Athletes shine at inaugural School Games SEND Championships

Over 300 of Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland's most talented young disabled athletes competed at the inaugural Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Championships on Friday 22nd March at Loughborough University.

The Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport School Games SEND Championships is a new addition to the LRS Schools' County Finals 2019 Calendar. It's a multi-sport inclusive event, tailored specifically to be appropriate to Moderate Learning Disabilities (MLD) and Severe Learning Disabilities (SLD) students from special and mainstream schools across the network.

As a culmination of local qualifying competitions, the Schools represented the 10 School Sport & Physical Activity Networks (SSPANs). The event ensured that disability sport provision is formalised and accessible across all of our ten SSPANs through the great work of our School Games Organisers.

The Championships provided an exciting and inspiring atmosphere for the young disabled athletes and allowed them to enjoy and excel within sport, as the athletes competed in:

• Boccia
• New Age Kurling
• Sitting Volleyball & Wheelchair Basketball
• Motor Activity Training Programme

The athletes gathered for the Opening Ceremony, compered by Gaynor Nash and with special guests Wheelchair Racers Hannah Cockroft MBE, 5x Paralympic Champion, 10x World Champion & T34 World record holder and Nathan Maguire, European Gold Medalist and 3 time Bronze Medalist and Hollie Arnold MBE, F46 Javelin Thrower, Paralympic Champion, Gold Medalist, Triple World Champion and Record Holder. Ashmount School performed a very moving dance display, from a recent performance at the Curve Theatre in Leicester.

After the Opening Ceremony, teams headed off for 3 hours of competitive action, in their respective sport and competition. After the action was complete, an Awards Ceremony took place at each of the competitions sites, as the full results were read out and the Winners, 2^nd place, 3^rd place and Spirit of the Games' winners were announced and presented with their medals and trophies! The Spirit of the Games Award was given to the team who best represented the School Games values of Determination, Honesty, Passion, Respect, Self-Belief and Teamwork.

School Games action doesn't stop there for Loughborough. The University will again host the School Games Summer Championships on Friday 28^th June 2019 at Uppingham School Sports Centre.

The Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games, now in its eighth year, is part of the national 'School Games Programme'. It aims to keep competitive sport at the heart of schools and provide more young people with the opportunity to compete and achieve their personal best.

Sports Development Officer, Matty Crackell from Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport, said:

"The Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Championships was designed to provide a positive, memorable sporting experience for young people with disabilities in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland and inspire our schools to continue developing their internal disability sport/physical activity offers."

Results:

New Age Kurling

• Winners: Melton & Belvoir (Ab Kettleby School)
• 2nd: Blaby & Harborough (Badgerbrook Primary School)
• 3rd: Hinckley & Bosworth (Barwell Academy)
• 4th: North West Leicestershire (Warren Hills Primary School)
• 5th: Rutland (Catmose Primary School)
• 6th: East Leicester (Spinney Hill Primary School)
• 7th: North Charnwood (Ashmount School)
• 8th: West Leicester (Dovelands Primary School
• 9th: Oadby & Wigston (Water Leys Primary School)
• 10th: South Charnwood (Glenfield Primary School
• Spirit of the Games Winners: North Charnwood (Ashmount School)

Sitting Volleyball

• Winners: Blaby & Harborough (Lutterworth High School & College)
• 2nd: North West Leicestershire (Castle Rock High School)
• 3rd: North Charnwood (Maplewell Hall School)
• 4th: Oadby & Wigston (South Wigston High School)
• 5th: South Charnwood (Rawlins Academy, Guest Team)
• 6th: East Leicester (Ash Field Academy)
• Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire

Boccia - Key Stage 2 Pan Disability

• Winners: East Leicester (Humberstone Junior Academy)
• 2nd: Melton & Belvoir (Ab Kettleby Primary School)
• 3rd: Blaby & Harborough (Billesdon Primary School)
• 4th: South Charnwood (Glenfield Primary School)
• 5th: Rutland (English Martyrs Primary School)
• 6th: West Leicester (Beaumont Lodge Primary School)
• 7th: Hinckley & Bosworth (Westfield Junior School)
• 8th: Oadby & Wigston (Water Leys Primary School)
• 9th: North West Leicestershire (Woodcote Primary School
• 10th: North Charnwood (Ashmount School)
• Spirit of the Games Winners: North Charnwood (Ashmount School)

Boccia - Key Stage 3 MLD

• Winners: Melton & Belvoir (Birchwood School)
• 2nd: South Charnwood (Rawlins Academy)
• 3rd: North West Leicestershire (Castle Rock High School)
• 4th: East Leicester (Judgemeadow Community College)
• 5th: Blaby & Harborough (Lutterworth College & High School)
• 6th: West Leicester (Babington College)
• 7th: Rutland (Catmose College)
• 8th: North Charnwood (Maplewell Hall School)
• 9th: Hinckley & Bosworth (Dorothy Goodman School)
• Spirit of the Games Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth (Dorothy Goodman School)

Boccia - Key Stage 4 MLD

• Winners: West Leicester (Babington College)
• 2nd: North Charnwood (Maplewell Hall School)
• 3rd: Blaby & Harborough (Lutterworth College & High School)
• 4th: North West Leicestershire (Forest Way School)
• 5th: Rutland (Catmose College)
• 6th: East Leicester (Crown Hills Community College)
• 7th: Hinckley & Bosworth (Dorothy Goodman School)
• Spirit of the Games Winners: East Leicester (Crown Hills Community College)

Boccia - Key Stage 3 & 4 SLD

• Winners: Melton & Belvoir (Birchwood School)
• 2nd: North Charnwood (Maplewell Hall School)
• 3rd: West Leicester (Ellesmere College)
• 4th: Hinckley & Bosworth (Dorothy Goodman School)
• 5th: Blaby & Harborough (Birkett House School)
• 6th: East Leicester (Ash Field School)
• Spirit of the Games Winners: Blaby & Harborough (Birkett House School)

View the photographs from the Championships on our Facebook page.