by Tim Nuttall
The pupils of Roos C of E Primary School have embraced the summer festival season by staging their own celebration of talent and creativity.
At a Sunshine and Sparkle event attended by parents, carers and members of the wider school community, pupils were given a platform to showcase their artistic, performance and sporting skills in front of friends, family and fellow classmates.
From boxing to singing, mindfulness to musical theatre, and yoga to dance and cheerleading, the event reflected the wide range of opportunities that are available through the school’s comprehensive programme of extracurricular clubs and activities.
Such experiences are invaluable as they not only help to uncover and nurture hidden talents, they also allow pupils to learn more about themselves – paving the way for the development of confidence, knowledge and skills in different contexts outside the confines of the main curriculum.
Head teacher Aimee Christian said: “Our Sunshine and Sparkle event was a celebration of all the unique skills and talents that make us special as individuals. “It provided a platform for our pupils to confidently show a side to themselves that might not be on display all the time, while allowing us to share with our school community the variety of extracurricular opportunities on off er here at Roos.”
The event was born out of previous summer celebrations, which saw traditional strawberry teas being served as treat in the run-up to the summer holidays. Last year, this was expanded outdoors to create a festival which became the first Sunshine and Sparkle event.
About 100 members of the Roos community supported this year’s event, including singer and musician Connor Penson who provided the day’s entertainment – narrowly missing the best of British summertime’s inclement weather in the process.
Meanwhile, with the end of term fast approaching, the pupils of Roos have also been enjoying a wider range of cultural and celebratory activities to broaden their horizons and mark the end of another successful year.
Among them was the school’s annual colour run – an event that promotes health and happiness, inspired by the Hindu festivalof Holi. Traditionally dressed in white, colour run participants race around a designated course where colour stations are set up – with people encouraged to throw coloured powder on competitors as they pass.
This gradually builds up a rainbow of colour on runners’ clothing, creating a vibrant visual and exciting atmosphere. All pupils, from nursery to year six, enjoyed taking part in their own races and were each rewarded for their efforts with a medal.
Later in the day, the pupils also relished the opportunity to colour their parents, carers and teachers.
The event was supported by Fit4Fun, a sports, dance, gymnastics and fitness coaching company that helps to deliver PE provision at the school. Unable to escape the fun of the colour run wasFit4Fun coach Sam Megson, who was covered in paint during a solo run to mark his last day with the school.
