QUAD KIDS YEAR 5 AND 6

What a difference a week makes with a bright blue sky waiting to greet schools for the year 5/6 Quad Kids event at Hornchurch Track on Tuesday 13th June. 36 schools brought teams of 4 boys and 4 girls from year 5 and year 6 to compete in 4 different events – a sprint, a throw, a standing long jump and a long run.

Each school was given the name of a country to represent in celebration of the World Athletics Championships being held in London this year. It was optional to bring a mascot and congratulations go to the schools that managed to do this. Newtons Primary (China), Ardleigh Green Junior (Kenya), Parsonage Farm (Netherlands), Crownfield Junior (Great Britain) and St Josephs (Australia) brought along their chosen mascots and celebrated in style and will receive a small prize for their efforts.

Schools were called out one at a time with cheers and applause and assembled together for a warm up delivered by Jam Dance Company who deliver a wide range of dance sessions at the Forest Row Centre in Collier Row.

The children were split into 8 groups and rotated around the 4 activities collecting points for their school team. Leaders from Frances Bardsley Academy, Coopers Company and Coborn School and Gaynes School were paramount in running the activities in a very professional manner. At each activity, again in celebration of the World Athletics Championships, there were information posters showing world records in different disciplines to inspire the children.

There were many excellent performances with lots of smiles and cheers throughout the day. Many parents and spectators were able to come and support which added to the atmosphere of the day. 576 children took part overall with 2,304 scores recorded on a spreadsheet. This was a mammoth operation and managed by Helen Hill and Jodie Soussana for the Collective with Ben Noad from Quad Kids supporting later in the day. Sincere thanks goes to them for their sheer dedication to recording this number of scores so efficiently.

Congratulations to Ardleigh Green Junior school who won both the year 5 and year 6 quad kids. Well done to St.Edward’s and Engyane who came 2nd and 3rd respectively in the year 5 quad kids, and Benhurst and Upminster Junior who came 2nd and 3rd respectively in the year 6 quad kids.