On Friday 6th March 18 teams from the Sheppey and Sittingbourne and The Mid Kent & Ashford School Sport Partnerships competed in an...  read more...

An aging and slightly balding hare led the runners around the magnificent grounds of Godinton House in race 2 of the Ashford Primary Schools Cross Country League.

The largest field...  read more...

On February 25th pupils from primary schools in Maidstone came together to take part in Race 2 of the cross country league. Following on from October’s race, the event saw...  read more...

The festival forms part of the...  read more...

Athletes from 10 primary schools across Ashford gathered at the Stour Centre to compete in a Fun in Athletics Festival organised by the Mid Kent & Ashford School...  read more...

Maidstone Fun in Athletics Festival

Primary school children from all over Maidstone came together on 26th November 2008 at Maidstone Leisure Centre in Mote Park to compete in Maidstone’s 2008 ‘Fun in...  read more...

On Friday 6th March 18 teams from the Sheppey and Sittingbourne and The Mid Kent & Ashford School Sport Partnerships competed in an Inter Partnership Key Step Gymnastics Final at Pegasus Gymnastics Club in Bearsted, Maidstone. Teams had qualified for the final by winning their respective partnership festivals.

The day started with the Year 5 & 6 competition with teams from Minterne Junior School, Brabourne Primary School, Roseacre Junior School, Sandling Primary School, Rose Street Primary School and a team from the Pegasus Satellite Club based at Norton Knatchbull School.

The young gymnasts competed on the floor, on the vault and in body management. After 2 hours of hard fought competition and some excellent performances Brabourne Primary School were crowned champions with 80.700pts, Runners Up were Roseacre Primary School with 80.050pts and Minterne taking the bronze with 79.500pts. The Brabourne team will now represent MKA at the Kent Key Steps Final on Thursday 25th June at Mote Park in Maidstone.

After a short rest for the team of judges, compromised of SSCos and Sports Leader, the Year 1 & 2 competitors were ready for action. Teams from Brabourne Primary School, Thurnham Infant School and The Oaks Primary School had qualified from their respective partnership festivals. In the year 1&2 competition the gymnasts perform a vault and a body management routine. It was a close run competition with only 1.5 points separating first and fourth. The Winners with 72.500pts were Brabourne 1 in equal second place was Brabourne 2 and Thurnham 1 with 72.250pts and The Oaks 2 in 4th place. The Brabourne team will now represent MKA at the Kent Key Steps Final on Thursday 25th June at Mote Park in Maidstone.

In the final round of the day the Year 3 & 4 teams competed in the vault, floor and body management. Teams from Minterne Junior School, Rose St Primary School, Pegasus Satellite Club based at Norton Knatchbull, Maidstone St Johns Primary School, Hollingbourne Primary School and Pegasus Satellite Club based at Beaver Green were competing for the Inter Partnership title.

In another very close finish with only 0.650 between Bronze and Gold positions Minterne Junior School claimed the title with 79.650pts, Rose St Primary School took the silver with 79.500 and Maidstone St Johns winning the bronze medal with 79.000pts. St John's being the highest placed MKA will now represent the partnership at the Kent Key Steps Final on Thursday 25th June at Mote Park in Maidstone.

The Sheppey and Sittingbourne and The Mid Kent and Ashford School Sport Partnerships would like to congratulate all the gymnasts for their outstanding performances and the dedicated group of teachers and coaches that have been working with them in preparation for this event.

An aging and slightly balding hare led the runners around the magnificent grounds of Godinton House in race 2 of the Ashford Primary Schools Cross Country League.

The largest field to date started the challenging course at break neck speed cheered on by eager parents.  The competitors soon realised the exact extent of the course and began to set a more realistic pace to ensure that they covered the distance.

Adam Wood, a late entry from Godinton Primary School, performed exceptionally considering he was the youngest runner in the field and finished second in the year 3/4 race.

Great Chart Primary School fielded a strong set of teams finishing first in three out of four categories narrowly beating Pluckley Primary School in the Year 3&4 boys and girls races and Charing Primary School in the years 5 and 6 race.

Lady Joanna Thornhill Primary School, Wye won the fiercely contested year 5 and 6 girls race ahead of Egerton Primary School and St. Teresa’s RCP School.

Pluckley, Great Chart and Lady Joanna Thronhill schools lead the current standings after two races but there is still plenty to run for, with a number of schools well placed to compete to become the overall league winners.

The Mid Kent & Ashford School Sport Partnership would like to thank Godinton House for hosting the event and Ashford Athletic Club for providing a large number of volunteers to assist at the event.

Godinton House is located a few minutes from junction 9 of the M20. The house and gardens are open to the general public and to schools for educational visits. For more information and to find out about events taking place please visit their website or call 01233 620773
http://www.godinton-house-gardens.co.uk/

On February 25th pupils from primary schools in Maidstone came together to take part in Race 2 of the cross country league. Following on from October’s race, the event saw over 450 runners from 20 schools competing. Set in the league’s home, Mote Park, the runners were challenged by a slightly longer course and for the older pupils, a section of the course which included some steep parts. 

Whilst attempting to keep the large number of spectators that had amassed ON the ‘viewing mound’ the afternoon started with the Year 3/4 boys and girls race. New for the competition were ‘hares’ for each race; junior club runners who led the runners around the course. Congratulations to the runners from Allington and Shernolds who finished as team winners. The current standings after two races show that there is still plenty to run for, with a number of schools well placed to compete to become the overall league winners. 

As the numbers entering the league continue to swell it was decided to run the Year 5/6 boys and girls’ separately. In both races it was the teams from Sandling and Roseacre who secured the top team positions but all schools performed well, with some schools producing their best results.

