In pictures: Chesterfield primary school hosts adaptive sports event to celebrate pupils with disabilities

Dunston Primary and Nursery Academy in Chesterfield, part of the Cavendish Learning Trust, held events including tabletop cricket, wheelchair tennis, an adapted version of the Pentathlon featuring bean bags, cones, skittles, ramps or benches, and Boccia - a Paralympic sport introduced in 1984 where athletes throw or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a 'jack' ball.

The event was scheduled ahead of National School Sports week, which takes place from Monday, June 24.

Jenny Davies is Enhanced Resource lead at Dunston Primary and Nursery Academy. She played a key role in organising the event for the local community, along with adaptive sports coach Andy Bell, of sports company Skillsterz, Shape sports coaching, and young sports leaders from Netherthorpe School in Staveley who all volunteered their time.

Jenny said: “This is an exciting sports event for children in the area and has brought together members of the community.

“The event is not just about inspiring our young people with physical disabilities and giving them every opportunity to succeed and progress in sports; it is also about being effective role models for all our children, to promote inclusion and raise awareness of adapted sports.

“It’s been a great day for the children to be taught by skilled coaches, whilst also having the opportunity to try different sports that they probably wouldn’t have otherwise tried.”

Andy Bell, of Skillsterz, is a champion of disability sports and was able to source adapted wheelchairs for pupils to try their hand at wheelchair tennis.

He said: “The aim of the event was to bring awareness of disability sport to the area. There are similar events in nearby cities such as Sheffield and Nottingham, but nothing here. It’s hoped that this brilliant event, which has also been attended by pupils from nearby schools, will lead to the provision of similar opportunities locally.”

Dunston has more than 250 children between the ages of 3 and 11 on roll, and the eight-pupil Enhanced Resource Centre was rated “excellent” by government inspectors Ofsted.

Jenny added: “Days like today are the ones we want our children to remember, a day when we can learn and experience new things together in our inclusive community and school.”

Meanwhile, the school is appealing to local businesses to help pupils by donating any surplus laptops.

Parent Carer group FODSA work closely with Dunston Primary & Nursery Academy to arrange events and funds for various projects such as the leavers’ disco and school trips.

However, there is an urgent plea for the community to donate IT equipment that is in good, working order to improve children’s use of digital technology.

Headteacher Louise Parker said: “Early use of digital technology improves children’s language skills and promotes social development and creativity.

“FODSA have been brilliant in helping with the appeal for more laptops for our school, but we desperately need more. Being able to use IT equipment confidently is essential in this day and age and we’d be most grateful if anyone can help.”