Quidditch lessons take off at Ormiston Park Academy (From Thurrock Gazette)

Quidditch lessons take off at Ormiston Park Academy

3:40pm Thursday 24th May 2012 in News

WHILE in his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter’s talent for Quidditch earned him the accolade of being the youngest seeker for a century.

Now, 18 years since it was first introduced to readers, girls at Ormiston Park Academy are trying their hand at the sport.

The school in South Ockendon has introduced the sport to it’s curriculum in a bid to engage a group of Year 10 girls struggling in their PE lessons. One girl had only done four PE lessons in 18 months.

The sport, known as Muggle Quidditch, was adapted for non-wizards in the USA seven years ago, and has just started to infect the UK. It is described as a cross between dodgeball and netball.

Sarah-Jane Treddinick, the teacher behind the initiative said: “I wanted a fun and unusual game to play and saw Quidditch on BBC news. I thought ‘let’s give that a go with my girls’.

“There was a variety of roles, which allowed everyone to feel part of the team. Most of all, it has engaged students back into lessons.”