Sports and Games in England

The ‘physical room’ in

Our European House.

Comenius Project 2010-2012

 In PE lessons and clubs we learn lots of skills to help us play tennis, hockey, netball, rounders, football, cricket, dodgeball and tag rugby.

Here is the school football team.

                                          

Rugby – in England the main national and league rugby matches tend to be played in winter. Some children from our school do rugby training out of school with local teams. If they are under 8 years old then they take part in a tag Rugby league. Children will go on to play contact rugby when they are older or in secondary school.

Tag rugby - is the non-contact version of rugby that we teach in primary schools during autumn, winter and spring ready for tournaments in the summer months. These are therefore the instructions that we are giving here.

•         The rugby ball is not round

   which makes it easier to catch

   and run with, but more difficult to kick.

•         The players wear a                

   belt with 2 tags attached.

•         The field is about 70 metres long x 50 metres wide, with the goal or try lines at each end.

•         A match has 2 halves of 20 minutes. At the start of the game the referee tosses a coin and the winner of the toss decides whether to kick off or choose an end.

Tag rugby rules and instructions –

2 teams of 7 try to pass the ball between them to score tries by getting the ball over their goal line. Instead of being ‘tackled’, as happens in contact rugby, the passing is stopped by removing a “tag”.

DEFENDING - The 'Tackle'  or Tag 

• Only the player with the ball can be tagged and a tag is simply the removal by a defender of one of the two ribbons from the ball carrier. Ball carriers can run or dodge potential taggers but cannot fend them off, spin around or shield their ribbons in any way.
• The defender then holds the ribbon above their head and shouts 'tag' for all to hear. Defenders must back off at least one metre from the ball carrier, allowing space for them to pass. They are not allowed to snatch the ball from the player's hand.  It is helpful to players if the referee shouts 'pass' as a tag is made. 
• Once tagged, the player in possession of the ball must stop as soon as possible and pass the ball quickly. 

SCORING – The try      

· A try  is worth 1 point.  To score a try a player must carry the ball over the opponents' goal line and press the ball down on the ground. (When playing on hard surfaces, players may score a try by running over the goal line with the ball.)

 ·  After a try is scored the game restarts from the centre of the field with a free pass by the non-scoring team.

·        If no try is scored after the fifth “tag”, the opposing team get possession of the ball.

PASSING -

·     A player may pass the ball to a team mate by throwing or handing the ball sideways or backwards, but not forwards.

No forward passes are allowed and will be penalised by a free pass being awarded to the other team.

 

 Rounders

Rounders - is a bat and ball team game taught in schools in the summer months. It has been played since the 16^th century, and though it is not a national game, and tends not to be taught out of school, is popular for playing on beaches or informal situations. It is similar to cricket and baseball as it involves hitting and fielding.

Rounders equipment – bat or stick, ball and posts.

    

2 teams needed - usually 9 but could be more.

Rounders rules and instructions–

The team captains toss a coin to decide which team bats first. The fielding team consists of a bowler, backstop and 7 outfielders. The batting team must in turn try to strike the ball as far as possible so that they have time to run round the outside of the four posts, complete a “Rounder” and have another turn. The team getting the most Rounders wins. 

• Each batsman receives only one “good” ball to try and hit and they must run even if they miss it. 
• A “good” ball must be bowled underarm and must reach the batsman below head level, above the knee, and within reach of the outstretched rounders stick. 
• A “no ball” may be hit by the batsman if they want, since they cannot be caught out from a “no ball”.  Alternatively, they may ignore the “no ball” and wait for a “good” ball. 
• If the ball is hit into the area behind the batting line, they may only run to first post. 
• If a “Rounder” is completed by a batsman after missing the ball, only a “half-rounder” is counted. 

A batsman is out – (a) if a fielder catches the ball

(b) if the fielder touches the post the batsman is running to with the ball, before they get there,

(c) if the batsman leaves a post before the next batsman has started his run, as they must keep in contact with the post at all times when not actually running and cannot return to a post once they have left it. 

