SPORTS AND PE | Prae Wood Primary School

Sports and PE 2023-24

In addition to all our extra curricular sports events and competitions, the children participate in various sporting activities in school throughout the year, as well as attending special trips and visits. We share information about these on this page; check back regularly to see what the children get involved with!

Watching live sport is a great way to enthuse and encourage our pupils and with Super League netball team Saracens Mavericks playing their home games at the University of Hertfordshire, a trip to watch them play has become an annual fixture for pupils in our after school netball club with the invitation also extended to our KS2 Sports Ambassadors.

This year, we went to watch a pre-season friendly against Scottish franchise, Strathclyde Sirens. It was good to see familiar faces in the Mavericks team along with some exciting new signings although not all of the team were available with some having been called up to play for the England Roses in the Netball Nations Cup. The game really got exciting in the final quarter with Sirens pulling back the lead Mavericks had created and Mavericks just holding on for a 44-44 draw, perhaps thanks to the raucous cheering from the Prae Wood supporters.

As a club, Mavericks are always keen to engage with their young supporters and make them feel part of the game. Prae Wood was selected to create the guard of honour after half time. The group really enjoyed waving their flags to welcome both teams back onto the court.

At the end of the game, we were invited to have a group photo with the team before waiting patiently to meet the players individually for a quick chat, photo and autograph. Some of our seasoned netballers were well prepared, getting more signatures added to their netballs.

Goal Shooter, Ivan, was thrilled to be able to chat with his favourite Saracens Maverick, Britney Clarke, who also plays Goal Shooter. Brit was keen to find out if Ivan had any tips as to how to improve her game!

Top tips for Brit!...

Sports and PE 2022-23

Sports Ambassadors support GB Hockey

Following our visit from GB hockey players Izzy and Shona in February, the KS2 Sports Ambassadors were able to go and watch the GB women's team in action at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre at the Olympic Park. The game was part of a mini tournament being held in London with points earnt from the game contributing to the teams' totals in the global FIH Pro League.

Dressed in their Viggo Venn high vis jackets, the group, accompanied by Mrs Paine, daughter Amy and Miss Mallard, took the train from St Albans and a ride on the stylish Elizabeth Line to Stratford. After an early lunch and a playtime, the group went to find their seats in the stadium which were positioned just to the right of the goal. Unfortunately, Shona, who is injured, was not playing but we did get to see Izzy in action and were wowed by her speed and close dribbling skills which earnt the team one or two short corners. GB were unable to convert any chances and spent much of the game defending the fast attack of the German team. Although keen to be able to hold up our 'goal' signs, it was only Germany who were able to score and won the game 2-0. Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed watching the game, singing along to the quarter time music and cheering GB on.

As we headed back to the tube station, we bumped into some netball stars off to the Copper Box for the Fast Five tournament. Corbin sisters Sasha (Saracens Mavericks) and Kadeen (Team Bath) along with Sam Bird, head coach of London Pulse, posed for a photograph with us as our paths crossed in the middle of a road junction. Our experiences typified what a great sporting venue the Olympic Park has remained since 2012 and we hope our Sports Ambassadors were inspired by watching an international hockey match, meeting sporting stars and walking past all of the iconic venues which make up the Olympic Park.

You can find out more about the venue by visiting www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/hockey-and-tennis-centre

Supporting the Saracens Mavericks

During the spring half term break, a group of netball club members, Sports Ambassadors, past pupils and parents went to watch Saracens Mavericks play Manchester Thunder in round 9 of the Vitality Netball Super League.

Mavericks, who play their home games at the University of Hertfordshire, got off to a slow start against the current Super League champions. Perhaps inspired by Prae Wood, who were asked to provide the half time action, Mavericks managed to bring the score closer, and an exciting final quarter saw the game finish 63-56 to Thunder.

After the game, we were able to meet the players who happily posed for photographs and signed tickets, balls and t-shirts. We even managed to get a photograph with Natalie Metcalf who is both the Manchester Thunder and England Roses captain.

It was a great opportunity for everyone to see the game being played at a high level. It was also really special to be asked to play in mini games on the court at half time.

Prae Wood and the Mavericks

The Mavericks in action, and team Prae Wood!

Meeting Natalie Metcalf, Manchester Thunder and England Roses captain

Year 4 and Year 5 Dance

During the Spring term, both Year 4 and Year 5 drew on their topic knowledge to create a dance representing aspects of life in Viking times and during the Stone Age.

