At our third Community Talk on Tuesday 26th March, we were delighted to receive Ana Montero Pacheco, former elite athlete and Technical Director of Syncronised Swimming for `La Real Federación Española de Natación’, and Dr. José Daguerre Galindo, Doctor of `La Real Federación Española de Natación’ and Member of ` La Comisión Médica del Comité Olímpico Español (COE)’.

Ana Montero focused on the extraordinary impact that sport has had on her own life. She emphasised strongly her personal, social, and emotional development, for example gaining self-esteem, self-respect, managing her emotions, and moving in different social and friendship circles. Through sport, she has also acquired important life skills, such as working in groups, organising her time, and applying a structured, analytical approach to putting her vision into practice.

In his presentation, Dr. Daguerre Galindo spoke of the physical and mental benefits of sport. Initially, he stressed the point that nowadays children spend little time outdoors, whether playing or engaged in sports activities, which is prejudicial to their overall health. Also, he explained that the quality of adolescents’ sleep, diet, and vascular resistance deeply affects their academic performance. He reminded everyone that child obesity and sedentary lifestyles are creating a major increase in serious diseases. In essence, sport and regular exercise increase the brain’s capacity, memory, the quality of learning, and our overall well-being.

These thought-provoking contributions reinforced and complemented Richmond Park School’s own vision and future practice. As James Shallcross, Director of Education, explained, our school will ensure sport has the curricular time, additional clubs and activities, and high quality teaching to help all our pupils acquire crucial knowledge, understanding, skills and values. Sport makes our bodies move, and our minds as well.

We wish to express our thanks to our guests and our parents (more than 90) who attended. These talks bring us together and help explain what we believe and what we shall do.

Finally, we will be organising an event in June in which we will be talking about relevant aspects for the start of the academic year. Our management team will be there to answer all your queries.