor centres.

Among the activities kick-starting the week was a Cheerfest (opens in a new window) at Chapel-en-le-Frith High School, which saw around 400 primary school pupils show off their cheerleading and dancing skills.

The week also saw Rosliston Forestry Centre play host to an Extreme Sports Day, with pupils from eight secondary schools from South Derbyshire, Derby and Amber Valley taking part in archery, climbing, mountain biking and three-wheeled Karting.

Pupils also got the chance to meet British national cycling champion Jenny Copnall, who joined in with the activities.

Skateboarding and fencing were on offer for Derby school pupils at Murray Park, while 120 'semi sporty' girls from John Port, William Allitt, Granville and Pingle secondary schools took part in aerobics, spinning, cheerleading, martial arts and dance mat activities at a Sainsbury's Girls Active event at Greenbank Leisure Centre.

Other activities included a virtual running competition for schools in Chesterfield, girls’ cricket at Matlock and Wirksworth Cricket Clubs, New Age Kurling at Derby's Royal School for the Deaf, and kickboxing at Ecclesbourne School.

The week also provided the opportunity to thank some of Derbyshire’s school pupils who have been involved in volunteering in sport.

Around 50 South Derbyshire young people – who between them have given up more than 3,000 volunteering hours - were invited to a presentation at Swadlincote Ski Centre, where they received certificates before being given the chance to try skiing, snowboarding or tobogganing.

And throughout the county primary, infant and junior school pupils took part in the 'Run to Beijing' challenge, completing shuttle-runs on a 10-metre course against the clock.

The aim was for pupils to collectively complete the 8,000km distance from Derbyshire to Beijing, the host city for this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games. Data from individual schools is still being logged, and can be submitted here.

National School Sport Week, which is supported by Norwich Union, was launched in May by the Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Teachers and pupils were encouraged to come up with innovative activities to help celebrate and raise awareness of all the good work taking place in PE and school sport across the country, and it is estimated that more than three million children took part.

The event was supported by research which revealed the impact school sport has had on successive British generations. According to the research, many people say that school sport has helped them develop a competitive spirit; taught them leadership and teamwork; and helped them develop skills they have needed later in life.