Both year groups worked to develop a basic motif they learnt individually at the beginning of the unit, creating variety through their use of levels, relationships and space. Year 4 also worked in larger groups to use both stillness and movement to depict a Viking invasion by longship. Year 5 were challenged to create their own motif to represent an aspect of Stone Age life such as cooking, hunting or making their own clothes.

Acacia Class

Blackthorn Class

Both year groups enjoyed the creative aspect of dance, deciding as a group on different ways to develop their motif. They found working in larger groups more challenging, especially when it came to compromising on their many ideas. Year 4 felt they could work to improve their timing and synchronicity. Year 5's evaluation commented on their need to use space more effectively and develop the transitions between actions.

HOCKEY OLYMPIC MEDALLISTS VISIT PRAE WOOD

Thanks to Sports Ambassador, Ella in Year 5, Prae Wood were visited by not one, but two hockey Olympic medallists.

Back in the Autumn term, Ella, who plays hockey at Harpenden Hockey Club, had written to England Hockey asking if it would be possible for a player to visit our school to try and inspire more Prae Wood pupils to take up hockey, a sport she really enjoys. The players were so impressed by Ella's letter that both Shona McCallin and Izzy Petter, England and GB hockey players, agreed to visit.

Their visit started with an assembly for key stage 2 where Shona and Izzy explained how they had got into playing hockey, shared a video of their bronze medal winning performance in Tokyo and answered questions posed by our team of Sports Ambassadors to find out such things as what inspired them and how it feels to win an Olympic medal. Shona and Izzy brought along their medals to show. Both have bronze medals from Tokyo and a Commonwealth gold from Birmingham, however Shona had gone one better in Rio and proudly showed off her Olympic gold. We were surprised to learn that these medals were not displayed at home but kept safe in her sock drawer!

After the assembly, Year 6, who have been developing their hockey skills in PE this half term, had the opportunity to polish these skills under the expert guidance of Shona and Izzy. The ladies were impressed with Year 6s ability, so much so that Year 6 were rewarded at the end of the session with a chance to hold the Olympic and Commonwealth medals. Everyone was surprised by how large and heavy the Olympic medals were.

We hope the visit was inspirational for all of our pupils. Shona and Izzy shared some really important messages about the value of being involved in sport, whatever level you are playing at, reinforcing our ethos of the importance of being active, healthy and mentally strong.

Should any pupils be looking to get involved in hockey outside of school, both St Albans Hockey Club and Harpenden Hockey Club have thriving junior sections with Welwyn Garden City Hockey Club also growing their junior section. More information can be found by visiting:

https://www.harpendenhockeyclub.co.uk/pages/page_22740/Junior-Section.aspx

https://www.stalbanshc.co.uk/a/youth-hockey-56905.html

https://www.wgchockeyclub.co.uk/juniors/welcome/

PREMIER LEAGUE PRIMARY STARS TOURNAMENT

On Tuesday 7^th February, Prae Wood's girls team took part in a Premier League Primary Stars 6 a side tournament hosted by Watford FC at their impressive training dome at London Colney. The tournament brought together 32 teams from across Hertfordshire and beyond and the standard of play was incredibly high.

In their first pool game, Prae Wood encountered local rivals Bowmansgreen with Bowmansgreen avenging their recent league defeat with a 2-0 win. A further six games across the day were played with mixed results - a draw, a 3-0 win and four further defeats, including a heavy loss to eventual semi finalists Berkhamstead Prep.

Even if results were not going in their favour, the day provided a fantastic experience for the team. In the morning, the girls visited the Media Suite where, instead of a press conference, the girls took part in an education session for children's mental health week. They also had a chance to chat to both male and female players from Watford FC who came into watch the games, keen to find out how the girls were getting on and if they were enjoying the day. The girls managed to collect some autographs as well as posing for photographs with the players.


The venue	Pupils in action	Watford football club board


Arriving at The Dome	With footballer, James Morris	WIth footballers, Helen Ward and Alli Palisch

DANCE LESSONS, AUTUMN B

Year 1 and Year 6 have both taken part in dance units during their PE lessons in Autumn B. Their dances have taken a cross curricular approach, linking with their topics of Transport in Year 1 and World War Two in Year 6.

Dance is an important part of the PE curriculum, which we are working hard to develop at Prae Wood. Dance allows children to be creative, develops their skills of working with others, improves co-ordination and self-confidence as well as developing evaluative and appreciation skills.

Both year groups have enjoyed watching their performances back and were able to comment on what went well, what was challenging and what could be improved. We hope you enjoy watching their performances too.

YEAR 1

YEAR 6

Prae Wood Primary School

Sports and PE 2023-24

Sports and PE 2022-23

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