ANGELA Kelly's excellent article on getting rid of sports day deserves much praise for bringing to our attention the latest thinking on sporting achievements for children.

To consider changing traditional athletics and games to a "sports day tool kit", which comprises the sort of exercises found on business weekends, completely misses the point of what a sports day is. In primary schools there is lots of fun events such as sack races, egg and spoons and silly relays, but later on in secondary schools it is a much more structured affair, but with the same amount of fun.

I was a PE teacher in a High School, and every child in the school, medically permitting, took part in some way in sports day. Each child could choose their events from two track or two field events and, before the day, heats were held in order to find the best eight or so to be in the final on sports day.

Children who did not shine at sports took part because it is part of school life, as do all the children take part in Maths, English, Geography and every other subject, and they do not all shine in these areas, but it is never suggested that they do not all compete in these academic subjects.

Compete is the correct word, used deliberately; all children do not do well in all things, nor do all adults do well in every aspect of life, but most people take part and win or "lose" according to their ability.

Stop traditional sports day and you may as well stop competing at any higher level. Most children learn athletics primarily in school, and, if they have promise, they go on to County and Country level. Many games are learned in school, and that is the right and proper place at their age.

Mrs M Roughley

Forest Drive

Westhoughton