STUDENTS from across Furness took part in the first competitive games event of the academic year.

This was the first event where the students participated in person for many months and also the first event to be supported by the Barrow AFC Community Trust who also manage the Furness School Games Organiser role. The event was held at Furness Academy, part of Furness Education Trust.

There were two activities for the students to participate in on the day. The morning session was a cyclo-cross event for the students, followed by cross country in the afternoon. The purpose of these events was the teach the students about the importance of determination.

Students from primary schools across the Furness peninsula took part in the event. Over 40 year five and six students joined the Furness School Games team in the morning to complete four different challenges around the Furness Academy course.

This course is not the easiest and included challenges such as hills, grass and gravel for the students to navigate.

In the afternoon, over 220 students from Key Stage 2 took part in a cross country event. The students had to run 800m and 1200m lengths around the course.

The children each set their own personal time and will be returning to the course after Christmas to try and better the time they set.

Craig Rutherford, manager of Barrow AFC Community Trust and Furness School Games organiser, said: “It was great to have the students with us in person for our first face to face event in our new role.

"It was important for us to ensure we encouraged the students to embody the school games values and show determination during the events.

"We were proud to see how they continued to be determined when facing challenges on the cyclo-cross or a lengthy run ahead of them. The children should be proud of the times they achieved and we look forward to welcoming them back to Furness Academy after Christmas so the students can aim to beat their own personal times”.