VIDEO: Pupils were on the ball at racquet day

Sporty youngsters in Year 1 and Year 2 flocked to Sandye Place Academy from Maple Tree Lower, Laburnum Lower, St Swithun’s Lower and Robert Peel Lower schools in Sandy.

They were able to practise their skills with tennis and badminton racquets, shuttlecocks and tennis balls at the festival on Wednesday, January 18. The children were organised into teams to compete against one another in a circuit training style series of contests.

Sandye Place PE teacher, Ben Sale, said: “The aim is to give Key Stage 1 pupils chance to compete against other schools in a fun setting whilst gaining knowledge and experience of racquet skills and improving their hand eye coordination.”

The festival also gave the lower school pupils the chance to visit the middle school – creating a smoother transition process for when they reach middle school age in a few years’ time.

With the various sporting events involving the schools and activity sessions based around other areas of the curriculum, the pupils have plenty of opportunities to visit the academy and experience life at a middle school.

The racquets festival was organised and run by the Year 8 pupils at Sandye Place.

This enabled them to gain experience in leadership for their young leaders qualifications.

And the winners were able to celebrate their success in style thanks to trophies and medals donated by Sandy estate agent, Inskip and Davie.