• If the batsman does not have time to complete a “Rounder” before the ball is returned from the outfield, they may stop at posts 1, 2 or 3, and then run on when the next batsman has started running.  When back in line they can then wait to have another turn. 
• When a batsman is out he does not have another turn and the innings continues until all batsmen are out. Some players may have several turns in an innings, and when the last batsman in a side is left, he will have to run complete “Rounders” in order to stay in.

Hopscotch equipment – a stone and a grid 1-10

      

Hopscotch rules and instructions – Play with friends or on your own. Throw the stone onto 1, then hop through the grid, stopping to pick up stone on way back. Due to layout of grid the hopping has to alternate between a 1 foot landing and a 2 feet landing.

Take it in turns to throw the stone so that it lands on each number in turn. If the stone doesn’t land on the number you want then you miss your turn. Winner is the first player to get from 1 to 10.

   

   

In this game of hopscotch, Nola has thrown the stone and it has landed on 4. She has hopped on 1, landed on 2 and 3, hopped on 4 and landed on 5 and 6, and so on until shes turns and gets back to the 4 where she must pick up the stone and get back to the start. On her next turn she has to throw the stone so that it lands on the 5. If she had missed the 5 the she would have to miss her turn.

Skipping equipment –

 

  Length of rope varies,        

with long rope used for group skipping.

Skipping rules and instructions – can be done alone, with a partner or a group. Pass the rope over your head and jump as it swings under your feet. Can be done forwards, backwards, fast, slow, with or without an extra ‘bounce’.

 

If the rope is long then it can be held by 2 people, one at each end, and turned so that the rope swings or rotates.

Various rhymes are sung, as the rope swings, to keep with the rhythm of the rope, to support actions and to invite others in.

  

Popular skipping rhymes at school are –

Teddy Bear, teddy bear turn around,

Teddy Bear, teddy bear touch the ground.

Teddy Bear, teddy bear climb the stairs,

Teddy Bear, teddy bear say your prayers.

Teddy Bear, teddy bear rest your head,

Teddy Bear, teddy bear go to bed.

                               

 

Diary of the visit to England

Comenius Visit to England

1^st – 4^th May

by Nola

On Tuesday 1^st May we went to London to pick up the Spanish and Polish visitors. We met them at their hotels and then we looked around London together.

First we saw Buckingham Palace and then we walked to Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

After taking photos and listening to Big Ben chiming half past one, we walked over Westminster Bridge and saw the London Eye and the River Thames. We saw lots of boats, people and traffic.

We walked along the South Bank until we came to Waterloo Bridge then we walked up to Covent Garden where we stopped for a drink and had chocolate cake. We saw people dancing and there was opera singing outside the café.

I really liked it because I saw a big dish of paella which reminded me of our visit to Spain.

 

The coach picked us up at 4 o’clock and we started the long journey to Ivybridge. There was lots of traffic in London and we got back to school at half past nine. I was very tired, but we were met by parents who were going to be looking after the students from Spain and Poland.

On Wednesday 2^nd May we all met in school for a very busy day together. 

Singing and dancing

First there was an assembly with dancing and singing to welcome the visitors. 

Then I did my power point presentation about Manor Primary School. The other schools did their power points about their schools and we saw examples of singing and dancing from all the countries.

The Polish students showed us films of them performing Spanish traditional dance moves and English Morris dancing. The Spanish students had brought musical instruments they had made and put them on display.There were also displays around the hall showing artists, musicians, dancers and singers from the 3 countries.

Drama Performances

 Over the next 2 days we watched each school perform a play. It was called Pyramus and Thisbe, and it was written by William Shakespeare. The teachers were good as the main characters especially Mrs Loveday and Mr Rowland as the handsome Pyramus and the lovely Thisbe! We also really liked Victor, who played Thisbe in the Spanish play!It was interesting as we could follow the play in 3 languages.

Being artists -

In the afternoons we painted the wall and the cubes. The wall was outside and we painted designs on it from each country. The design from England, by Ruby Lienerth, was in the middle.

 

In the hall we had another group who were painting characters and scenes around cubes, to represent each country.

