Although most of the grant allotted to the school was put into the building work some money was destined for the purchase of equipment and it was with this funding that the GCUS kite club was formed.

A slot was booked in our year assemblies, that was based on getting active an achieving personal goals and a video of kite surfing and landboarding was briefly played to give pupils an introduction to the sport. The following day a signing up form was put out to tutor groups asking those students interested in experiencing Power kiting to put their names down. The response was overwhelming! Over 200 pupils were interested and the headache of trying to accommodate everyone was now the only problem.

After a brief phone call to Jeremy at Flexifoil, out laying our intentions to introduce kiting into the school day, we had the backing and support of one of the world leaders in the industry. January 2004, after a lengthy meeting at the flexi HQ where we were supplied with 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5m Bullets, the first kites took to the skies.

Since then the club has grown in popularity and size with every passing month!

It has long been acknowledged that the key to learning is to be physically and mentally healthy and because of this P.E. has remained a compulsory subject for all years as well as being an option that students can take to GCSE level and why Jamie Oliver has gained recognition for the impact he has had on school meals.

Standard main stream sports such as football, netball, basketball, rounders, etc depend on team activities and for those that have a certain level of skill within these games, they are very popular. Yet they do not allow those that are of a lesser ability to fully take part. The pier pressure that is prevalent within these team games, the feeling that one mistake could let the side down, can often cause some individuals to opt out of these activities.

Kiting allows individuals to participate at a level of expertise that is solely based on individual abilities. It takes into account students that develop at different speeds and allows those that excel to "grow" at a pace that suites them. Pupils do not feel that by not achieving a certain proficiency they are letting a team down and nor do they feel that they will be ridiculed for their inabilities.

This would suggest that kiting is NOT a team activity and that it is purely hedonistic in its approach to self improvement and to some degree this is true, but, ask anybody that has flown kites with friends, acquaintances or even strangers whether or not there is a "team" environment to which they feel they belong and the answer will be a firm yes!

Out on the field I have seen pupils of differing year groups displaying a camaraderie that is all too often missing from other sports. Sharing kites, helping launch, untwisting lines, etc involve everyone on the flying site and everyone looks after each other. There is no boundary to separate age, gender or ability. Along with this camaraderie, I have also seen pupils taking a responsibility for their sport by spending break times clearing rubbish from the field not as a punishment but out of safety for each other....how many schools can boast this!!! And how many schools can say that their pupils will offer to take equipment home to untangle lines ready for the following morning.

It can be safe to say that Kiting is not just a sport.it's a way of life!

Since starting the kite club at GCUS there have been a variety of fundamental issues that I have seen addressed that have surprised many. Along with the social aspects of the sport that have allowed pupils that do not fit the typical "sporting" genre to get active there has also been a number of occasions where pupils, that have come from other schools with behavioural, motivational and anger problems, have benefited from this club:-

One such student came from one of our feeder schools and had displayed self injurious behaviours for a number of years. He had been to counselling and other such professionals until he joined GCUS and started flying. Now this could be put down to a change of schools or just growing up but after speaking to the student I discovered that all they needed was to feel like they belonged and that they could achieve and enjoy a sporting activity without pier pressure. Suffice to say that this student is now enjoying his time at school and has improved in all areas of education.

Students at GCUS have taken it upon themselves to be active within the club by helping all staff involved by instructing beginners, looking after equipment and the welfare of those that are flying- 6th form students have been given whole school responsibilities to enhance their time in the school and all those that have been bitten by the bug now fly at every possible moment and have therefore purchased their own kites.

Since the start of kite club we have seen approx. 400 pupils experience kiting and about 100 of those are now owners and regular fliers of kites- Of that 100 two thirds have purchased Flexifoil products the other third regretting they hadnt'. Looking ahead to the future of this club. next spring/summer plans are already laid to take a few of the gifted and talented on a kite surfing trip and talking of possible kite skiing venues for the winter months.

One of the most important issues surrounding activities at school is that of health and safety, and whilst every conceivable precaution is taken, accidents will happen.

Main stream sports have been accepted for many years and most people assume that the risks of injury are inevitable.

In the two years that kite club has be running it is with pride that we can state that there have been NO accidents or injuries that one would associate with an extreme sport, without compromising the enjoyment that kiting has to offer.

Students regularly ride land boards and buggies at lunchtime, launching some huge floaty jumps, 360 spins and grabs without endangering themselves or others. Risk assessments have been put in place and those members of staff involved are all PKSF approved instructors.

• Kiting is safe
• Enjoyable
• Beneficial to personal health and fitness (in conjunction with government policies)
• Improves learning within the school environment.(improved blood flow to the brain)
• Allows students to experience a sport other than the mainstream activities.
• Allows social interaction between different year groups.
• Breaks down boundaries between for those that would normally "opt out"
• Motivational
• Cool!
• And after all this...Darn good fun!!!!!!!

It has long been agreed that British sporting achievements (or lack of) is due to the limited access that most kids experience at school and that many supermarkets have addressed this in the form of shopping vouchers.

If Britain wishes to achieve the success it yearns for then we must train the students from their school years- as and when kiting becomes a recognised Olympic sport , Britain will be at the forefront-as it currently is with Lewis Wilby, Mark Berry and Aaron Hadlow.