WOODLANDS SCHOOL: For the first time in several years a netball league was played for Year 5 & 6 children in East Norfolk. This was high 5, the younger version of netball.

The rules have been modified to allow players greater freedom around the court, and the positions are rotated at each quarter, so everyone has a turn at shooting.

Eight local schools entered. Woodlands were outright winners, never losing a game, scoring 108 goals and conceding six. The team gelled from the start and proved that practice does pay off. Thanks went to Anne Hunter from Moorlands for organising the league.

The Year 3 & 4 tennis team have had a successful end to the term.

The initial two teams from the school competed at the East Norfolk Sports Partnership competition hosted jointly at Cliff Park High School and Gorleston Tennis Club and organised by LA Tennis.

Rain meant that the final stages went unplayed, though the group sections were completed with both the Woodlands A and B teams finishing top of their respective groups, and winning the East Norfolk championships.

The two Woodlands teams then played off back at school to determine which four children would make up the team for the county final, held at Easton last week.

Here the pupils had to adapt to sponge balls and the indoor version, and the boys immediately got into the change of style. The team eventually went on to finish in the top 10 of Norfolk, a fantastic achievement for pupils new to tennis this year.

The annual Great Yarmouth Schools’ Athletics Competition was this year hosted at Woodlands for the first time.

Wroughton, Homefield, Hillside, Moorlands and Woodlands attended, with pupils from Years 3 & 4 featuring on day one, and Years 5 & 6 taking their turn the following day, although all four year groups competed in separate competitions.

Pupils took part in distance races, throwing and jumping events before completing the competition with a series of exciting relays, all gaining points for their schools.

After some memorable events the Woodlands team’s practice finally paid off as they have worked through a term of PE lessons leading onto club practices in order to compete.

With 70 events in total, Woodlands won the competition in all four age groups, taking 59 first places in a fantastic display. The event was a sporting occasion enjoyed by all and well supported by parents.

Thanks went to John Pamplin for organising the event over two days.