Last Friday was my younger child’s Sports Day, one of the highlights of the summer term in a British primary school. (The other big event, of course, is the summer fair.)
This was already my fourth Sports Day, and somehow every single one has taken place under brilliant sunshine. In fact, “brilliant” might be an understatement. Every year it has been surprisingly hot by British standards, but this year the heatwave was so intense that the school actually had to change some of its long-standing traditions.
I still remember my first Sports Day. I wore a V-neck top without giving the weather much thought, and by the time I got home my neck was bright red from sunburn. I learned my lesson. This year, with a heatwave already forecast, I came fully prepared: trainers, lightweight trousers, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and even a parasol.
Sports Day, But Under the Summer Sun
Sports Day is fairly similar to the school sports festivals I remember growing up in Korea.
The biggest difference is the season.
In Korea, sports festivals are usually held in the cool autumn weather. In Britain, they take place under the strongest sunshine of the year. It makes perfect sense when you live here. Outside of summer, rain is simply too unpredictable to plan a full day of outdoor activities.
When I think back to my own primary school sports days, I remember being divided into the Blue Team and the White Team. At lunchtime, families would spread picnic mats across the playground, unpack homemade kimbap, fruit, and snacks, and eat together.
I never particularly enjoyed running races, but I always loved that picnic.
Those lunches are some of my strongest childhood memories.
I’ve heard that many Korean schools now hold much smaller sports festivals than they used to, and some have even stopped holding them altogether. Schools are often careful about noise because of complaints from nearby residents.
I once read about a primary school in Seoul where the children began Sports Day by chanting together, “We’re sorry. We’ll keep the noise down and finish quickly.”
Perhaps it was meant as a thoughtful gesture towards the neighbours, but it also made me wonder whether we’d reached a point where even the sound of children laughing, shouting, and playing outdoors had become something to apologise for.
Sometimes Britain Reminds Me of Korea in the 1990s
Britain is undoubtedly a developed country.
Yet every now and then, living here reminds me of Korea in the 1990s.
There are moments when daily life feels less efficient than people might expect. But then there are school events like Sports Day, where the sense of community feels wonderfully old-fashioned in the best possible way.
It reminds me of the kind of childhood many people in Korea once took for granted.
Four Houses Instead of Two Teams
Rather than dividing children into two teams, as we did in Korea, my children’s school has four houses.
Each one is named after a nearby area:
- Richmond (green)
- Hampton (red)
- Kingston (yellow)
- Coombe (blue)
On Sports Day everyone arrives wearing a T-shirt in their house colour.
Reception to Year 2 compete in the morning, while Years 3 to 6 have their events in the afternoon.
Normally, lunchtime is my favourite part of the day.
Every pupil, parent, sibling, grandparent, teacher, and member of staff gathers on the field to eat together. The entire school turns into one enormous picnic.
Whenever my children need a packed lunch for a school trip, I usually make sandwiches or pasta.
But Sports Day is different.
Every year I make kimbap instead.
It’s my own little tradition, inspired by those childhood memories.
Sadly, this year the picnic had to be cancelled because of the extreme heat. The children stayed inside to eat lunch before returning outside for the afternoon events.
To be honest, I was slightly relieved. It was simply too hot to spend another hour sitting in the blazing sun.
More Than Just Running Races
There are plenty of events throughout the day.
Children balance plastic eggs on spoons, complete obstacle courses, roll balls, throw beanbags, race in relays, sprint, and compete in tug-of-war.
As a spectator, though, the sprint races and tug-of-war are always the most entertaining.
My child has always been particularly competitive when it comes to running.
The other events are fun.
Running is serious business.
Last year came second.
This year came first.
Watching that huge smile appear after crossing the finish line was one of my favourite moments of the day.
The Older They Get, the More Relaxed They Become
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is how much the atmosphere changes as children get older.
The older pupils seem remarkably relaxed.
They still try their best, but winning doesn’t appear to matter quite so much. They’re simply enjoying the day.
The younger children are a different story.
Some get upset after losing a race.
Some become tired from waiting in the heat.
A few burst into tears under the blazing sun.
Parents aren’t having an easy time either.
Standing outside for several hours in intense sunshine is surprisingly exhausting.
Thankfully, my parasol made a huge difference this year.
People-Watching Is Half the Fun
One unexpected part of Sports Day is watching what all the parents wear.
Some mothers arrive looking effortlessly elegant in beautiful summer dresses.
Others clearly come prepared for the parents’ races, dressed in leggings and running shoes.
After turning into something resembling a lobster during my first Sports Day, I’ve adopted a different strategy.
Sun protection comes before fashion.
The older I get, the more I realise I can tolerate the heat—but not the sun. These days, I’d rather be overprepared than spend the next week dealing with sunburn.
My lightweight shirt, cooling jeans, oversized hat, sunglasses, and parasol turned out to be one of my better decisions.
Parents Take Tug-of-War Surprisingly Seriously
The final event of the day is always the parents’ tug-of-war.
There’s no registration.
The headteacher simply asks anyone who wants to join to come forward.
Parents wander over laughing, casually split into two teams…
…and then immediately become fiercely competitive.
Faces turn red.
People dig their heels into the grass.
Children scream encouragement from the sidelines while their parents pull with all their might.
It’s impossible not to smile.
A Celebration More Than a Competition
If you’re curious about what a British primary school Sports Day feels like, I’d recommend watching Motherland, Season 2, Episode 6, “Good Job.”
It’s a comedy, so everything is exaggerated, but it captures the atmosphere remarkably well. It also gives a surprisingly accurate glimpse into the wonderfully matter-of-fact way office staff at British state primary schools often deal with parents—not rude, just refreshingly no-nonsense.
Sports Day may revolve around races and competitions, but that’s never what it feels like to me.
It’s really a celebration of the whole school community.
Children, parents, teachers, grandparents, and staff all spend the day together, cheering one another on and enjoying being outside.
Every year it’s exhausting.
Every year it’s far too hot.
And every year, I find myself looking forward to going again.
