School sports/PE/Games

[George 1978]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

I am certain that the egg and spoon races were temporally abandoned from sports day races because of the Edwina Currie salmonella scandal in 1988-1989. I know that egg boxes were banned in schools many years later due to similar problems. And I am certain that someone would cheat by sticking the egg on the spoon.

Anyone had to do PE in their vest and pants because of a forgotten kit? In the Infants this was the norm, and we had to wear plimsolls as well. Awful.

[darren]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

A primary school banned parents from attending its annual sports day, with egg and spoon and obstacle races, to spare the children from embarrassment if they lost.

Instead, mothers and fathers were informed that a non-competitive sports day would be held behind closed doors.

Judith Wressel, the head of Maney Hill Primary in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, said in a letter to parents: "Taking part in traditional races can be difficult and often embarrassing for many children, which is why we envisage a different outdoor activity event that will suit all children."

Rob Busst, who has two sons at the school, said the school was trying to solve a problem that did not exist.

"Children do not become scarred for life if they lose the egg and spoon race," he said.

"They all love being in the races and they love the fact that their parents are there to cheer them on."
Birmingham education authority said: "Each school decides the most appropriate way to arrange activities in consultation with staff and governors and looking at the needs of all the pupils."
A local authority in Scotland was ridiculed when it refused to reveal the scores from a children's bowling competition.
Aberdeen City Council, which ran the event as part of 50th jubilee celebrations for the authority's annual bowling tournament, decided that some competitors who were beginners at the sport should be spared the embarrassment of seeing the scale of their defeats published in the local press.
Audrey Walker, the council's events organiser, defended the 2004 decision to keep the results of the junior pairs competition a secret.
"We just thought it would be the kinder thing to do not to publish the results. We don't want to discourage the children — we want to encourage them because we want young bowlers coming in," she added.
Criticism of the authority was led by Willie Miller, a former Aberdeen Football Club manager and captain, who said: "In my experience, the best way for a young player to learn is to match themselves against better opponents."
The incident came after several Scottish local authorities had banned winning in sports days and football matches to spare less able children the stigma of defeat.



WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL EARLY EIGHTIES I REMEMBER DOING THE EGG AND SPOON RACE AND I WAS SURE SOME HAD SUCK THE EGG TO THE SPOON AND IM SURE OTHERS THOUGHT SO TOO.

I am certain that the egg and spoon races were temporally abandoned from sports day races because of the Edwina Currie salmonella scandal in 1988-1989. I know that egg boxes were banned in schools many years later due to similar problems. And I am certain that someone would cheat by sticking the egg on the spoon.

Anyone had to do PE in their vest and pants because of a forgotten kit? In the Infants this was the norm, and we had to wear plimsolls as well. Awful.

[darren]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

In some schools the attendance of parents is prohibited or alternative non-competitive events staged, with the intention of sparing children the embarrassment and stigma of defeat.^[16][17] In others, the use of raw eggs is banned on the grounds of health and safety and fears of allergy or of competitors contracting salmonella through accidental ingestion of the contents of a broken egg.^[11][17]Hard-boiled, wooden, ceramic or synthetic eggs may be used in their stead, or alternative substitutes such as potatoes, small balls, or jelly.^[17] Punitive insurance premiums have also resulted in the cancellation of some events.
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Competitors race either individually or in teams in the manner of a relay race.^[1][3] If the egg falls from the spoon then competitors may be required to stop, retrieve, and reposition their egg;^[10] or to start again;^[1][11] or may even be disqualified.^[12] Due to the lesser penalty imposed for dropping the egg, and consequent encouragement of greater risk-taking, the first penalty scenario may result in a race that is faster overall.^[10] Common methods of cheating include sticking the egg to the spoon, or holding onto the egg with one finger.^[13] For an extra challenge, contestants might carry the spoon with both hands, with their teeth, or have their hands tied behind their backs

I am certain that the egg and spoon races were temporally abandoned from sports day races because of the Edwina Currie salmonella scandal in 1988-1989. I know that egg boxes were banned in schools many years later due to similar problems. And I am certain that someone would cheat by sticking the egg on the spoon.

Anyone had to do PE in their vest and pants because of a forgotten kit? In the Infants this was the norm, and we had to wear plimsolls as well. Awful.

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

Alice in Wonderland logic: “all must have prizes”.

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

I have been dared to do lots of things quite recently...

My only experience of swimming pools other than at school is the Men’s Pond in Hampstead: mellow in summer, bracing as Skegness in spring and autumn.

[80sChav]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

Congrats to your son.
I remember doing an egg and spoon race.I was probably the fastest runner in my class but i couldn't keep the egg on the spoon,
Dropped it once went back to the start and just as i was about to cross the finish line i dropped it again.

