Sunderland schoolchildren battle it out at city skipping competition final

Youngsters from six Sunderland primary schools were at the Beacon of Light for the annual City Skipping Final.

Burnside and Newbottle primaries, from Houghton, Fatfield in Washington, and Grangetown, Richard Avenue and Town End were the schools competing.

After three hours of fun and engagement, which includes a skill based competition, each school presents its ‘Skip-dance’ - a musically choreographed routine.

Points are awarded for each skip scored throughout the event and then totalled at the end.

Chris Corcoran, director of event organisers Skipping School Ltd, said: “This is our 9th annual project here in Sunderland, and we are delighted to have worked again this academic year with over 30 of the primaries across the area, and within them we engaged with over 1,500 Year 4 children over the last eight months.

“The aim of our project is to share with the children a range of age and ability appropriate skipping skills and traditional playground games, and inspire them to see this as a positive and rewarding experience, that is both fun to do and delivers health, fitness and general wellbeing.

“The commitment we receive towards our project from both children and teaching staff at each participating school is outstanding.

“We are also delighted with the way in which many headteachers simply renew their school’s involvement with us, and commit part of their annual Sports Premium budget to the project, seeing this as totally beneficial not just for this age group, but for positive play at break times across the whole of their schools.”