BIRMINGHAM, England, July 3, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --
- 9% Refuse to Single out Winners - 69% 'Inclusive' - Reward All Participants - Hundreds of Schools Have No Sports Day
In the week the Government unveiled plans to revive competitive games for children, new research has revealed that thousands of schools choose not to reward the winners of pupils' Sports Day competitions.
The survey by http://www.SchoolStickers.co.uk, the leading provider of secondary school rewards, found that 9% of schools refuse to single out the winners of races, and instead prefer to reward all participating pupils.
Only 22% of schools reward solely the winners of Sports Day races, with most (69%) recognising both the winners and participants. Ministers now want a new School-Olympics programme to end the culture of 'prizes for all'.
The sports championships are intended to give every child experience of hard-fought competition, and stop schools refusing to pit youngsters directly against each other.
The survey also found that pupils at hundreds of schools (2%) miss out on competitive games as their schools do not have a Sports Day, with all blaming the organisational burden as the reason for not holding one.
Interestingly, no school said that insurance or health and safety issues were the reason, and all teachers said they would prefer to hold a Sports Day if they had the choice.
The vast majority (86%) of teachers said that they have a Sports Day as this is what they have always done, but 70% added that it was because they like to promote sport within their school.
Henry Shelford, CEO, School Stickers said, It is ironic that just days after the Government announces plans to reinvigorate competition in school sports, our survey reveal how many schools prefer a more 'inclusive' approach. Each school is unique and needs to choose the system that works for them - but I feel sorry for the 500 schools where teachers and pupils want a Sports Day but can't. All miss out on a fun and stimulating day.
Notes to Editors
- *There are around 24,363 schools in the UK (Source: Department of Education. EduBase2) 9% is 2,192 schools - **2% of 24,363 schools is 487 schools - Over 280 teachers and headteachers took part in the survey in June 2010
Contact: Henry Shelford, CEO on +44(0)121-33-33-600 or henry@schoolstickers.co.uk
SOURCE: www.schoolstickers.co.uk
CONTACT: For more information please contact Cath Roan, Roan Media on+44(0)7801-817-451 or cath@roanmedia.co.uk
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