The partnership would like to thank the sports leaders from Swadelands School and Astor of Hever School for their help with devising and marshalling the course. Thank you also to Medway and Maidstone Athletics Club for providing ‘hares’ on the day.   

The league concludes with Races 3 which will take place at Mote Park on Wednesday 1st April.

MKA’s running tip: If you are going to try cross-country running, start with a small country!

The festival forms part of the Center Parcs National School Championships with the winning boys and girls teams going through to the county final in January.

Teams of 4 Girls from Christchurch School, The North School and Swadelands competed for the girl’s title. The North School won overall and go through to the Kent Finals, Christchurch teams took silver and bronze placings.

In the boys competition 8 teams took part from Christchurch, Towers, The North School, Swadelands and The Norton Knatchbull Grammar School. In a close final The North School beat Swadelands by one game to make it a double following the girl’s victory. The team from the Norton Knatchbull Grammar School took the bronze medal.

Thanks go to the sports leaders from Swadelands School who umpired the games and Mr Gilbey for organising the festival. The North School will now go on to represent the partnership at Kent finals in January.

Athletes from 10 primary schools across Ashford gathered at the Stour Centre to compete in a Fun in Athletics Festival organised by the Mid Kent & Ashford School Sport Partnership.  Over 150 children participated in track and field events such as obstacle relays, paarlaufs and speed bounce.

The girls teams from Challock Primary School and Bethersden Primary School performed well on the track as did the boys from Pluckley Primary School.  In the field events the Ashford Oaks Primary School girls and Phoenix boys produced some excellent performances.

The teams from Hamstreet and Challock Primary Schools narrowly missed out on the medal placings with Lady Joanna Thornhill Primary School, Wye picking up the bronze medal.

Remarkably, for a competition that had over 40 events, the battle for top spot was decided in the last race of the day.  Mersham Primary School and Egerton Primary School entered the final event separated by a few points.  Both teams performed well under this pressure with Mersham crossing the finishing line a split second ahead of Egerton to claim the title of Ashford Champions.

The teams from Mersham and Egerton will now enter a playoff with two Maidstone schools to decide who will go forward to the County Final in March.

This new and exciting addition to the sporting calendar was a hit with all the teachers and competitors.  

Peter Le Rossignol, one of Kent’s finest Competition Managers, said “This was a magnificent event!  The School Sport Coordinators from the Mid Kent & Ashford Partnership and the Sports Leaders from Towers School were outstanding.  This is the future of competition. It’s bright, it’s fun, and it’s full of energy!”

Maidstone Fun in Athletics Festival

Primary school children from all over Maidstone came together on 26th November 2008 at Maidstone Leisure Centre in Mote Park to compete in Maidstone’s 2008 ‘Fun in Athletics Festival’, supported by the Mid Kent and Ashford Partnership and education recruitment specialist, Select Education. The day utilised the principles of ‘Sportshall Athletics’ – an inclusive, indoor programme to introduce young people to the joy of athletics, with the emphasis on fun.

Throughout the day, the hall was alive with activity. Nine primary schools sent teams to compete on the day; testing their sporting prowess in a variety of events, including standing long jump, standing triple jump and speed bounce. In addition, junior sports leaders from Swadelands School were involved in the organisation of the day, helping with scoring, time keeping and coaching.

The winning team, Madginford Park Junior School, will go on to represent Maidstone at the Fun in Athletics Kent Final next year.

After 1 hour of intense speed stacking competition the 4 schools had completed all the events and final team scores where announced. Aldington took the title by 4pts with from Pluckley in second; Bethersden took third place and Phoenix come fourth.

Ninety-four pupils from seven primary schools took part in two races around a specially designed course within the 900 acre Godinton House estate. Despite the rain all pupils completed the event over the open terrain of the park.

The first race was for pupils in school Year 3 and 4 and involved girls and boys competing over a course of approximately 1000m. The top two pupils from each team scored towards the overall team event. Pluckley and Lady Joanna Thornhill tied for first place in the boys’ team event whilst in the girls’ event Great Chart finished just ahead of Bethersden. 

Pupils from Year 5 and 6 competed in the second race over an extended course of approximately 1400m. Over forty boys took part with Charing winning the team event ahead of Great Chart. In the girls’ race, twenty-nine pupils competed with Lady Joanna leading the way in the team event ahead of Aldington and then Egerton.

The next two races in the series are planned for February and March at Godinton House and the partnership is hoping to encourage more schools and young people to enter.

The Mid Kent & Ashford School Sport Partnership would like to thank Godinton House for hosting the event and The North School and Ashford Athletic Club for providing a large number of volunteers to assist at the event. The athletics club is launching a new cross country running club at Sandyacres Sport and Social Club on Saturday 29th November (10.30am-12.00pm). For more information and to book a place contact Dee Langford (01233 629534/07984313416) or Gill Jukes (01233 621627)   

Godinton House is located a few minutes from junction 9 of the M20. The house and gardens are open to the general public and to schools for educational visits. For more information and to find out about events taking place please visit their website or call 01233 620773
http://www.godinton-house-gardens.co.uk/

The first race of the day was for years 3 & 4 with 76 boys and 63 girls competing over a distance of 1200m, with the top four runners from each school scoring points for their school. East Farleigh Primary School top the boys year 3/4 table with Shernolds School topping the year 3/4 girls table.

The second race of the day involved school years 5 & 6 with 230 boys and 158 girls competing over a distance of 1400m. Sandling Primary School completed a double in the year 5/6 competitions winning both the boys and girls overall team events.

All schools must be compete in all three races to be eligible to for the overall title of series champions.

The next race in the series is on Wednesday 25th February at Mote Park