School sports day axed by killjoys 'in case children fall over'

 

By Chris Brooke

Last updated at 3:53 PM on 19th June 2008

 

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For generations falling over on a bumpy grass running track was all part of the fun of school sports day.

 

Nowadays health and safety concerns have deemed it an unacceptable risk.

 

A junior school in West Sussex has cancelled its annual summer sports day because of fears that children will trip over and hurt themselves during the events.

Tradition: But Holmbush First School in Brighton has cancelled their annual sports day in case children fall over

The headteacher has decided the surface of the school's new playing field was 'too dangerous' for the traditional three-legged, egg and spoon and sack races due to the number of cracks and holes in the ground.

 

The former farmer's field has been converted into a playing field and Holmbush First School in Shoreham hoped to use it for sports day this year.

 

But parents were stunned when head Rebecca Jackson wrote to them to reveal the event had been cancelled after a risk assessment. In previous years sports day was held on a concrete playground.

 

Physiotherapist Louise Powell, 32, whose five-year-old daughter goes to the school, slammed the move.

 

She said:'I'm absolutely furious because we were so looking forward to it. We were excited because it would have been Maisie's first sports day, it's really upset me.

'It's ludicrous.

The whole world has gone mad. We think the field is good enough to run on and parents are prepared to take responsibility for their children.

 

'Besides, the children visited a farm recently and ran around in a field there and none got hurt. They also took part in a be-active day and were running in a concrete playground for three hours.

 

'The field I ran in for sports day when I was a little girl was uneven and so was my husband's. When we were kids you just got on with it.'

 

Mother-of-two Laura Kirschner, 34, from Southwick, has a five-year-old daughter Madeleine at the school.

 

She said:'It’s the most silly thing I’ve ever heard. On a normal school day the kids play on a concrete playground, that surely is worse than falling over on grass. How can the kids badly hurt themselves by falling on grass.

 

'Ok they can fall, but it’s a sports day we’re talking about. Kids just aren’t allowed to be kids anymore. When we were kids we could enjoy ourselves and just get on with being kids.

 

'But now, because of ridiculous rules to do with health and safety, our kids can’t do that. I’ve been told the children sometimes play on the field, so how can it not be safe for a sports day. Most of the parents I’ve spoken to agree with me, that it’s a ridiculous decision.'

 

Another mother, who didn't want to be named, said: 'Part of the fun of school sports days is running about and falling over all over the place - especially the three-legged race.'

 

Holmbush has around 260 pupils aged from four to 8. Headteacher Mrs Jackson said: 'We have inspected the field and it's not yet ready to be used for sports day because of cracks and holes in the surface, which could be dangerous and cause children to trip or fall.'

 

She added the situation would be re-assessed next year.

 

A recent Health and Safety Executive report revealed one in three of all school injuries to pupils were 'slip and trip' incidents.

thats rediculous

That place isn't far from me! Its near the South Downs.

 

Fair enough if the ground has potholes, cracks and rocks etc..... the newspapers making it out as if they've just cancelled sports day in a really petty way.

 

but it seems unfair on the kids and parents, if they're prepared to go ahead regardless of the 'warnings.

A grass field is easier on the knees if you fall over than a solid concrete playing-area.

 

But never-mind, let's just stick the kiddies in front of the Playstation, where no physical harm can come of them, where they will just get fat and lazy