A Perthshire independent school hosted a Covid-safe sport and activity week to help children adjust to being around each other again before school started.
Strathallan School’s activity week was held from 3-7 August, and this week we saw Scotland’s schools reopen.
The school hosted more than 25 children between the ages of eight and eleven to enjoy the week-long event.
“This week has been so much fun,” said 10-year-old Surina Curley, from Luncarty. “I’ve made three great friends who I want to keep in touch with and I really enjoyed learning to play hockey from Mrs Wardlaw.”
As The Economist reported earlier this month, Strathallan found itself in a better position than most when it came to adapting in the pandemic. Most boarders have their own bedroom, the majority of staff live on campus and the school boasts more 150 acres of grounds in which to physically distance.
It has been such a privilege to have pupils from lots of different schools on campus – Jim Thompson, Strathallan School
“Strathallan is based in a beautiful part of Scotland and it is thanks to our extensive facilities that we’ve been able to host these fantastic kids,” said the school’s director of sport, Jim Thompson.
Attendees were able to remain in socially distanced bubbles as they enjoyed perennially popular games such as capture the flag, as well as being offered professional-level coaching in sports including hockey, rugby, athletics, football and cricket.
“It was a hugely enjoyable and rewarding week,” said Thompson. “For the last four years, I helped run the Strathallan rugby camps. So, when our sports camps were postponed due to Covid-19, we thought about other ways we could help parents and their children get back into the rhythm of being around each other and enjoy doing sport together again, before school starts.
“It has been such a privilege to have pupils from lots of different schools on campus, learning new skills and playing together across a number of sports. This week has been a real highlight of the lockdown period for the coaching staff and myself.”
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