Also remember a practical joke my brother played on a friend of his .
They all got changed for P.E and my bro deliberately put his friend's shorts into someone else's bag.

Oh wow studal - I ahad forgot the Egg and Spoon Race, not as we had much only in the last year or 2 of Primary, but fun it sure was and I guess it is an Enrichment to Sport too

I think we did ours in a Sack too mate too!!

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

My only experience of swimming pools other than at school is the Men’s Pond in Hampstead: mellow in summer, bracing as Skegness in spring and autumn.

I remember the AIDS awareness thing in the news in 1986, and my class spread the rumour that men who use the swimming pool we went to had it.

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

I remember the AIDS awareness thing in the news in 1986, and my class spread the rumour that men who use the swimming pool we went to had it.

I've only belonged to a men's swimming club and so I've never used a mixed pool. Do they smell of fish?

[80sChav]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

The article you posted above Darren is a great but well sad insight - thanks for the Heads Up and Info mate

That is disgusting what Willie Miller said though and I am astounded!! Banning winning!? I have never heard such PC-Red Tape in all my life - I am sure you are like me here Darren in recollecting many a PE Class involving Footy on a Icy Cold Pitch in the 80s and early 90s - winning never came into the eqaution. It was the taking part or trying to make yourself involved regardless of ability levels I recall. These people who make such comments make my Blood Boil - at that age, it is never about the winning and even if it was it would be a handshake at Full Time Footy-wise or a brief lifting of the Cup in a Local Atheltics stadium etc, not and never about showing the loosing side up

These people who claim all this - can never have lived through the 1980s (more so) and 190s I think or at least denythat the era was what it was.

80sChav

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

A primary school banned parents from attending its annual sports day, with egg and spoon and obstacle races, to spare the children from embarrassment if they lost.

Instead, mothers and fathers were informed that a non-competitive sports day would be held behind closed doors.

Judith Wressel, the head of Maney Hill Primary in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, said in a letter to parents: "Taking part in traditional races can be difficult and often embarrassing for many children, which is why we envisage a different outdoor activity event that will suit all children."

"Judith Wressel": surely this is a wind-up.

What a scary levelled-down socialist nightmare. Nobody is allowed to do well, or try, or aspire to be anyone or anything. Reading this makes me feel relieved that I went to a boys' school with only male teachers where we were encouraged to succeed - and try even at things we weren't good at. The Ms Wrestle philosophy of education leads to low-level crime and drugs because it offers no hope.

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

Ms Leonora ('Call me Leo') Titcomb, Head of Winnie Mandela Primary School, Hebden Bridge, has cropped hair, wears dungarees and is a member of the Labour Party and CND. She has abolished competitive sport and introduced 'gender neutral co-operative activities' because there shouldn't be any winners or losers and 'no-one is better than anyone else'. She has also abolished grades and thinks reading and writing are 'middle class, male dominated and Eurocentric'. Maths and science are also sexist and irrelevant because most of her pupils are going to stack shelves or work as Deliver drivers, so 'who needs to actually know anything and knowledge is just a white patriarchal middle-class construct anyway'.

Leo's pupils celebrate Eid, Diwali and Winterval. They have a multi-faith and no-faith assembly each morning where they sing 'Baa Baa Green Sheep' and 'We Shall Overcome'. There is no uniform although Palestinian scarves are encouraged.

[Silver Bear]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

... Leo's partner is the Rev. Drabitha Dripwell, vicar of St Jeremy's, where she prays to 'God the Mother' or sometimes 'God the Whatever' because 'She or He is kind of like non-binary really'. She is obese with untidy hair and wears fingerless gloves knitted by a women's collective in Peru. Her congregation sit in a circle instead of pews because it's 'non-hierarchical' As there are only about 10 of them, it doesn't matter. In the Socialist Republic of Heaven, everyone will become gender-neutral and equal in every respect. 'It's a bit like a huge recycling centre,' she tells them. After the service they drink Eritrean Fair Trade Coffee.

Leo and Drabitha live with six female cats and a neutered greyhound.

[George 1978]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

I've only belonged to a men's swimming club and so I've never used a mixed pool. Do they smell of fish?

Well they usually do like water, I suppose.

[Adec757]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

What was your p e kit? Was indoor undertaken in plimsolls or bare feet?

[George 1978]

Re: School sports/PE/Games

In the Infants School it was just our underwear, while in Junior School it was t-shirt and shorts, and Comprehensive School it was the same or a tracksuit so one's legs were covered up in the cold weather - it wasn't exactly like uniform as such, meaning that they didn't have to be the same colour.

And of course, swimming trunks (swimsuit for the girls) for swimming lessons.