Respect, excellence and friendship: Olympic values celebrated at school

In a school where the very name evokes images of the modern Olympics, it seems only fitting that at William Brookes School, named after William Penny Brookes who founded the Wenlock Olympian Games and inspired the modern Olympic Games, the athletic excellence of its students would be recognised.

The school community celebrated the sporting prowess and athleticism of its young people during its prestigious Sports Awards Ceremony. The William Brookes School community gathered to congratulate and acknowledge the significant sporting achievements of its young people, aged 11-18. These extraordinary young people embody the school’s values, inspired by the Olympic values, of respect, excellence and friendship. William Brookes School is the only Coubertin School in Great Britain and students are divided into four Houses, named after the Olympic cities: London, Beijing, Athens and Sydney.

2024 has been an outstanding year for sports at William Brookes School. The school’s enviable resources, including running track, swimming pool and astro, make physical education a key feature of the curriculum. The breadth of the extracurricular offer was recently praised by Ofsted and enhances what goes on in lessons.

This year’s Sports Awards Ceremony has plenty to celebrate. The William Brookes School football team, beat Thomas Telford 1-0 in the County Cup final in May, last won by the school in 1978.

In netball, the Year 8 team won the County Cup, with Y7 and 11 coming in at a very respectable third at county level too.

In athletics, Grace Gray, qualified for the English Schools this year in the hurdles; she came an impressive 13th.

Ed Lloyd is an English and British Champion in Slalom and represented Great Britain in a major international ski race in the Czech Republic.

Connie Dunn was selected for Severn Stars netball team and will represent them in the NPL tournament. Isla Tindall was also in the Severn Stars player pathway this year and after recent trails for Birmingham Panthers has been called to second trials in September. Ellie-Mae Brewster was also selected for the Severn Stars development pathway this year.

Millie-Jane Gardner has qualified at both the area and regional level in three different equestrian disciplines, dressage, show jumping and eventing.

Lacon Childe has achieved his Shodan, Black Belt, in Goju Karate. He won two gold and a bronze medal at the Northwest Regional Tournament and is Junior Northwest Kumite Champion.

By Ruth Shaw - Contributor