Pupils strike Olympic gold

FLYING high . . . showing off one of the kite prototypes are designers (back from left) James Massey, Matthew Winterburn, James Mears, Jonathan Garratt Front, (from left) Ryan Beeley, Joe Harper, William Milnes and Adam Claye

SADDLEWORTH School will be flying high with a double success at this summer’s Beijing Olympics.

Three year 10 students from the specialist language college — where pupils learn Mandarin — have been chosen to report from the games by Children’s BBC.

They are among eight Saddleworth pupils who are flying out to China and Hong Kong for the Olympics where they will meet quadruple GB gold medal rower Sir Matthew Pinsent.

Meanwhile, two kites designed by their classmates will also be showcased at a kite flying afternoon in Beijing.

The exciting events are part of the Towards the Olympics Project which involves specialist schools from all over the UK.

Two groups of Year 10 GCSE product design pupils won an international competition to create kites with an Olympic and Chinese theme.

Their prototypes are now being made by a professional kitemaker and will be showcased at the Brighton Kite Festival next weekend.

They will then be flown in Beijing by their classmates who are in China and Hong Kong from August 6 to 17.

Their trip also includes catching sporting events, visits to attractions such as the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City, and meeting pupils from schools over there.

Three of the group — Alex Dawson, Jessica Bird and Danielle Wardle — will report from the games as part of a sports journalism project with Children’s BBC.

The students taking part in the trip are members of the school’s China club which has designed a special Olympics website.

They will post blogs and podcasts from the Olympics and cross curriculum co-ordinator Kath Findlay said: “The pupils are excited but I don’t think they quite realise the magnitude of it.

“I don’t think it will sink in until they get out there.”