IGS WHARFE VALLEY PRIMARY SPORTS LEAGUE

The IGS Wharfe Valley Primary Sports League is a long-lasting sports partnership held between Ilkley Grammar School and eight partnership primary schools within the local catchment area. The association utilise numerous first-class facilities in the local area including:

• Ben Rhydding Hockey Club astro turfs
• Ilkley Town Football Clubs 3G astro turf,
• IGS school fields, sports hall and swimming pool.

Local primary school children from Years 3-6 are afforded the opportunity to participate in a mixture of sports coaching sessions and engage in competitive sporting fixtures. Ilkley Grammar school students in Years 9 to 13 are given the opportunity to develop responsibility and organisation as sports leaders by assisting at the events.

The coaching sessions and festivals use sport as a vehicle to help students become excellent friends and excellent citizens whilst developing sporting prowess. There is a large focus on developing the social and moral awareness of young children, centred around the six IGS ‘Personal Best’ values which aim to promote students to demonstrate: Pride; Respect; Courage; Responsibility; Kindness and Resilience.

The programme is currently led by Adam Ewbank, teacher of PE at Ilkley Grammar School.

We have the pleasure of collaborating with our eight associate primary schools:

• Ben Rhydding
• Sacred Heart
• Ashlands
• All Saints
• Addingham
• Menston
• Burley and Woodhead
• Burley Oaks

IGS Wharfe Valley Primary Sports League

2025/2026 programme FIRM dates:

PSL dates	Half term	Start (Wk Beg)	End (Wk End)	Time (Weeks)
Term 1	HT 1: Sep – Oct HT	15/9/25	24/10/45	6
	HT 2: Oct - Xmas	10/11/25	12/12/25	5
Term 2	HT 1: Jan – Feb HT	12/1/26	13/2/26	5
	HT 2: Feb – Easter	23/2/26	27/3/26	5
Term 3	HT 1: April – May HT	13/4/26	22/5/26	6
	HT 2: June – End year	8/6/26	10/7/26	5

32 timetabled weeks in 38-week academic year

 **Tuesday training nights in ‘coaching blocks’: Menston, Addingham, Burley Woodhead and All Saints

**Wednesday training nights in ‘coaching blocks’: Ashlands, Ben Rhydding, Sacred Heart and Burley Oaks

Summary of remaining changes or suggestions ahead of the 25/26 programme (Blue= additional changes based upon feedback):

1. Continued use of enforced points forfeit for competitive matches if <24 hours’ notice given ahead of the start time. Also, an option for schools to forfeit points. This massively reduced cancellations, late dropouts and resultant catch up weeks in 24/25, preventing unnecessary elongation of the Football league and make it fairer.
2. Begin year 2 of the ‘2-year model’ cycle, some sports change each year as part of a two-year cycle. This will see some sports omitted from the previous year brought back whilst also experimenting with some other sports.
3. The ‘mini tournaments’ in Tag/Hockey/Cricket on the Tuesday or Wednesday nights between the four schools attending that night, rather than all eight will continue in 25/26. To prevent night changes for schools, we will continue to use 4-team mini culminating tournaments on scheduled coaching nights to reduce attendance night changes.
4. After an emphatic vote in favour last year and very successful competitive leagues and cups this year, we will continue the full 8-team football league (9 games per team) rather than the mini 2-pool league (5 games per team).
5. From feedback, there has been a huge appetite to re-introduce the Y6 rounders league. This will also further aid transition to IGS for students. Next year, this will replace the return of hockey after a year hiatus. The hockey equipment is tired, and I need to look at replacements.
6. Feedback surrounding the ‘new’ Y6 summer recreation sports has been overwhelmingly positive, so I am keen to include this again and grow the offering
7. There has been requests for Netball and Dodgeball on IGS site, but with building works starting at IGS in August, our facility access and parking will be even more limited on site. This has been a limiting factor in the past and will continue to be even more so until the new build is finalised.

Thank you as ever for working with me to continue to develop and evolve our amazing network primary sports league. I feel very lucky to work in such a supportive school community.

2025/2026 IGS Wharfe Valley Primary Sports League overview:

Tuesday AND Wednesday ‘Coaching + Competition hybrid’
Block	Sport and details	Time
1 (Half term 1) Mon 15th Sept - Fri 24th Oct (spare week)	Year 3/4 Tag Rugby (TUES + WED) Year 3/4 Mixed 4-5pm Ben Rhydding old Hockey astro (Trainers) 8 Schools each week (4 Tues, 4 Wed) Culminating friendly matches on training night 10 students from each school Gum shields recommended. COACHING + Friendly competition	5 (+1 reserve) weeks
2 (Half term 2-4) Mon 10th Nov – Fri 24th April	Year 5/6 Football Boys + Girls (ALL WEDNESDAYS) ITFC 3G Astro (Boots) All 8 Schools on Wednesdays, two kick-off times Girls and boys alternate weeks Full league, 7 league matches 14 weeks league, 2 weeks champs/Europa knockout (Tues + Wed) 9 a-side boys, 7 a-side girls, unlimited subs No offsides, 5-meter kick ins Halfway retreat from stationary goal kick (Girls) Boots and shinpads required. COMPETITION	16 (+1 reserve) weeks
3 (Half term 5) Mon 27th April - Fri 22nd May	Year 5/6 Summer recreation (TUES + WED) Year 5/6 Mixed 3:50pm arrival, 4-5pm IGS Fields (Trainers) Coaching + Competition hybrid 8 Schools each week (4 Tues, 4 Wed) 10 students from each school 4 sessions: 1 x Rounders/disk golf (TBC) 2 x Summer ‘recreational games’ taster (Volleyball, Spikeball, nerf, bat n ball) 1 x Team relays night	4 weeks
4 (Half term 5+6) Mon 8th June - Fri 10th July	Year 6 Rounders league (ALL TUESDAYS) Year 6 Mixed  3:50pm arrival, 4-5pm  IGS Fields (Trainers)  One evening, all 8 schools.  10 students from each school  COMPETITION  NOTE: there will be at least 2 ‘double header’ nights to fit all 7 matches in	5 weeks
		32 timetabled weeks