Our year 3 / 4’s played the last game of a difficult inaugural football league campaign.  We have had difficulties all season putting together a team, coupled with the impossibility of getting everyone in the same place for training.

However, I cannot fault the effort put in by those who represented the Exmoor Link Federation over the season and last night was no exception.

We visited North Molton in our newly acquired green premier league kit but took some time getting into our stride.  4 – 0 down at half time made it a difficult task to get back into the game.

But they fought brilliantly in the second half with a much improved performance bagging 3 goals.  However, a strong North Molton side completed their victory 8 – 3.

Our players continue to improve with every game and always show a great desire and passion to play.  Their season is still not over as we have a friendly at Dulverton and a cup competition to play in.

 

Mr Scandrett

 The winning momentum continued for our year 5 / 6’s, this time against Dulverton All Saints School.  For our final footballing outing of the season we wore our newly acquired Green football kit.

The kit, donated by the premier league is now our official Exmoor Link Federation football kit.  Made of lightweight, breathable material the players commented on it’s comfort.

And comfortable they were with yet another impressive and dominant display.  A settled defensive unit kept another clean sheet, our midfield and forward players showed brilliant attacking flair with good link up play and a good eye for goal, all resulting in a 6 – 0 victory.

This group of players have improved tremendously this year.  Individually very competent but our strengths lie within the strong togetherness of the team.  The desire to succeed for each other is a joy to watch and has made coaching them a real pleasure.

Mr Scandrett

 

GTS Aquathon 2018

An exciting new sporting opportunity was grabbed with both hands by a select group of Exmoor Link Federation pupils. The aquathon (a biathalon) is a stand alone event organised by Torrington School sports science students.

This was an excellent opportunity to celebrate those pupils who demonstrate a high quality swimming and cross country running ability in a very difficult event.

Pupils were asked to swim a designated number of lengths in the swimming pool, throw their running gear on and set off, dripping wet, on a long distance run. All of which is against the clock, trying to determine the elite athletes amongst them.

Our 6 boys set off into the unkown across the Torrington Commons having already swam 8 lengths of the pool.  This gruelling test of endurance did not hinder our courageous boys as they met the challenge head on and put in a stunning performance.

Number of runners: 73

Winning time:            8.59

Daniel Williams:         9.18            3^rd Place

Morgan Curtler:        12.24          30^th Place

Yi Lin:                            13.40          49^th Place

Charlotte thorn flew the Exmoor Link flag for the year 6 girls, She was thrown into a difficult swim with some clearly very talented other swimmers. She held her own and knew that it was the clock who she was really running against.

Number of runners: 60

Winning time:            9.16

Charlotte Thorn:        15.59          41^st Place

                                         

6 lengths of the pool before out on to the commons for Harry Holland and Matilda Selley in year 5.

Year 5 boys                                                               Year 5 Girls

Number of runners: 76                                             69

Winning time:            7.58                                        8.01

Harry:                         11.53                                         Matilda:        13.28

54^th Place                                                                     45^th Place

 

Our year 3’s had a long wait as they had endured the excitement of watching everyone else race. James thorn, Erin Williams, Coco Lin and Evie Thompson proudly made that wait well worth it as the determination they showed was clear to see.  One length of the pool followed by a run was a frantic but energy sapping task but they dug in and performed brilliantly.

Year 3 boys                                                              Year 3 Girls

Number of runners: 70                            70

Winning time:            2.12                        2.15

James:                        11.53                       Erin:   2.40               10^th Place

30^th Place                                                   Evie.T:3.43               50^th Place

Co co:3.53                52^nd Place

 

We are so proud of you all.

 

Mr Scandrett

 

 

Our year 6’s enjoyed today’s visit to Barnstable rugby club were they took part in the Life Skills event.  An event designed to give them the skills set and understanding of various topics which may become useful to them as they move forward towards secondary school.

The fire brigade were on hand to demonstrate the dangers of kitchen fires and the appropriate action to be taken, followed by a quiz to test the children’s fire in the home knowledge.

The Community police officers were on hand to discuss the dangers of alcohol and it’s effects it has on our bodies.  We all had a go at walking home from the pub wearing the beer goggles!

The excitement was all too much for Liam who collapsed to the floor!  Luckily the paramedics were there to teach everyone how to keep Liam safe and put him in the recovery position.

Well done to all of our year 6 Exmoor Link pupils who, as ever, listened well and showed great respect to all the services provided.

 

Mr Scandrett

We embarked on a new sporting journey on Tuesday evening with our first foray into competitive rounders.  A sport usually used as an in school game to promote physical exercise and team work but never before looked at as a competitive sport.

Our players quickly picked up the complicated scoring system in a team meeting and discussed how to utilise our individual players strengths before setting off to Dulverton for our first ever inter school rounders competition.

We proved dominant from the get go with a more organised approach to the game, coupled with individual prowess and the usual dose of Bishops Nympton determination we were able to win the game comfortably.  86 points to 50.

