A BASINGSTOKE primary school is celebrating its success in table tennis after being confirmed as a finalist in a national award scheme.

St John’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, in Kingsmill Road, Basingstoke was nominated for the ‘School of the Year’ award in the Pride of Table Tennis Awards, organised by Table Tennis England.

The awards celebrate and honour the effort of volunteers, coaches, officials and organisations for their outstanding contribution to table tennis in the last year.

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The ‘School of the Year’ category recognises schools that have, in the last 12 months, made a significant impact in developing young people through table tennis.

St John’s will find out on Sunday, March 26 whether it will be announced as the winner when representatives from the school will attend a ceremony in Nottingham, held as part of the Mark Bates Senior National Championships.

Neil Tunnicliffe, deputy headteacher at St John’s, said children have been enjoying playing table tennis at the school since it bought two table tennis tables for pupils to use in 2016.

He said: “Myself and other members of staff played with the children and they became more and more interested. We regularly had more than 30 children playing. The following year we entered a competition for table tennis and won.”

Pupils at the school have developed their skills playing table tennis at St John’s ever since, resulting in some individual and team success stories.

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In February, four children from St John’s travelled to Solent University in Southampton to take part in the Hampshire Individual Table Tennis competition, resulting in the school winning both the girl’s and boy’s category of the competition for the whole of Hampshire.

The two pupils will travel to Wolverhampton on April 22 to represent Hampshire at the national finals.

The school has been successful in table tennis competitions every year since 2017 with teams represented at the Zone finals, having been crowned as Hampshire winners in each of those years and moving on to the regional finals.

Individual players have represented the school at the national finals every year since 2020, showing the popularity of the sport at St John’s and the dedication of staff in supporting pupils to play.

Mr Tunnicliffe said: “Table tennis is part of our PE curriculum and we also run table tennis clubs after school. It teaches children a different sport and gives them a chance to play which is beneficial on many levels. We see lots of pupils who have left St John’s continue playing.

“We feel really honoured to have been nominated in this Pride of Table Tennis Awards and for the recognition that what we do benefits so many. From starting in Year R and playing at lunchtime to becoming incredible players.”