On Thursday 3^rd May the teachers and students visited Ivybridge Community College to see lessons and facilities in an English secondary school. They were then given a tour of the Watermark, Ivybridge’s multi purpose community building and library, by councillors Reeves and Robbins. 
 

On Thursday evening we had a good meal our head teacher and our music teachers. They made a sausage casserole, salad and a quiche. My Mum made a good broccoli quiche.   After that we had chocolate cake and drink.

On Friday 4^th May we went to Dartmoor with the Spanish and Polish teachers and students.  We went to Widecombe to have a cream tea and we went to Buckfast Abbey to talk to a monk and look around the abbey.

On Friday evening we went on a boat trip and we went to a place in Cornwall to have a barbecue but we had to eat inside. It was lots of fun, even though it was a bit rainy!!!

…and so the week came to an end and we soon had to say goodbye to our friends from Spain and Poland.

I have really enjoyed being part of our Comenius Project. It was all brilliant and I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading this diary.  

                                           Singing and games at break time - happy memories!
                                                    Thank you, Nola Murray

Diary of the visit to Poland

Comenius project ‘Living Happily in our European House’

Visit to Poland October 2011 by Nola and Jordan

A group of 8 teachers, governors and pupils from Manor Primary school visited the secondary and primary school in Stanin, Poland, as part of our Comenius Project ‘Living Happily in my European house’. We are Jordan and Nola and we were selected to take part in the second of the ‘Mental or Intellectual Room’ activities. 

Teachers and students from the school in Spain were also present, though the students were older and stayed with Polish families.

On the first day of our visit we were met in Warsaw and taken for a tour of the Royal Palace and old town square. We learned much about the history of the city, and were made aware of Poland’s history which was very interesting. Later that day we travelled to Stanin and then were shown to our hotel. In the evening we were taken out for a traditional Polish meal and had a chance to meet the staff from the school, the mayor, local officials and people from the community. 

 The next day we went in to school on the school coach. We were made very welcome by both the staff and children of the secondary school who gave us a traditional welcome to their school, with a clapping avenue of students, and bread and salt to symbolise welcome. 
 
 

They had put up a display of famous people from the 3 countries representing the 4 aspects of the ‘European house of 4 rooms’. 

We were entertained by music, dance and songs from the Polish students and the students from each school did a powerpoint presentation about their own school.

 

  

As the coordinating school, we went first and were very nervous! The activities then began and they were fun. We were in mixed groups of children from all 3 countries competed against each other in the games we had prepared for them. Some of the questions in the Trivial Pursuits game would have definitely puzzled the teachers , let alone us! Jordan's team did really well!

In the evening there was a disco for the students and a meal ,dancing and singing for the rest of us – they certainly made sure that we didn’t go hungry on our visit and we had lots of good things to eat! Again many people from the community as well as members of staff were there to socialise with us, making it a friendly evening.

On the third day, Thursday, back in school again, we were given a tour. We were shown around the classes with children from the earliest years (foundation) welcoming us with songs, dances and flowers. We were given toys and things to eat! 
 We also visited a chemistry and Polish lesson with older children. Back in the library the teachers had a meeting and talked about the last visit to England, where we will cover the artistic/emotional and spiritual rooms. They agreed on the activities, then we all got on a coach that was going to take us to Krakow-a journey of over 6 hours, arriving late in the evening! What a varied and busy day!
 

Friday was a day to find out about Krakow – a very attractive city, again steeped in history and accounts of Poland’s troubled past. We visited the beautiful cathedrals and markets, before travelling to the salt mine at Wvielenska, an extraordinary monument full of km of chambers, tunnels, statues and chapels all deep under ground. On returning to the city of Krakow we had sadly to say goodbye and prepare for our return journey to England early the next morning.

Once again the whole visit was not just a ‘getting to know you’ experience but a statement of a commitment to working together with schools form different countries, which is the main aim of Comenius Projects. This diary will also appear in the school newsletter. 
 

The teachers and students will share their experiences with the rest of the school in an assembly and show some of the photos and videos of our experiences.

The 3^rd and final visit of this project will be in Ivybridge, from 30^th April - 4^th May 2012.  The activities will be based on the artistic and spiritual rooms.