The School Games (formerly known as UK School Games) is an annual sporting competition for elite school-age athletes in the United Kingdom that began in 2006.
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The event was based on an Olympic Games model, with multiple sports events held across an intensive four-day period. The Games were organised by the Youth Sport Trust, sponsored by Sainsburys, and from 2008 received funding from Legacy Trust UK, a charitable trust set up to ensure that the 2012 Summer Olympics generate a lasting legacy across the UK.
In 2011, 1,600 elite school-aged athletes participated in the event across twelve sports: athletics, badminton, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, rugby sevens, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
UK School Games
School Games
Name change
Following the 2011 UK School Games, the event changed its name to the School Games.
Format change
The structure of the event also changed from previous years. The UK School Games was an annual event for the most talented school-age athletes, whereas the new School Games is a year-round, inclusive sports competition that’s designed to get young people of all ages and abilities enjoying the benefits of competitive sport. There is a new pyramid structure in place and school-aged pupils will compete at four levels:
The number of sports involved in the games will also increase to around 30.
2012 School Games
The 2012 School Games started in September 2011 and culminated in the national event being held in May 2012 in London. The four-day national event took place across a range of sporting venues around London, with the final day of action set in the Olympic Park in Stratford using some key Olympic 2012 venues, including the main stadium.