First Class festival concludes School Connections programme
Over 600 pupils from schools across the North East enjoyed a morning of tag rugby at Kingston Park Stadium last Friday, as the home of Newcastle Falcons played host to the First Class Supply Schools Connections festival.
The culmination of a programme that with the support of the North East’s fastest growing independent supply teaching agency, has seen the Newcastle Rugby Foundation engage with and provide coaching to over 300 children, the festival saw many of these play on the same pitch as some of the best rugby players in the world.
In addition to welcoming those children who had already experience what the programme offers, a whole host of new schools and pupils, some with no previous experience of the sport, also got involved to have their first taste.
Playing games in groups of up to five teams, all the participants enjoyed almost an hour’s worth of game time over the course of the morning.
As well as providing an opportunity for the children to be active, the games also provided the chance for them to forge stronger friendship bonds, with a number of the squads seeing multiple classes from their year group combine to form the teams.
Allowing the children to enjoy the day, the festival was a non-competitive event and encouraged all those present to embrace the sports core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.
Demonstrated superbly by all 23 of the schools present, St Peter’s CoE Primary School of Stockton particularly caught the eyes of the referees on the day and were presented with the event’s Spirit of Rugby award.
Steph Boulton, Director at First Class Supply said “We are absolutely delighted that through our exclusive education partnership with the Falcons, so many of our regions school children were able to take part in this fantastic event! What a day! Thank you to all involved at the Falcons who made this possible.”
Providing a fitting finale to a programme that has been hailed as a resounding success by those taking part, the First Class Supply festival is one of a number of opportunities that the Newcastle Rugby Foundation has offered to youngsters during season 2017/18 with more set to follow next year.
For more information on the Foundation and how to get involved, email schools@newcastle-falcons.co.uk
