Robert Miles Junior School

We have competed in a sport we have not competed in for a while this term- basketball.

This began when the school received an email from Jimmy ‘Jumpshot’ Smith who has been developing schools basketball for the last 30 years. His email was to let me know that Robert Miles Junior School was one of the original schools that introduced basketball competitions in Nottinghamshire. We had been invited to a large basketball rally on the 6^th June to celebrate 30 years of the sport. With this in mind we thought it would be a good idea to give the children a taste of the sport and to pick a team to begin competing.

Jimmy came in school for the day to coach every class in the basics of the sport and a squad of 12 were chosen to represent the school. We signed up to three rallies before the main one in June and so far have competed in 2.

Coach Smith,former Basketball Development Officer for Nottinghamshire County Council, founded the Notts. Nova national league programme and has introduced more children in the UK to basketball than any other individual.Mini-Basketball England named their mascot after him in 2012.He was also named the Nottingham Post Impact on Life Award Winner for Nottinghamshire in 2012.Jimmy was professional player- coach on Nottingham Basketball Club’s Double National Championship Team of 1980, coached Nottingham Wildcats in Europe and at Wembley in 1984 and was Nottinghamshire’s Coach of the Year in 1998.Last year he also participated on the basketball operations team at London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. What a great coach to have in school!

The first game the new Robert Miles team played was at a rally at Radcliffe on Trent and the children were initially taken aback by the speed and physical nature of the competition. However, the soon found their feet and after the loss in the first game went on to win their second game against Radcliffe.

They have not looked back! The team competed again at Jesse Gray in West Bridgford on Wednesday 8^th May and this time won all of their 3 games. They started with a 8-2 victory over Jesse Gray, then a tight 7-6 win over Lowdham and finished with a resounding 12-2 win over Willowbrook, finishing joint top team at the rally. Very good going for a new team and a new sport for many of the children. The photo shows the teams at the rally at Jesse Gray, with Jimmy in the background.

We will aim to build on this start and look for ways to increase the number of children participating in the competitions.

The latest edition of the newsletter can now be downloaded by clicking the link below:

April/May 2013

Two teams of girls took part in a local netball tournament at Toot Hill School today and were thrilled to finish 1st and 2nd! Two groups of schools competed during the afternoon, wit

h a team from Robert Miles in both groups. Once the games had finished the points were totalled and the top two teams played in the final – Robert Miles A vs Robert Miles B! Very well done to all the girls involved they played really well. Congratulations to the A team for winning the final!

The type of netball we play in primary schools now is called High 5 Netball.  It is very similar to traditional netball, but aims to encourage greater participation and gives experience for children playing in all positions. You can read more about it by clicking here.

If you look back at last year’s egg rolling competition photos you will find children in shorts and t-shirts enjoying the sunshine. This year it was only Mr Randall in shorts and he looked freezing! The weather didn’t put the children off and the annual competition was as eggciting as ever. Children only had one chance to roll their (hopefully) hard boiled eggs to see who could get them closest to the big egg in the middle. This year’s  two champions were both from year 3 – Bethan and Harry. Well done to them and thanks to everyone who bought an egg in.

Robert Miles Junior children raised over £230 for Comic Relief today! They all came to school in pyjamas and onesies, and teddies were treated to a day out. The School Council had put together a joke book which sold many copies for 50p each. During the afternoon children from across the school shared bedtime stories with a cup of hot chocolate and a biscuit. Well done to all for the money raised today.