Building Confidence, Resilience and a Love of Running

Over the past six weeks, our Year 7 and Year 8 students have taken part in an energetic and inspiring Cross-Country Fitness Block. Designed not only to develop cardiovascular fitness, the new initiative also nurtures confidence, resilience and a positive approach to personal improvement.

The programme placed strong emphasis on students competing against themselves rather than others, helping them understand that progress is personal and every step forward counts. Throughout the block, classes rotated through a variety of running-based sessions including interval training, continuous running, Fartlek work and pacing challenges, all aimed at improving stamina, speed and self-awareness.

To keep motivation high, students also experienced a series of creative and enjoyable fitness tasks. These included the Distance Challenge, Token Collector laps, a Word Descrambler Run, a Scavenger Hunt around the school grounds and the ever-popular Card Deck Challenge. Each activity encouraged teamwork, perseverance and plenty of smiles.

Students also completed two full cross-country assessments with the goal of improving on their previous time. Their efforts were recognised through Bronze, Silver and Gold improvement awards - celebrating commitment as much as speed.

The enthusiasm and determination shown by students has been brilliant to see. Many have grown not just fitter, but more resilient and confident in their abilities. We have also encouraged students to take their new skills into the community by trying a local Parkrun, a wonderfully inclusive event where they can challenge themselves further and enjoy the benefits of being part of a wider running community.

Our thanks to Mr Cumner for developing the new programme, and a huge well done to all our fantastic runners. Their effort, attitude and ambition have made this a truly outstanding block of learning!