Mr Scandrett

 

 

Our year 5 / 6 were kept in line by local police Constable James and police dog handler, Tom on Thursday.  We are currently looking at the topic of crime and punishment and this was an excellent opportunity to learn about modern day policing methods.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable and educational morning with our local police forces who delivered a fact filled, action packed morning.

South Molton Police Constable James demonstrated his bravery as police dog, Bowser, demonstrated his skills of how he can take down a criminal out in the field.  The dogs speed, power and obedience was phenomenal to witness and I am glad that it was PC James on the receiving end of the demonstration.

 

Bowser continued to demonstrate his ability to seek out missing persons and lost items before we got to look around the police vehicles.  The children were enthralled and enthusiastic all morning, asking great questions.  A huge thankyou to both officers for a fantastic visit.  It was great to meet our local team of police who work tirelessly to protect us.

Mr Scandrett

 

Our year 3 / 4’s are approaching the end of their inaugural league campaign and on Wednesday they played their penultimate league fixture against South Molton United.  Another spirited performance showing great determination and some great attacking football.  However, we were out played in the defensive third of the pitch and lost 4 – 0.  Clear improvements are being made and I am sure that with every game this group of players are improving all the time.  Our final fixture against North Molton is on the 20th June.

 

With more opportunities to train together and having had the extra years perfecting their skills, our year 6’s performed phenomenally well in a very dominant performance.  Everything clicked into place and we will have beaten most teams we have played this year with this performance.  Solid at the back and an attacking flair that even an avid Liverpool fan would be impressed by. Mo Salah would have struggled to get into this side!  We cruised to a 5 – 0 victory, very impressive!

 

Mr Scandrett

Having enjoyed some excellent weather this half term we were able to crack on with two more rounds of our intra house sports competition.  Just like the weather, the competition is sizzling hot as the 4 house teams continue to prove who the best sporting house is this year.  Rounders and Kwik Cricket were contested this half term with many more rounds still to come before the winners are engraved onto the coverted shield!

Rounders

1st – Amber – 20 rounders

2nd – Sapphire – 18 rounders

3rd – Emerald – 15 rounders

4th – Ruby – 7 rounders

 

Kwik Cricket

1st – Amber – 136 runs

2nd – Sapphire – 126 runs

3rd – Ruby – 124 runs

4th Emerald – 102 runs

 

Intra House Sports Shields standings:

Amber – 100points

        Sapphire – 70 points

Emerald – 55 points

Ruby 50 points

 

Sports completed: Cross Country, Netball, Indoor athletics, Football, Rounders, Kwik Cricket.

Our year 3 / 4 resumed their football league campaign with a difficult trip to current table toppers SMCP.  Still without a win this season, our limited resources in terms of available players was no match for a very talented and strong South Molton outfit.

However, as always, our players stood up to be counted and put in a brave performance with plenty of determination on show.  They never let their heads go down and gave South Molton a real work out.  Our next fixture is a bottom of the league clash against South Molton United where we look to put into action all that we have learnt from this difficult fixture.

 

Mr Scandrett

It has taken some time for me to sum up the right words to express the anger, confusion and disappointment felt during the North Devon Tag rugby finals. ‘it is just a game’ and ‘let it go’ are some of the most common phrases I have been hearing all week, but I was there to bare witness to the sheer devastation, bewilderment and dejection expressed on our brave players faces making it an impossible task!

It was such shames that a fantastic tournament was then tainted by a mockery of a final were the referee seemed to have an alterior motive and play by a different rule set never been seen before on a tag rugby pitch.

Ourselves, the opposing coach and other coaches watched in confusion as the final was thrown into utter chaos with decision after decision which went against the basic rules of play disrupted and destroyed what could have been a fantastic final.

What saddens me more is that this experience has had a negative impact on our players and has lessened the enormity of their achievements as the controversy is all that will be remembered from the day.

I am trying to ‘let it go’ and focussing on the positives that our players and supporters should be taking from the tournament. That is that once again, our tiny village school has stood on the shoulders of giants and proved that our desire and commitment has taken us to the higher levels of tag rugby, narrowly missing out on the big one.

To all the players, chins up! We know what we achieved out there and we know the hard ships we went through during training and qualifying and on the day to achieve what we did.  2^nd place in North Devon is a huge achievement which you should all be proud of.  You are champions in my eyes!

Mr Scandrett

 

VS Instow                            Won 3 – 0

VS Lapford                          Won 5 – 0

VS Chittlehampton          Won 4 – 2

VS West Bury                     Won 4 – 0

VS Swimbridge                  Won 5 – 0

 

Knockout stages

VS Berryanarbour            Won 5 – 0

 

Quarterfinals

VS Goodleigh                     Won 5 – 3

 

Semi Finals

VS Swimbridge                  Won 3 – 1

 

Final

Vs Lapford                          Lost 2 – 1