Dear Parents and Caregivers,

On Thursday 23rd May (postponement 24th May) we will be having our whole school cross country runs held on our back field.

This is a popular, fun race whereby runners compete in teams round an obstacle track for a set time and they collectively accumulate points for their team (Please find the item below why we support this concept)

Year 5-8’s have already had their opportunity, but we are also aware that some junior learners want to have the experience of a more competitive race so we are trialling this as an alternative option for those learners to race instead of our ‘fun race’. (This track will be a more basic track, but we will be looking at placings)

Please discuss this option with your child and email child’s teacher by Monday if they would like to be in the competitive race instead.

Approximate Times:

Year 7 & 8 Fun Cross Country - Yr 8 - 9.30am & Yr 7 9.50am

Year 5 & 6 Fun Cross Country (Te Ara Whanui 3 & 4 - 10.10am , Te Ara Whanui 1 & 2 - 10.30am)

11.40am - Year 4 Fun and Competitive (Concurrently)

12.00pm - Year 3 Fun and Competitive (Concurrently)

12.20pm - Year 2 Fun and Competitive (Concurrently)

1.50am - Year 0/1 Fun and Competitive (Concurrently)

On the day the children will need suitable footwear and a school jacket incase it is cool while they are waiting their turn. If your child has a West Rolleston sports shirt they are able to wear this instead of the normal polo shirt.

Please feel free to come and support our runners. We look forward to seeing you there!

Thanks, Pete Northmore (PE/ Sports Co-ordinator)

(Please find the item below why we support this whole school ‘fun cross country’ concept)

This year we have implemented an IAAF Kids Cross Country model which is run around the world, below is information from the IAAF about the rationale behind this programme:

Most of the time, children’s competitions in athletics are scale models of adults’ competitions. This inadequate standardisation often leads to early specialisation which is clearly against children’s needs for harmonious development. It also brings about early elitism which is detrimental to the majority of children or burn out.

After numerous research initiatives and studies on the current situation, the challenge for the IAAF has been to formulate a new concept of Cross Country and Track/Field that is uniquely tailored to the developmental needs of children.

It takes into account the following requirements:

- to offer children attractive Athletics

- to offer children accessible Athletics

- to offer children instructive Athletics

The adult understanding of competition is not very meaningful to young children. Between 4 and 6 years of age children try to win prizes, but this is not competition in the sense of being ‘better than’. It is a contest for a limited reward that only winners can have. By about the age of 6 or 7 they become able to compare themselves with others and a more mature understanding of competition begins to appear. The point at which children learn to make comparisons is influenced by both their level of understanding and the ‘significant others’ around them.

Formally organised athletics competitions with strict rules are not appropriate for most children until about 12 years of age. This is because of their relatively immature understanding of competition and the causes of success and failure. This Cross Country module for the IAAF is both a programme of activity and also a stage of athlete development. The introductory athletics-like activity of Kids’ Athletics provides a fun competitive arena with team and social implications.