Students at a Barnstaple school are the envy of youngsters elsewhere in Devon – after skateboarding was included in PE lessons.
Skateboarding has finally made it onto the school curriculum – at one Devon school at least. Now, enthusiasts at other schools across the county must be hoping their teachers follow the example set by Pilton Community College in Barnstaple.
The college has incorporated skateboarding into the school’s PE lessons – and, not surprisingly, it’s been a popular decision! At the moment, it’s only a trial period to see how the lessons go, but staff argue that skateboarding is a sport, so should be included in PE.
College teacher Wendy McQuillan believes that although it’s not a traditional sport, like football and rugby, there’s still a place for skateboarding in school PE lessons.
“For many of the students it’s a sport they’re trying for the first time, so it’s developing a lot of new skills. And for those who’ve done it before, they’re developing a range of co-ordination skills. And there’s also the physical aspect of skateboarding.“
It makes a nice change for the teenagers to practice their sport in a place where they’re welcome. Youngsters in Barnstaple have been using the redeveloped riverfront area of the town for their sport – and have made themselves unpopular with residents. The skaters have now started a petition to try and get a skate park in the town, which, they say, would keep everyone happy. In the meantime, they’re making the most of the lessons on offer at school.
