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

2024/2025 firm programme:

PSL dates	Half term	Start (Wk Beg)	End (Wk End)	Time (Weeks)
Term 1	HT 1: Sep – Oct HT	Mon 16th Sept	Fri 25th Oct	6
	HT 2: Oct - Xmas	Mon 11th Nov	Fri 13th Dec	5
Term 2	HT 1: Jan – Feb HT	Mon 13th Jan	Fri 14th Feb	5
	HT 2: Feb – Easter	Mon 24th Feb	Fri 4th April	6
Term 3	HT 1: April – May HT	Mon 21st April	Fri 23rd May	5
	HT 2: June – End year	Mon 9th June	Fri 11th July	5

**Please note, your Tues/Wed coaching night will remain the same as 23/24.**

Tues = Menston, Addingham, Burley and Woodhead, Ben Rhydding** (Swap request to Wed)

Wed = Ashlands, All Saints, Sacred Heart, Burley Oaks

Summary of responses to the proposed changes ahead of the 24/25 programme:

• 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 will prevent unnecessary elongation of the Football league and make it fairer ALL in favour voting YES
• Embark upon some new sports again this year as part of a ‘2-year model’, the last two years have been very similar, I would like to now rotate some sports each year as part of a two-year cycle. This could include more recreational and niche sports brought back in after a traditional team game year in 23/24. All schools reacted positively to this
• Reviewing feedback of night changes for culminating tournaments, which affect 50% of schools each block, it could be suggested that we operate ‘mini tournaments’ in Tag/Hockey/Cricket on the Tuesday or Wednesday nights between the four schools attending that night, rather than all eight. Football would be rigid to Wednesday for all 8 however. 5 out of 8 schools voted in favour of 4-team mini culminating tournaments on scheduled coaching nights to reduce attendance night changes. This change will take effect from September.
• A vote will be taken for the full 8-team football league (9 games per team) or mini 2-pool league (5 games per team).7/8 schools voted to keep the full Y6 football league, this will remain in place.

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!

2024/2025 IGS Wharfe Valley Primary Sports League overview:

Tuesday AND Wednesday ‘Coaching + Competition hybrid’
Block	Sport and details	Time
1 (Half term 1) Mon 16th Sept - Fri 25th Oct (spare wk)	Year 3/4 Tag Rugby Ø  Year 3/4 Mixed Ø  4-5pm Ø  Ben Rhydding Hockey astro (Trainers) Ø  8 Schools each week (4 Tues, 4 Wed) Ø  Culminating friendly matches on training night Ø  10 students from each school Ø  Gum shields recommended. Ø  COACHING + Friendly competition	5(6) weeks
2 (Half term 2-4) Mon 11th Nov – Fri 4th April	Year 5/6 Football Boys + Girls Ø  ITFC 3G Astro (Boots) Ø  All 8 Schools on Wednesdays, two kick-off times Ø  Girls and boys alternate weeks Ø  Full league, 7 league matches Ø  14 weeks league, 2 weeks champs/Europa knockout (Tues + Wed) Ø  9 a-side boys, 7 a-side girls, unlimited subs Ø  No offsides, 5-meter kick ins Ø  Halfway retreat from stationary goal kick (Girls) Ø  Boots and shinpads required. Ø  COMPETITION	16 weeks
3 (Half term 5) Mon 21st April - Fri 23rd May	Year 5 Kwik Cricket Ø  Year 5 mixed Ø  4-5pm Ø  Ben Rhydding Hockey astro (Trainers) Ø  8 Schools each week (4 Tues, 4 Wed) Ø  Culminating friendly matches on training night Ø  10 students from each school Ø  COACHING + Friendly competition	5 weeks
4 (Half term 5+6) Mon 9th June - Fri 11th July	Year 6 Summer recreation! Ø  Year 6 Mixed Ø  3:50pm arrival, 4-5pm Ø  IGS Fields (Trainers) Ø  Coaching + Competition hybrid Ø  8 Schools each week (4 Tues, 4 Wed) Ø  10 students from each school   5 sessions: Ø  2 x Rounders Ø  2 x Summer ‘recreational games’ taster (Volleyball, spikeball, nerf, bat n ball) Ø  1 x Team relays night	5 weeks
		32 timetabled weeks