STUDENTS at The Skipton Academy showed their sporting prowess at the school’s sports day last week - and for once, the sun shone from start to end. All pictures by Stephen Garnett.

As the academy approached the last days of term before breaking up for the long, summer holidays, pupils from all years took part in a number of track and field events held at the school’s sports field, including running and long jump, while being cheered on by their colleagues.

Richard McManus, academy principal, said: “Our fantastic sports day really did allow the students to exemplify our ethos of ‘belong challenge inspire’ - we had the whole school engaged in supporting their form, some titanic quality athletic competition and inspirational sportsmanship from all our competitors.”

To add to the school’s success on the sports field, its dodgeball team is now county champions following Sunday’s North Yorkshire School Games county finals. - which was held in soaring temperatures.

Held at Queen Margaret’s School in Escrick, York, the academy beat Archbishop Holgate’s School in the final to become county champions.

Competitors had taken part in local and district qualifying tournaments throughout the school year, beating off competition from thousands of others in order to take part in the prestigious event. Overall, 600 pupils competed in eight sports, helped out by a hundred young leaders who volunteered from colleges from the county.

BBC gymnastics commentator, GB Olympian and double Commonwealth Champion gymnast, Craig Heap welcomed all the parents, spectators and competitors to the games, and was on hand all day giving inspirational speeches in the marquee, as well as dishing out medals, signing autographs, and even having a flip off with medal design competition winner Isabella Welford.

In addition to dodgeball, school teams played hockey, netball high 5’s, girls football, tri-golf, rugby MegaFest, tennis and primary panathlon Settle Primary was second in the rugby MegaFest, losing out to Robert Wilkinson School, York, in the final.

Skipton Academy, at the top of Gargrave Road, is staging open mornings until Thursday this week for prospective parents. Open mornings run from 9.30am to 12 midday. Anyone wishing to be shown around the school, either by the principal, Mr McManus, or by a member of the senior leadership team, should contact the school on 01756 79296.