PULSE


Take Pride’s Highland Games 2016


The Gravesend Highland Games were originally started during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Take Pride schools were part of a cross-curricular commonwealth initiative that ran in 2014 which culminated in the Highland Games. The event was enjoyed so much by everyone that Take Pride then incorporated it into their annual sporting calendar. The games comprise of seven events; the wellie throw, highland step, skipping, tug of war, the kiltie dash, caber toss and weight for height throw.


There are many sporting festivals and sports that are out there for children to take part, but we all know from many different statistics that a great many children still don’t participate. This festival is about fun. It’s about giving pupils who may not have come to a sporting festival before an opportunity to try something new, have fun and beat their personal best. Schools love this event and every year there is a full entry. The feedback has been fantastic and the pupils have all said how much they love it. There is also an annual Change4life competition calendar organised by Take Pride and pupils are invited to try other sports throughout the year. In total, 90 children representing 15 teams from 10 primary schools attended this years event and every year the feedback has been fantastic.


We decided to talk to some of the schools to find out why they valued this event so much starting with Wrotham Road Primary (the winning school on the day) who explained why they entered their students into this event. “It is a great opportunity for the children to take part in something outside of school especially for those who do not stand out as being good at PE. We fully


The Kent & Medway School Sports Magazine 5


supported the philosophy behind the event and we brought children who were most likely to benefit from taking part. Our hope is that some of the children who took part in this event will join after school clubs. Their excitement and enthusiasm during the event and afterwards (coming first and second helped!) was palpable. I know that this event has fostered a change in attitude in each of the children.”


Painters Ash primary added “We entered the event as we like to get our children involved in lots of different sporting activities. An event like this is a non-traditional sport that the children may not get the opportunity to take part in so it’s lovely to see them enjoying it. Our school enters in to the majority of the events run by Take Pride. We see this as a great opportunity to get


the children involved and playing games against other children from the local schools. For this event we brought a mixture of children who have represented the school before and also children who have never represented the school.


We try to have a range of children attending events to give all children the chance to compete at festivals. Other schools may like to take part in an event like this as it’s a great opportunity to get the children involved in sport and competing against other children from the local area. It is also good for the teachers to spend this valuable time with the children celebrating their achievements and enjoyment in taking part.”


Article by Jamie Rhodes


The Highland Games by numbers:


 10 schools entered: Cecil Road, Wrotham Road, Hartley, Kings Farm, Tymber Wood, Painters Ash, St Joseph’s Prep, St John’s, St Joseph’s Northfleet & Whitehill Primary


 15 teams and six participants in each


 Seven events including the wellie throw, highland step, skipping, tug of war, kiltie dash, caber toss and weight for height throw


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